Flexible Working Request Appeal

cjohnson355

Hi,
Due to personal circumstances I need to move away but would like to keep my office based job. I requested flexible working to work from home but it was refused. I'm not looking to change the hours or days that I work and I have no children that could interfere with my working from home. I have constant visibility of my workload and that of others and could and already do communicate with my colleagues via an in house instant message program, email and of course phone. We also have a technical support department whom all work from home. Really as far as I can see there is no real issues, I just won't be onsite physically.

One point in the refusal letter is that there are multiple strategic changes that the organisation is either in the process of implementing, or that are planned for the near future that limit their ability to support home working.
How on earth do I respond to that in my appeal? As I have no idea what is planned how can I appeal that?
Their other reasons for refusal vary from not being able to support the team from home to what if there are any computer issues which I feel is just nonsense as other departments/teams work from home without an issue.
Had I requested changing my hours or going part time I could understand their decision but I don't, so I will need to appeal. I do not believe the business or my colleagues would suffer in any way and I would like the opportunity to trial this both for the business and myself before leaving a job I have been in for 15 years. Any ideas on the appeal process would be gratefully received.

sangie595

Sorry, but you do need to understand that the employer had cited business reasons for the refusal, and neither you nor anybody else can dispute those. It doesn't matter whether your agree with their reasons. It's their business and what are business reasons is their decision. On that basis, I don't think you have any better argument than your final one here. Show that the business and colleagues wouldn't suffer, point out how long you have been in this job, show the benefits of trialling this, and hope they agree.

getmore4less

Do they know you want to move away?

they may think you are going to leave anyway and this is a way to make it easy for you.

have you ever done the odd day, extra by working from home?

the stealthy method of migrating to home work can be a way to do it but probably too late now.

part of the problem is you can say it does no harm but you need some benefits to sweeten the deal for the company.

sangie595

getmore4less wrote: »

Do they know you want to move away?

they may think you are going to leave anyway and this is a way to make it easy for you.

have you ever done the odd day, extra by working from home?

the stealthy method of migrating to home work can be a way to do it but probably too late now.

part of the problem is you can say it does no harm but you need some benefits to sweeten the deal for the company.

I agree. The other side of the coin is that they may worry what happens when the office empties because everyone wants to work from home. Just because you have a good personal reason for wanting this doesn't mean they aren't looking at the bigger picture - someone who lives closer and has children may have just as good a reason as you for wanting to work from home. This may be a factor you would need to address. That's why the suggested stealthy method works better, but is a long term strategy - it means an employer maintains control and can see how it is working without committing themselves to a path that might become a problem.

FBaby

Agreeing for someone to work from home is opening a can of worm. What if everyone then make the same request, how would they justify saying no when they said yes to you? If it was ok for everyone to work from home without any detriment to the business, then surely they would have re-arranged their business model that way anyway.

t0rt0ise

FBaby wrote: »

Agreeing for someone to work from home is opening a can of worm. What if everyone then make the same request, how would they justify saying no when they said yes to you? If it was ok for everyone to work from home without any detriment to the business, then surely they would have re-arranged their business model that way anyway.

While that may be true it's not a good enough reason to refuse an application. For business reasons is the right answer!

cjohnson355

getmore4less wrote: »

Do they know you want to move away?

they may think you are going to leave anyway and this is a way to make it easy for you.

have you ever done the odd day, extra by working from home?

the stealthy method of migrating to home work can be a way to do it but probably too late now.

part of the problem is you can say it does no harm but you need some benefits to sweeten the deal for the company.

Yes I have been totally up front about my situation. I have worked from home quite often over the years when deemed necessary by the company. When I had broken my leg and couldn't drive in, when snowed in and other various reasons. So they know it can be done and are quite happy for me to do so when it suits.

cjohnson355

A big thank you to you all for taking the time to reply. You've made me realise that it's not about my needs but how my working from home would prove good for the company. There are others within my department that work from home but this is on a 50/50 basis. I'd be unable to do that as I'm moving too far away. I think to be honest my downfall will be with the company stating there are potential organisational changes. I can't argue my point about something I don't know about.

Undervalued

cjohnson355 wrote: »

Yes I have been totally up front about my situation. I have worked from home quite often over the years when deemed necessary by the company. When I had broken my leg and couldn't drive in, when snowed in and other various reasons. So they know it can be done and are quite happy for me to do so when it suits.

That is very different though.

Even if they felt you were only 50% as useful when working from home, that is better from their point of view than you not working at all.

Although there can be advantages in most cases there is also a downside to somebody not being in the office. If the firm have a mind to say no it is only too easy for them to highlight any potential problems.

Realistically, if you are looking to do this, you need to "sell" the advantages to them and not present them with a problem to solve.
Or, you need to be of exceptional value to them to the point that they would be very worried about losing you altogether. Only you know if that is the case!

As you know they only need to consider your request. It is very easy to find perfectly lawful ways of rejecting it if that is their mindset.

There are others within my department that work from home but this is on a 50/50 basis.

That rather confirms my third paragraph above.

Tigsteroonie

Are there going to be any times when you must be in the office, for example meetings or briefings? It is easy for those home-working on a 50/50 basis to maintain their 'presence' at such events, but it would be very difficult for you if you move too far away.

If the business is about to undergo a restructure, they (a) might worry about your ability to attend vital consultations, or (b) might not even know whether your job exists in the future.

cjohnson355

Undervalued wrote: »

That is very different though.

Even if they felt you were only 50% as useful when working from home, that is better from their point of view than you not working at all.

Although there can be advantages in most cases there is also a downside to somebody not being in the office. If the firm have a mind to say no it is only too easy for them to highlight any potential problems.

Realistically, if you are looking to do this, you need to "sell" the advantages to them and not present them with a problem to solve.
Or, you need to be of exceptional value to them to the point that they would be very worried about losing you altogether. Only you know if that is the case!

As you know they only need to consider your request. It is very easy to find perfectly lawful ways of rejecting it if that is their mindset.



That rather confirms my third paragraph above.

That's a great way of looking at it. Thank you for your reply.