Hi Katalin

I would prepare by having some concise notes on:
- what the request is
- what my boundaries are - e.g. do you have any room for compromise or do you need the request in full? If fewer office days were suggested, would this meet your needs? If they suggest phasing into this, would you be able to phase?
- the benefits to the business of approving - retaining me, better engagement, higher productivity, diversity etc.
- how I anticipate this will affect the business and how this could be mitigated - while this is no longer a legal requirement for employees, I would still be prepared with ideas because it may help the business to make it work
- what the consequence on me would be if the request cannot be accommodated
- points that would encourage the business to at least offer a trial period.

This will help keep the meeting on track and make sure you leave being happy you have been clear about what you need and, if needed, have fought your corner well. Hopefully they will be meeting to discuss how they can approve but if they are unable to accommodate then thinking ahead of time about your boundaries will help you compromise within what still works for you, rather than giving in at the time to "the best of a bad deal"!

Good luck

Many thanks, Sophie for your suggestions. These will help my case massively

In reply to Katalin:

Hi Katalin, nothing really to add following Sophie's really excellent answer. For me, it would be key to be clear in my own mind, in the first instance, what would be the best outcome, the next best outcome and what would be the absolute bottom line. That will greatly assist with keeping discussions focused with your employer. Hopefully you've got a good friend or partner to help with thrashing through your preparations?? Wishing you lots of good luck, if you feel able it would be great to hear the outcome.

Thank you, Clare

My meeting was rescheduled to next Thursday and my union rep will attend with me.

I will let know about the outcome as soon as I know more

In reply to Katalin:

Update: I have received the outcome letter from my employer allowing me to work from home entirely (5 days/week). Thank you all for the help :)

In reply to Katalin:

That's fantastic news Katalin, thanks for sharing. And well done for making the request, it's great to set an example to other employees by using the rights available to us and working through the process. It can feel daunting and a bit stressful sometimes as you're putting your faith in the process and the people that run them, and great to hear that it paid off for you.