Balancing the Gas Budget

I was greeted this morning at my cube by two members of my Customer Service team who had asked me if I saw the news this morning. I have to admit that I don't like starting my day out with the news. It is usually only bad news and I'd rather my bad news in small doses to seep in throughout the day rather than one solid hour injected into my brain first thing in the morning. The look on their faces told me that bad news was about to be shared and I'd better take notice.

The gas prices, they stammered, projected to double or triple by the end of the summer. I didn't have time for math, my Customer Service Manager did it for me. $8-$12 a gallon. Okay, is that pesos? Lira? No, that is good 'ole US dollars. With those prices, I can't afford to drive to work. I already pay more for gas between me and my husband than our food budget. In fact, I pay one and a half months groceries in gas every month. Wondering why your food bill is higher lately? Thank our oil friends. Barely made it through last season's oil bill? Start saving now.

What is a mom to do with the gas prices off the charts and a job to get to? For some, an office job does allow the capabilities to work from home or at least remotely for one or two days a week. If ever there was a time to negotiate your flexible/work from home schedule now would be a great time to have a sit-down with the boss.

There is a strategy for this. The art of negotiation comes into play here. You can ask for what you want without making it seem like a demand or an ultimatum to the head Honcho. In negotiations, both sides compromise in order to reach an agreed upon settlement. That means, you will need to be willing to give up something as well in order to reach an agreed settlement in having flexibility in your work schedule.

The most important thing to stress to the boss is that you both want the same thing. What do you both want? You want the job done successfully. That means on time, on budget and at the same performance level and quality that they are convinced they would get if you were in the office. You need to be able to convey this message first. "Bob, I want to do as great a job for you as I have always done. I understand how valuable I am to your team and I have enjoyed your confidence in me as an employee" This says: "I do a great job, you know I do a great job, I understand that my value may cause you to hesitate on my request but you are confident in me and I value keeping that." Now the situation, "The current cost of transportation to the office has caused a great strain on my finances and I wondered if we could sit down and discuss some options to alleviate that before I consider asking for a raise in salary to meet the recent uptick in my cost of living." This says: "I still love my job but I am having a hard time paying to get to the office and I would like to find a solution in order for you to not have to pay extra for me to work here." Usually, bosses are greatly open to finding a solution to any problem that does not impact their budgetary constraints.

Offer a trial period. Let management know that you can show them it can be successful in a certain time period. If it isn't, they haven't bought into anything they can't go back on. Providing flex time isn't like a committment to marriage but you would almost sense that is the feeling when it gets brought up! Ask the boss how they would measure success. Create a plan that includes what you will be doing for a flex schedule, how long the trial will be and what the successful picture would look like when you reach the end of the trial period. Be prepared with a draft of your plan before your sit-down. Overcoming objections early is key to getting a "yes". Convey that your draft is what it is, a draft. You will create a final plan that accommodates their needs as well as yours and you will both have a copy of it.

For some, being out of the office is not necessarily an option. Consider asking for longer hours in favor of a day off once a week or twice a month or the possibility of taking work home that can be done at home. If all else fails, see how carpooling or public transportation may work in getting to work without destroying your financial stability.

The news is not projecting any relief any time soon on our gas crisis. Proactively finding a reasonable solution may just help both you and your employer wade through this time without panic ensuing. You might be surprised how open Management may be to the change if they haven't been before.

If you do have success, please share it with me!