Asking your employer for flexible work has always taken a certain kind of courage. The recent fuel price hike has been described as the largest single-month increase in the country's history, and with the broader cost of living climbing steadily, the daily commute has become a real financial concern for many working women.
If you are a sole income earner or carry significant financial responsibility at home, every rand spent on fuel, taxi fares, or e-hailing adds up in ways that are hard to ignore, even before accounting for the knock-on increases to food and household costs.
This is a conversation worth having with your employer, and our updated article will help you prepare and approach it confidently.
Why flexible work makes sense right now
According to our Working Women Report 2025, financial security is the primary motivator for the majority of working women, with 74% citing it as the main reason for their employment.
Across South Africa, women are navigating the growing gap between where they are required to work and what is financially and practically sustainable. Rising commuting costs are making that gap harder to bridge, and various bodies are calling on employers to reconsider rigid office attendance as a practical response to the fuel crisis.
Flexible working arrangements will meaningfully reduce employees' monthly expenses while maintaining, and in many cases improving, productivity.
How to handle a return-to-office mandate
In South Africa, there is currently no specific legislation governing remote work. However, the Labour Relations Act and the Basic Conditions of Employment Act apply. If your employment contract specifies your place of work as your home or a hybrid arrangement, your employer cannot unilaterally change that without your agreement. A 2025 Labour Court ruling confirmed that return-to-office mandates must be reasonable, properly consulted, and fairly implemented.
This does not mean you can simply refuse to return to the office. What it means is that you have grounds to request a proper consultation and to raise your concerns formally if the mandate feels unreasonable or financially unsustainable. Understanding this gives you a composed, informed starting point rather than a reactive one.
If your contract does not specify a work location, or if remote work was an informal arrangement, your employer's request to return is likely within their rights. In that case, the focus shifts to negotiating a flexible arrangement that works for both you and your employer.
Define flexible work
The clearest requests get the best responses. Before approaching your manager, define exactly what type of flexibility you are asking for:
- Hybrid work: a set number of days in the office per week, with the remainder working from home.
- Flexible hours: adjusting your start and finish times.
- Remote work: working from home entirely, where your role allows for it.
Be realistic about which type of flexible arrangement will work best for your personal circumstances and your job. A request that acknowledges the needs of your team and your responsibilities is far more persuasive than one that focuses only on your own situation.
How to make a compelling case with your boss for flexible work arrangements
The most effective flexibility requests are framed as business conversations, not as personal favours. Here is how to approach it:
Lead with your track record.
Your performance, reliability, and contribution are your strongest currency. If you have delivered consistently, mention it. Remind your manager of the specific results you deliver and how well you manage your responsibilities, regardless of where you sit.
Make the business case.
Research shows that hybrid and flexible working arrangements maintain and often improve productivity. The pandemic demonstrated this at scale. Come prepared with examples relevant to your role and industry.
Acknowledge the operational reality.
If your manager's concern is team collaboration or client availability, address it directly. Propose solutions such as regular check-ins, clear communication protocols, and core hours during which you are always reachable. Showing that you have considered their concerns shifts the dynamic from asking for a concession to proposing a workable solution.
Put the numbers on the table.
In the current economic climate, it is reasonable to reference the financial reality of commuting. Rising fuel costs, taxi fare increases, and the broader cost of living are not personal problems, but economic facts affecting millions of South African workers, and framing your request within this context is both honest and relevant.
Suggest a trial period.
If your manager is hesitant, a defined trial of four to eight weeks with agreed performance measures removes the sense of permanence and makes it easier to say yes.
Making flexible work work for you and your employer
Flexible work is a privilege and comes with its own responsibilities. When your arrangement is in place, be visible, responsive, and consistent in your output. The best way to protect a flexible arrangement long-term is to make it effortlessly easy for your employer to say it is working for the business.
How and where we work are changing, and the economic pressures many of us are feeling right now are making workplace flexibility more important than ever, for employees and employers alike. With careful preparation, this conversation can be a turning point for creating a working arrangement that is sustainable, productive and beneficial to everyone involved.
At RecruitMyMom, we help thousands of employers who respect working moms find top talent to suit their business needs. We understand the match needs to work for both sides, which is why we are here to help you find meaningful remote and in-office jobs.
