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If you scroll through social media, you might stumble upon this hashtag: #nevernotworking. For some of us, it has become a maxim of work ethic – always being on the grind.
But, for many, especially part-time employees, work hours are restricted, and additional responsibilities might not always result in recognition through pay increases, title change, or promotion. Even more rarely do additional responsibilities result in a new job – especially one that is full time and comes with benefits.
Nevertheless, as an employee, you might feel that you need additional hours in your current job. Maybe for more experience to enhance your career development and reach career goals, or maybe you're seeking more compensation, and in your role, you can only achieve this with more hours.
A good example is a pilot fresh from aviation school who needs more hours to enhance their prospects. In this example, experience – more flight hours, under diverse conditions – enhances career prospects.
In this article, we review how to ask for more hours and how to remain professional if the request is denied.
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There are infinite ways to ask for extra hours at work, but here is our selection of the most appropriate strategies to get you what you want:
Understanding company policy and your employment terms should be the first step before requesting more hours.
Companies usually have detailed work hours policies for legal reasons. These policies comprehensively describe standard working hours, overtime policies, and limits on how many hours an employee can work within a specific period.
Additionally, read your employment contracts to understand the rules on rest periods and breaks. Your employer might want to allocate you more work hours, however, they might be limited by company policies or face legal obstacles.
Fun fact: Did you know that the 40-hour workweek was introduced by Henry Ford?
It also pays to consult your company's human resources representative, the legal department, or more experienced colleagues before asking for more work hours.
They can guide you on what to do and help you avoid the hurdles they may have encountered when trying to optimize their own work schedules.
HR can provide the documentation needed and guide you on the procedures to follow. This will esure you are as prepared as possible for future discussions.
If you are a union member, consult your union representative and clarify the union rules on working hours. You may need to explain that this is something you want – and also to clarify what limits you would accept – if you are working with a union.
After you've established that your contract allows you to work more hours and your employer is free to allocate them, it is time to prepare your case.
You must convince your manager that you are a valuable employee and that you are ready for more responsibility.
Gather evidence on why you need more hours and how it will benefit both you and your employer. You might also reaffirm your commitment to the business and to finding solutions for any problems you've observed in the additional time.
Assemble proof of your good record by creating a file of performance reviews, accomplishments, achievements, or awards.
These records are tangible proof of your record as a good worker and you can present them when you need to distinguish yourself from other employees.
When preparing your case you should also define your needs and the company's needs.
Establish why you need more hours and identify areas where the company will benefit from extra hours.
You must show you are a valuable asset and that you can provide more coverage, reduce workload for others, or increase productivity. If you know there are issues arising that you can help address, you can use your request as a way to offer solutions your can provide with that additional time.
On your side, you must monitor your schedule and identify all available times you can work. It will do you no good to get more hours at work if you don't have the time or flexibility to use them.
Create an availability chart or a sample work schedule and present it to your boss. This will be an easy reference guide to show that you have enough hours to fit in any new tasks allocated to you.
Timing could be the determining factor as to whether your request will be well-received or rejected.
Find an appropriate time to talk to your supervisor, such as during a one-on-one meeting or after a positive performance review to ask for additional hours.
Schedule a meeting rather than bringing it up spontaneously it shows respect for time and gives your boss time to consider your request for additional hours.
It is also best to avoid stressful times, such as when the team is working hard to meet a deadline or working on pressing tasks.
The right timing also allows you to take advantage of good performance reviews as they highlight your contributions to the business.
Finally, timing and the awareness of your team's workload can help you choose the right moment to ask for additional hours. You can maximize your chances of getting what you want by asking for more hours when more labor will be most beneficial.
Communication is key to all aspects of professional life, and especially when making a request.
For this reason, you must remain professional when asking for extra hours.
Frame your ask for more hours as a request rather than a demand. Getting more working time outside your usual scheduled hours is at the discretion of your supervisor so you must get them on your side.
Emphasize your commitment to the job and how both you and the business will benefit.
Be direct and polite when making this request and provide supporting information.
While it may not be the focal point of the conversation, personal information can help you close your case for more hours. For example, if you hope to move to a particular business area and want to use this time to gain experience, you can advocate for that. Don't assume your supervisor knows what your goals or interests are. You don't need to share any personal information you're not comfortable sharing, however. But if additional time can solve a problem for the business and advance your career, that's a win-win.
Some employers may also request written communication such as a letter or an email.
Ensure that the letter or email is brief but include all the details you would in a face-to-face conversation.
Email Subject: Request for Extra Work Hours
Dear (Your Manager’s Name),
I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to discuss the possibility of increasing my work hours. Over the past (appropriate time period you have in mind), I have greatly enjoyed contributing to (team name or organization) and believe I have been able to make a positive impact through my efforts.
I am interested in taking on additional hours for several reasons that I think will benefit the organization.
To begin, I want to further develop my skills and take on more responsibilities within the company. In addition to this, I believe that more hours could help support our company during busy periods and ensure we meet our deadlines efficiently.
Specifically, I am looking to add (a specific number) hours per week to my current schedule. I am flexible with my availability and I can change my schedule to meet the needs of the team.
I am open to any suggestions you may have on how I can best contribute with the increased hours.
Thank you for considering my request. I appreciate your time and look forward to your response.
