To ask to work from home successfully, research your company’s policies, prepare statistics showing remote work benefits, explain your personal motivation, and propose a specific schedule. Time your request well and be prepared to negotiate.

Since 2010, professionals have gained access to tools and technologies for remote teams that make working from home practical and productive. This guide provides 15 tips to help you make a compelling case for remote work flexibility.

Why Do People Want to Work From Home?

Before making your request, identify your personal motivation. Common reasons people want to work from home include:

Wanting more flexibility: Remote work often comes with schedule flexibility beyond the strict 9-to-5 office routine.

Avoiding the commute: Working from home eliminates daily travel, potentially saving an hour or more each day—not to mention lower stress from reduced traffic.

Limiting distractions: Offices can be hotbeds of interruption. Remote work often provides a more focused environment for deep work.

Improving your environment: Working from home gives you control over lighting, temperature, furniture, and equipment—allowing you to optimize for your best work.

Is Working From Home Right for Everyone?

While working from home is largely beneficial, it isn’t right for everyone. Communication becomes more difficult to manage remotely. Even if you like alone time, months of isolation can lead to loneliness.

Remote work relies on self-discipline—you won’t have supervisors or coworkers looking over your shoulder. For some, this is the perfect environment; for others, it’s challenging. Understand these aspects before making your request.

What Are the Best Tips for Asking to Work From Home?

1. How Should You Research Your Company’s Remote Work Situation?

Understand your working environment before making the request. Are others already working from home? If so, your chances are higher. What’s your boss’s attitude toward remote work? Even if chances seem low, understanding the situation helps you frame your request appropriately.

2. Why Should You Research Your Industry?

Look at your industry and specific position. Do competing companies allow remote work? How have they benefited? Do others in your role work from home? Don’t use this to argue “they get to, so I should too.” Instead, use it to normalize the concept.

3. What Statistics Should You Use to Support Your Request?

Arm yourself with data proving remote work benefits. Our list of remote work statistics shows measurable improvements in productivity and morale while reducing costs. If you can prove objective benefits for the organization, your boss won’t have much rebuttal.

4. How Should You Explain Your Personal Motivation?

Don’t lead with this, but during the discussion, explain why you want to work from home. Want to spend more time with family? Avoid commute stress? Accomplish more focused work? Provide your reasons sincerely—valid motivations strengthen your case.

5. Why Does Your Past Performance Matter?

Bosses are more likely to reward high-performing employees with remote work benefits. If you’ve been responsible and valuable, cite your past performance. Explain how you’ve exceeded expectations, and point to your history of effective communication as justification.

6. What Should Your Remote Work Plan Include?

The more specific your plan, the more favorably it will be received. Explain exactly how your workday will change—different tasks, new schedule, tools you’ll use. A detailed plan shows you’re serious and proves the value of the transition.

7. How Should You Address Security Concerns?

Many employers worry about security when employees work from home. Propose solutions like investing in a better network, using a VPN, or installing remote employee monitoring software to address these concerns proactively.

8. What Should You Say About Your Home Office Setup?

Be prepared to discuss your home office if the conversation goes this direction. Explain that you have a dedicated room, plus all the furniture and equipment needed to be productive. For guidance, see our tips on work from home office setups.

9. Should You Ask in Person or by Email?

Have the discussion in person whenever possible. Look your boss in the eyes and make your case confidently. Email can convey lack of effort or suggest you’re not taking the matter seriously. In-person conversation allows for dialogue, which this topic demands.

10. When Is the Best Time to Ask to Work From Home?

Timing matters. Don’t ask on a stressful Monday when your boss seems irritable and projects are overdue. Wait for lighter workloads and better moods. Even better—ask after you’ve achieved something excellent, so your request appears in a positive light.

11. How Should You Handle Negotiations and Concessions?

Be prepared to negotiate. If your boss won’t approve full-time remote work, ask for three days a week. If that fails, try one day a week until you can prove it’s feasible. Ask what would make them reconsider—there may be a specific concern you can address.

12. What Objections Should You Anticipate?

Your boss will have concerns, so prepare to address them proactively. You likely understand how your boss thinks and what requests typically get approved. How will they respond, and how can you counteract those challenges? Objective evidence is your strongest tool.

13. How Do You Handle the Discomfort of Asking?

Asking to work from home will probably feel uncomfortable, even if you like your boss. Accept that discomfort proactively. Acknowledging your nervousness and accepting it as reality makes you feel less anxious and more confident during the meeting.

14. When Should You Walk Away from the Conversation?

If your boss is reluctant after several negotiation attempts, don’t be afraid to walk away. Continuing to push makes them more likely to stick to their position. Accept the denial gracefully and move on with your normal workday.

15. How Should You Regroup After a Rejection?

If your initial request is denied, don’t give up. Take time to regroup and come back with a new request later. Think about their objections and develop new rebuttals. Just mentioning remote work taps into the mere exposure effect—people see things more favorably the more they’re exposed to them.

How Do You Make a Good Impression When Working From Home?

If your boss grants permission—even in limited capacity—it’s important to make a good first impression. Otherwise, your privileges may be revoked.

Be transparent: Make it clear when you’re working and when you’re taking breaks. Tell supervisors and coworkers what you’re working on. Your team will be reassured by your transparency.

Achieve more: Go out of your way to exceed expectations, especially at the beginning. Even if the productivity boost comes from wanting to keep your privileges, your boss still sees bottom-line benefits.

Over-communicate: Err on the side of over-communication. Notify supervisors and coworkers when switching tasks, taking breaks, or undertaking significant actions. Be extra detailed in written communications.

Remain flexible: Expect growing pains as everyone adjusts. Be open to experimenting with new tools and techniques, and comply with reasonable requests.

Make yourself a guinea pig: If you’re one of the first remote workers at your company, you’re setting the tone. Do your best work and take notes on what works for and against you.

How Can You Track Your Remote Work Productivity?

Working from home should increase your productivity as long as you’re self-motivated. For an extra boost, use tools that track ongoing productivity and workload.

EmailAnalytics tracks incoming and outgoing emails and monitors your average email response time. You can have your boss receive daily or weekly reports of email activity—which may help your case when asking to work from home. Sign up for a free trial to see how it works.

Frequently Asked Questions About Asking to Work From Home