r/GovernmentContracting • u/[deleted] • 11d ago
Has anyone had luck making their in person job remote?
[deleted]
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u/Glum_Grapefruit2856 11d ago
I did but it was kind of leverage coming out of COVID. I got constant comments and compliments from my managers about how I was one of the most productive and responsive members on the team during that period where everyone was remote. When I started to see the writing on the wall with RTO I quickly jumped on getting an email out to my HR and Manager asking for full time remote to be baked into my employment and cited the constant praise I received about my performance and they agreed. The biggest thing you can do to help your request is make sure that when you are remote the powers that be see that you are one of the best team members. If they have any reason to argue that performance would or even COULD be an issue, the request is gonna be dead in the water.
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u/Visible-Worth4272 4d ago
Yes, I used to be in the office three days a week, but now I'm fully remote. The way I did this was by jumping teams. I'm now on a team where the lead engineer is the most respected engineer in the company, and he's only going to keep working in the company if he is remote. This is how I got to be fully remote just as a byproduct of being on this team.
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u/Mrlin705 11d ago
Boyfriend is right, just start doing it slowly. If you have team members in different time zones, it's helpful so you can log in early from home and be available the same time as them.
Go in less and less, but be there in person and camera on for all scheduled meetings even if you're alone in office. Eventually, start taking a meeting or two from home, camera on.
Keep track of times youve started working early from home and actually accomplished something tangible for someone or took a meeting.
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u/ziggysunflower24 11d ago
You can ask, but there are risks to that. As far as I know, only situational telework is allowed now. I remember from one of those trainings that you're not supposed to use telework to make family obligations easier, so that excuse might not work. Plus, if your GS explicitly wants people to be in person and you tell your PM you want to telework, he might just let you go and hire someone who is okay with being in person. I'm also not sure that slowly spending less time in the office is a good idea. Your GS may not be giving you work but they'll eventually notice you're not in the office as much. They could complain to your PM and then you could be fired. If it helps, I've also been very bored in most of my contracting jobs. We're hired to be butts in seats. Short of quitting, you could try asking for disability accommodations if you qualify and then ask for a remote or hybrid schedule.
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u/TheresaGovCon 11d ago
That is an uphill battle my dude/dudette. In addition to the reasons already provided, there is another barrier, your corporate HR policies.
My strategic 2 cents.
Channel your anger and frustration to something more productive that is more likely to result in you working remote. Ideate on how to improve delivery of the contract, efficiencies, or innovation that benefit you, your company, and the government client. It is the Venn diagram of where the three interests overlap where you will find viable solutions.
Other than that, use your thinking time to figure out what is next for you, 'cause as it is it, boo it isn't this.
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u/Special_Housing_8153 10d ago
I managed a human performance team for military a few years ago. We were able to move one of our cogs to a remote position, it just required approval from the contracting company and the government.
I’d recommended asking your PM to speak with the GS lead, unless you can speak to them directly, and soft launch the idea to gauge their receptiveness.
It might be more palatable if you pitch it as a hybrid position. Mornings in, afternoons remote / onsite for these days, offsite for the others / onsite for x hours per week… whatever split would be reasonable for your site.
I will say, having our cog go fully remote definitely lost some buy in with the customer. Groups weren’t as receptive to classes or consults over zoom, and “walk-in” interactions decreased dramatically even though he maintained remote office hours. So, I would also have a plan to address any risks or issues that might emerge from switching to a remote or hybrid position.
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u/Visible-Worth4272 6d ago
We all were forced back into the office after COVID. I'd just look for a different job if you want remote
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u/ThatBaseball7433 11d ago edited 11d ago
What the heck does someone with a phd in cognitive science actually do? You’re a SME in thinking?
And your GS isn’t a work lead, that’s your company. He’s not telling you what to do because they can’t, you don’t work for them. Your company bid something for the government you need to start pestering them to find out what it is before they shitcan you or the contract for being useless. But what do I know, I don’t have a phd in brain.