Best regards,
(Your name)
(Current Position)
(Contact Information)
Learn more about how to master communication: The 5 Cs of Effective Communication
Flexibility is key when asking for more hours. Employers typically plan their shifts well but unforeseen events or staff emergencies can create shortfalls.
Being flexible lets you take advantage of these staff shortfalls. You can earn more hours by simply making yourself available for any extra work.
This is particularly critical if you lack experience or if you are working at a new job. You can pick up extra skills when more experienced team members are unavailable for work.
Working extra hours can help you achieve career goals in addition to earning more money.
You should also maintain a positive attitude and accept feedback when asking for more hours. It might take a few tries to convince your employer to let you work extra hours or shoulder more responsibility during peak times.
Feedback lets you know what to do to earn other tasks, develop new skills, know what the manager likes, or what training you need to unlock additional work.
Learn how to give and receive feedback: Start, Stop, Continue Feedback: Examples and Usage.
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Knowing how to ask for more hours is one thing but sometimes you need to do more.
To earn extra hours, you may need to demonstrate that you are a good employee and earn new responsibilities, especially when this means accruing extra pay.
Here are some extra tips that will help you get extra hours:
By incorporating gratitude into your request, you can create a positive and respectful dialogue with your manager.
If you thank your manager, you elevate the chances of earning more work hours. Your manager will view your request more favorably and be more willing to accommodate your ask.
Gratitude is a sign of professionalism and it will help build your credibility – even if you fail to secure additional working hours.
By thanking your manager, you achieve the following:
Showing up on time – and prepared to do what needs to be done – sets you apart from other employees and establishes your reputation as a reliable employee ready for anything.
It would be irresponsible for an employer to allocate additional hours to an employee who doesn't even show up on time. Make it your mission to never be late to work and your employer will be more open to requests for additional hours.
Additionally, punctuality builds trustworthiness. It shows that you can be trusted to adhere to prior commitments. Showing up on time lets your employer know that you can handle extra hours.
Managers are more likely to allocate more time to dependable employees.
Being positive when asking for more hours influences your manager's perception of your request.
If you come across as positive when presenting your request and when receiving feedback, you improve the chances of getting your request approved.
An enthusiastic attitude also shows an eagerness to contribute to the business and elevates the chances of earning more hours.
You can improve your positivity by doing the following:
Sometimes getting more hours at work can be difficult and it might take time for your employer to fit you into an already packed schedule.
For this reason, it is important to be patient and pick up new skills as you wait for shifts to open up.
Beyond personal reasons, patience also helps you build your professional reputation.
Managers need time to consider your request and even if they accept it, they still need time to adjust scheduled hours and budgets.
If you remain patient during this process, you demonstrate respect for the process and that you understand the complexities involved in planning.
Patience also demonstrates self-control, which is one of the most valuable virtues of a professional. It will enhance your credibility and help you earn more overtime hours.
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Knowing why you need more hours while already working a full-time job can help guide you when asking for more hours.
Here are some reasons why you might need more hours at your job:
Financial needs vary from one person to the next but knowing what you need might help you put your request for more hours into context.
It can help your employer to hear why you are seeking extra hours.
Here are some financial needs you might consider:
Working more hours can mean that you get more time for professional development.
You can get more out of a single day if you include your leadership development objectives into your daily schedule.
To do this, you should clearly define your career goals, figure out how long it will take you to achieve them, and plan how you will fit skill development into the time you fill at work.
Consult with your manager and discuss how acquiring new skills will help the organization. By doing this, you can align your long-term professional development with the organization's goals.
Present a detailed plan of how you can effectively use the extra time to advance your training. You can take up new tasks as a form of training or attend company workshops during the extra hours.
Be flexible when discussing your plan and be open to changing schedules, remote work options, or utilizing company resources for training.
Articulate the potential for a great return on investment for the company if they grant you additional time for more hours for professional development.
Highlight any past instances where investment in professional development has led to greater productivity or performance.
By considering all these factors and articulating them clearly, you can significantly improve your chances of getting more hours, advancing in your position, and improving your career trajectory.
Be future-ready: Future Leadership Skills: The 10 Must-Have for Success
Asking for more time due to workload considerations is a compelling reason to ask for more working hours.
Urgent project requirements coupled with rapidly-approaching deadlines mean that it is inevitable that more hours per week are needed to meet client commitments.
If the scope of a project exceeds the initial project requirements, it might be necessary to ask for more hours to meet the new scope of work.
Uncertainty over the volume of work needed to complete a project might also mean that you need to ask for more time.
Some tasks might become more complex as time goes by and you might need more time to do in-depth analysis, research, and development.
For tasks that require detailed work, workload requirements might overwhelm the current schedule and you might need to work more hours. This time will yield results in accuracy, precision, and quality.
If unforeseen events happen and work is delayed, you might be forced to readjust your working schedule. Technical challenges and other operational delays also mean that you must request extra hours to catch up.
Seasonal variations in workload such as end-of-quarter activity or holiday season changes can also mean that you need extra hours to meet deadlines.
Finally, the company's workload will automatically increase if the organization is going through change or embracing new initiatives. To manage this, you will need to request more time to meet these additional responsibilities.
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Are you ready to take control of your schedule and earn the extra hours you deserve?
Highrise a leader professional development. We help professionals like you gain the confidence to ask for more working hours.
Why choose Highrise?
Don't let hesitation hold you back from achieving your full potential.
Start your Highrise journey today by booking a complimentary call and learn what works best for you.
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