To ask to work from home permanently?

[Numberjacks1]

I work from home two days a week, and in the office 3 days a week. 9-3 school hours. On my work from home days I am much happier and more productive. I am a book keeper and work in an office with a general manager. Everything I need to do my job is via email. I have been signed off work post covid due to fatigue, but decided I was well enough to work from home. My life feels completely different! I find the lights and the (small amount) of noise in the office draining. I suspect I may have mild autism. I feel like I’m fighting in a fog when I’m in the office. I don’t want to explain that to them though. But I would like to permanently request to work from home. How do I go about this? Has anyone else done this and had success? Thanks in advance

Also I’m really good friends with the general manager so would feel a bit guilty for leaving her “alone”. But it would make me so much happier (and less exhausted despite the 15 minute commute) I just seem to feel wiped out by a (part time) day in the office. From home it’s like I’m on fire with my work! And I’m so much more motivated! I know my manager mentions she really hates working from home as it’s isolating, but I’m finding the opposite.

I am guessing you'd need to check company policy on this and maybe speak to someone from HR? I can imagine that the process for doing that and the likelihood that your request would be approved varies by company, so whatever people tell you here may not apply to your company.

I’ve had a look on ACAS and it says they would need a valid business reason to refuse. But I’m still skeptical it’s as easy as it sounds to get approval?

I managed someone who did this request and it was a super awkward meeting as we couldn’t approve it.
Once an employer locks in a 5 day a week contact at home, it is so hard to get them to come in for training or team days or emergencies etc. so hard to the point it can be technically impossible. Can you ask for an extra 1 day at home, that’s much more likely to be reasonable

I would be happy to come in for meetings. It’s so difficult as this has made such a difference to my life and happiness that I’m considering looking for another job. But ideally I would rather do this one from home.

There’s something about being in the office that makes me feel completely wiped out. I’m not sure what though

What benefits you and you alone might not necessarily be a valid business decision if it has an impact on the wider cohort of workers. I would suggest you reduce a bit but retain at least some office days to show a bit of willing.

Tammygirl12 what business case did they base their refusal on? It seems they need a genuine reason or you can appeal.

To be honest before covid I was so tired I often thought about quitting, although as a lone parent to a teenager this is not an option.

You need to think of how your working from home will benefit the company. Don’t present it as a way that just benefits you.

We argued didn’t suit the needs of the business. Picked one of the reasons on the acas list.

Have you considered you might love your at-home days because you work in the office the other days? I think a combination is really good as it makes you really appreciate the work from home days. If you were at home every single day, you might not find it such a bonus?

• the burden of additional costs
• an inability to reorganise work amongst existing staff
• an inability to recruit additional staff
• a detrimental impact on quality
• a detrimental impact on performance
• a detrimental effect on ability to meet customer demand
• insufficient work available for the periods the employee proposes to work
• planned structural changes to the employer's business

think the business argued quality and performance (lack of team work, access to other employees, training, impact on customers etc)

Something to think about in terms of employer perspective: In my organisation permanent work from home means that is their place of work and therefore we have to pay all transport once they leave their home on any non work from home day eg for training in the office. There are also implications for insurance (I think it is something like: they have to change home insurance to cover business use and employer has to pay); and utilities including broadband (employer has to pay towards).

@Numberjacks1 Sourced from AI:

In the UK, you can make a statutory flexible working request. This allows you to formally ask for changes to your working pattern — including working from home on a full-time basis.
As of April 2024, the rules changed to make this easier:

• You can make a flexible working request from day one of employment (no longer have to wait 26 weeks).
• You can make two requests per year.
• Your employer must respond within two months (unless a longer period is agreed).
• Employers must consult with you before rejecting a request.

What your employer can do
Your employer can refuse your request, but only for one (or more) of the eight legal business reasons — for example:

• It would have a detrimental impact on performance or quality
• It would be too costly
• There’s not enough work available for you to do at home
• It would negatively affect customer service

If they refuse, they must give you a clear business reason in writing.

Good luck - and if you google it you can find example templates to help you draft your request.

What about the other employees?

I think YABU in your request

Would it be a flexible working request or reasonable adjustments due to your health issues/why you were signed off.

I believe the latter they have to legally approve in the UK (AFAIK??) but hopefully someone from HR will be along to give more details.

Put yourself first. If you think you have autism do not risk autistic burnout and potentially never working again as that’s the reality if you misjudge this. Ask for full time WFH and hopefully they agree. Such a tiny percentage of people with ASD are in employment so you are doing really well. Don’t be guilt tripped about the effect on others that’s not your concern it’s down to the business . Do whatever works so you can stay working whilst managing fatigue and ND. Good luck

No, they don’t have to legally approve it!

issueswiththetap I haven’t been diagnosed but I’ve always felt there is something “wrong” with me. Before DC I struggled to work full time and always got burnt out after about 6 months and quit, had a bit of a rest for a few months then find another job and repeat. After DC I only worked 15 hours a week and coped well with this. Since increasing to 30 hours this time last year I’ve been constantly unwell about every 4 weeks. I then work from home, recover, and then the cycle repeats. After every day in the office I have a headache and feel wiped out. I’ve been applying for remote part time book keeper roles but no success so would like to turn this into a remote role if possible. At the moment I have post covid fatigue but it’s slowly improving and I’m working reduced hours while I recover 15 per week but will need to go back up to full time due to having a mortgage and things being beyond tight at the moment. Realistically I think the only way I can do this would be from home.

I have the following health conditions:

• chronic sinusitis
• insomnia (maybe linked to sinus issues)
• suspected perimenopause
• post covid fatigue

i am not sure if there is any benefit me getting assessed for autism or adhd?

i always feel one step away from complete burn out, usually by Tuesday when I work in the office

My doctor has offered to sign me off sick but I said I would take reduced hours from home on the fit note instead, as I feel if I stopped working I would get anxiety about going back. And it would be a pain for the company to find someone to cover my role.

Well you would at the moment. But what that poster is saying is that if you have a contract that says 100% work at home, it gets very tricky to ask you to come into the office for training, handover or anything else. You might decide to move to Shetland. And there are endless threads on here from people moaning about being "forced" in to the office for this sort of thing.

Agree there is no harm asking. But they would be well within their rights to say no, or put other limitations on it.

moominmai thank you, that’s the info I found on Acas too, it makes it sound so simple and like they would need to make a string case to refuse, I had gotten excited! But it seems from most of the posts on here that requests can easily be refused?

i work alone and with my laptop and in a non customer facing role. Anyone sending me invoices are from outside sources or from a finance manager in another office at the opposite end of the country. We are a multi site company. Our credit control lady work from home in a random location, but not sure what the back story is and that was before my managers time. A lady in sales asked to work from home due to anxiety recently but she was refused based on she was a team leader and her team are office based.

I think it’s definitely worth asking - if you don’t ask you don’t get!! Or maybe even ask to come in just two days a week might be a good starting point - completely know what you mean. We are usually in 3 days and I just keep wanting more days from home - I find I’m more productive because of the reduced travel time