Maximizing Your Leverage – Negotiating Remote Work (And Other Perks) In The Post-Pandemic Era

In the latest edition of CEOs Gone Wild, one CEO told her employees, “You can visit Pity City but you can’t live there,” because they weren’t getting bonuses (CEO’s compensation – $5 million), and another CEO commended an employee for selling their dog because they could not both own a pet and devote themselves to the company. Did we mention there are banking and cryptocurrency meltdowns happening? Those CEOs went wild too.

Professionals are at an inflection point with their fundamental relationship with their employers, many of whom turn out to be poor stewards of their businesses, hucksters, Cruellas, and people who are happy when other people are forced to sell their dogs. If only Dante was alive to add another circle of Hell.

While every sector has its own divides, one issue that unites skilled professionals is remote work vs. back to the office. Remote work’s demise is the prediction that never seems to materialize in a substantive way. Let’s be clear. It does not matter how many major companies push for a return to the office and how many employees ultimately do. Deep inside the professional’s consciousness, a paradigm shift has already happened. The tug-of-war has just begun.

For example, large and influential companies like Google and Apple are bringing their employees back to the office at the same time there is a new drive for asynchronous work, where remote work can be completed on any schedule the worker decides. The poles are moving further apart. Nobody wants to give. This test of wills is untenable. What happens when you want to work remotely and your employer wants you back in the office? What do you do?

As a job seeker, what kind of actual leverage do you have? Are you in an advantageous bargaining position?  The first step is to understand your parameters.

1.     Understand what’s important to you. Why do you want to work remotely? Is it because it’s a nice perk, or do you have a real need? Is it a matter of principle? You need to have an in-depth understanding of your motivating factors before you take an adversarial position than your employer or torpedo a job interview.

2.     Are you prepared for the trade-offs? You sacrifice visibility when you work remotely and it may impact your career mobility. If you are working in your remote silo, you aren’t actively developing meaningful professional relationships with your co-workers or/and clients. You may also be paid less. If you are in high demand and you want to be a digital nomad, you may be able to make it work over the long term. Otherwise, you may be a perpetual temporary worker who has walled themselves off from opportunities that may have been available to you have you returned to the office.

3.     Are you prepared to disconnect from communal and historic knowledge? Work used to be structured in a simple way – master and apprentice. In an office, there are many masters and many apprentices, and the interaction between all of these various people creates institutionalized knowledge critical for the functioning of the company and for learning new skills. If you’re not there, you’re missing out on all of that and you’re not building your professional network.

4.     Decide what you’re willing to accept. If you choose not to die on Remote-Work Hill and are willing to compromise, what model will make you happy? For example, let’s say you’re offered a mostly remote position but you have to come into the office twice a week, which means you have to live in the geographic location of where the office is located. Are those acceptable terms? If not, what would be? Think in through or what little leverage you do have may dissipate quickly during a negotiation.

5.     Companies have rights too. Hence the Golden Rule – he who has the gold makes the rules. If a company name is on your paycheck, it’s delivered on time, and it clears the bank, the company has every right to dictate the terms of what they are buying, in this case, labor. Your employer can set whatever requirements they want and if you don’t want to abide by them then you are free to seek employment elsewhere.

Now let’s take a quick look at what leverage you may have when negotiating the terms of your employment.

1.     Do an honest assessment of your skill set and the business landscape. If your employer mandates a return to the office and you’re committed to 100% remote finding common ground may not be in the cards. However, if you see movement on one or both ends you may have more negotiating power. Read the tea leaves.

2.     Understand that compromise comes from both sides. If a company is ready to compromise on how it schedules and manages its labor force, you should be ready to compromise on what you will do for the company. Unless you’re the Elon Musk of remote workers (you’re not), there will be give and take and you should be prepared to give (but don’t sell your dog).

3.     Be aware. Even if your employer is open to negotiating remote or hybrid work, you may not have as much leverage as you think you do. Don’t rush your actions. Do your due diligence. Your employer may be responsive, but if you overplay your position you may end up alienating yourself, or if you’re interviewing you may be removed from the process if they believe you’re not a right match due to differing opinions on remote work vs. return to the office.

4.     Make your opening gambit, but make it respectfully. Whether you approach a current employer or are in the interview room, be direct. Ask for what you want. You may receive a unilateral “no” and that’s that. But maybe you’ll get a maybe and then the game is on. Remember your professional etiquette. Don’t make an issue if you don’t get the answer you want. See where your e, employer or potential employer stands. If (when) asked questions about your position, be honest.

Philip Roufail contributed to this article.

Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, career coaching services, and outplacement services. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.