Even when you love your job, there are times when the schedule makes it harder to balance all the demands on your time. If your schedule makes it tough to give your best effort both on the job and at home, here’s how to ask for the changes you need.
1. Understand what you need.
First, spend some time thinking about your ideal shift schedule. If you had free choice of shifts and days, what would you choose?
Then, think about the minimum change you need in order to meet all your obligations. This change may look very different from your ideal schedule, but it should offer what you need in order to ensure you can meet your obligations at work and outside work.
By setting both an “ideal” and “minimum” acceptable goal, you can see where you have room to negotiate. You may also see opportunities to ask for a better schedule than the minimum change you need.
2. Think about what’s realistic.
Consider your ideal and your minimum in the context of your job and your co-workers’ participation on the shift. For instance, if you ask to work swing shift on the weekends, how will you be contributing at that time, and what happens to the work that won’t be done if you leave another shift to take this one?
By thinking about your request in context, you’ll prepare yourself for objections from your supervisor. If you hear, “That’s not going to work,” you’ll be ready to explain how it will work.
3. Have a backup plan.
If your attempts to get the shift you want do not go your way, don’t give up hope. You still have options. For instance, you can talk to your co-workers to see whether someone else is looking for a shift change and would like to trade shifts with you. You can also seek help from an outside source, such as a recruiter, to find a job that offers a better schedule for you.
Eclipse Professional Services supports companies through out North Texas with Skilled Industrial Labor in the Logistics, Manufacturing and Warehousing skills sets on Temp To Hire basis. Contact us at 214.331.7502, if you are looking for new opportunities or to increase the capacity of your work force.
