A reader writes:
My fiance, Jim, works at a profitable however comparatively small nonprofit. He’s the top of his division of 1, and is the one one that’s ever been in his position; he was employed to start out the division about two years in the past and by all accounts has been very profitable.
About 4 months in the past, there was an inside restructuring, and he ended up with a brand new boss who’s now making modifications. Jim was totally distant till two months in the past, when he began having to go in three days per week, which was a bit disappointing however total nice. Nevertheless, now they wish to change his hours. His hours are 9-5, however he’s a morning individual and on the times he works from house, he typically begins work at 7 am or 8 am as a result of it’s when he works finest and he prefers to have extra free time later. He does need to be “on name” functionally till 5 pm when he does that although. Most individuals on the org work 10 am – 6 pm, they usually need him to alter to match. He hates this concept. He stated it may be workable on WFH days, however he’s within the workplace greater than half the week and he’ll be depressing getting house from work at 7 pm. The day he came upon concerning the change, he began placing collectively his resume and placing feelers out in his community to seek out out about different openings.
My query is: if you happen to really feel that strongly a couple of change, is it value it to deliver it up earlier than you permit to see in the event that they’re keen to be versatile? I do know there’s threat concerned with that, so I assume I’m asking the way you weigh threat vs reward right here.
Yeah, if you happen to in any other case just like the job and one thing modifications that makes you wish to depart, it typically is sensible to deliver it up and see if it’s fixable earlier than you give up over it.
That doesn’t normally imply saying outright, “I’m going to give up if this doesn’t change.” Generally it’d, which I’ll get to in a minute, however normally you’re higher served by one thing like:
“I respect the explanations you’re asking me to sync my hours with everybody else’s, however I work so much higher beginning earlier within the day. Is there any room for flexibility on this?”
or
“X is de facto essential to me — it’s one of many causes I took the job initially and have fortunately stayed right here so long as I’ve. Would you be open to attempting __ as a substitute?” (In some circumstances you may suggest attempting your suggestion only for a couple of months and seeing the way it goes.)
While you say one thing is de facto essential to you, the subtext is already there that you simply would possibly find yourself leaving if you happen to don’t get it, so that you don’t normally have to spell it out. However in a small variety of circumstances, it will possibly make sense to anyway — normally while you suppose that clearly stating that would change the end result and you’re assured you possibly can safely say it with out retribution. That final half is de facto key, as a result of some managers will react actually badly to something that seems like forcing their hand, and also you don’t wish to get pushed out sooner than you’d have left by yourself or bitter the connection together with your boss for no matter time you stay. However there are some conditions the place you possibly can safely say, “I wish to be up-front that that is essential sufficient to me that I’d possible transfer on if we are able to’t do it.”
To be clear, none of this implies you’re obligated to speak to your boss if you happen to’re sad sufficient with a change to go away over it. You’re allowed to determine that you simply don’t really feel like expending the trouble or the capital. However in a job you in any other case like, it typically is sensible to strive.
