Advice please, re request to my boss, to work at home.

[Oblomov]

Was wondering it you could give me some advice.
I work p/t for a lovely firm in Surrey.
Dh has just got new job in Bournemouth. I need to start preparing a request to work from home, atleast some of the time.
I currently work 20 hrs - full day monday, full day tuesday and half day thursday.

The commute is 1 1/2 hours each way. In time I may have to accept that I can't do this, and look for another job.
But I totally love my job and the people and the company.
I do the accounts, corp tax, stat accounts, and report figures to parent co for our sister companies - nothing that couldn't be done from home - no real meetings or involvement with anyone else really.
I don't even know what I am going to suggest to them yet ! One day a week in office ? Once a fortnight ? One a month, at month end ?

I have already looked at DTI's website - looked at forms :DTI

Just wondered if anyone could offer me any advice re things to say / not say - to hopefully ensure that this goes through.

I was in a slightly different situation from you in that i got made redundant after birth of DS so had to find another job. During the interview i stated quite clearly that as much of the work that i would be required to do can be done anywhere i wanted to work 2 - 3days a week from home. I have a long (ish) commute which is an hour each way by car (on a good day) as i have to tackle the M25.

I would prepare a list of the work you do and how/why you can do it easily from home.

State that it is rare that you would need to have face to face meetings but when this was required you would be available

You would be working more effectively as you won't be commuting 3 hours per day

You are able to work effectively at home (say you have a home office all set up and ready)

HTH and good luck

Bear in mind that they may have insurance/elf and safety issues etc

BT are apparently quite good on this homeworking lark, I wonder if they have any case study stuff that could help.

Otherwise I'd say build a case that noted exactly what you produce now and what the difference would be, your availability, your hours etc. There might be some stuff on Working Families

I would also make it clear that you have childcare arrangements in place for your DC. If you are trying to work from home and look after LOs it is nigh on impossible!