Q & A Table of Contents
Do I Have To Relocate?
From: Stephanie, Tupper Lake, New York
Question: I have over 10 years experience working successfully from my home office. The company that has recently taken over my previous company is requesting that I relocate, however, they are willing to negotiate this and have requested a proposal from me for 50% of the time in their office and 50% of the time in my home office.
One item of concern for them is that the distance between these two points requires air travel which they might accept when I relinquish their relocation package. My question: any ideas of how I should write this proposal and what items I should include.
Response: It is very dangerous to depend on assumptions you have made when you undertake negotiations. Rather than writing a proposal for presentation to the new ownership, it would make much more sense to figure out what each stakeholder has as interests in the outcome of the negotiation. Rather than assuming they’ll force you to relinquish the relocation package, you should think of how the relocation package should be structured to meet your needs — and theirs.
Try to put yourself in the new company’s shoes. Then ask them questions to find out whether your beliefs about what they want are accurate. Use whatever information you can gain to find kernels of creative solutions that will leave both sides comfortable with the agreement. Remember that their expectations about you may be equally based on assumptions. Figure out what you can reveal to them that will help them understand your concerns — and make them open to an agreement that works for you as well as them.
Unless you have already agreed to present them a proposal, you should try to find a way to sit down with them and write a proposal together — with each party offering ideas using the brainstorming approach rather than locking themselves into positions by saying: 'This is how I want it. My way or the highway.'
Good luck,
Steve
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