The option of working from home for a few days during the week can be a great addition to your company’s code of conduct. A work from home policy allows employees to maintain a healthy work-life balance, improve employee productivity, and morale when it comes to performance. However, it is vital to ensure your company’s policy caters to the needs of your organization, and consider the fact that not all employees who thrive in the workplace environment will succeed in the home environment. Therefore, paying attention to details is paramount when coming up with an employee work from home policy.
The nature of your business ultimately dictates the equipment (such as technology) you provide employees with. For example, if the employee requests to work from home, what implications does this have when it comes to company-issued equipment? Will the company still facilitate and provide the equipment?
Different employees and roles have different responsibilities based on their job description. Some of these employees have access to vital and confidential data. Therefore, consider the impact on the company for such employees to work from home. Consider including wordings and phrases that allow you to monitor and access their home and manage any potential risks.
Consider the fact that all employees are different and not all will be productive in a home set-up. Therefore, ensure that you recognize the employees who will be productive working from home. Alternatively, consider implementing strict rules and regulations for producing results when working from home.
Company information and documents will be under the responsibility of the employee. The computer they choose to use may not be secure, or someone entering their home may have access, etc. How do you ensure that company information remains private and confidential, even when your relationship with the employee ends?
Consider implementing software that tracks employee performance. Ensure that you set guidelines that will ensure your employees work at their optimum levels. Consider how often you’ll need to keep in touch with employees to ensure that they meet their goals or targets. Alternatively, consider scheduling weekly meetings. Refrain from assuming that employees are aware of what you expect them to do. For starters, their working environment is different so they may not be able to perform with the same zeal or speed as when they are in the workplace. Ensure straightforward guidelines are provided to ensure the candidates know what to do in their new work environment exactly.
The more details you provide in your policy, the easier it’ll be to resolve disagreements and misunderstanding in case of litigations. Ensure you provide all the relevant information from the required working hours, whether you require constant updates, or if you need the employees to come to the office once in a while or often.
So, how do you create a productive work from home policy that sets your company up for success? Consider using the template below and craft it to cater to your company’s needs. However, it’s vital to ensure that your policy adheres to the relevant employment contract as well as the employment rules and regulations of your region.
Policy brief and purpose
Our company created this work from home policy to outline the expectations of the company and ensure a mutually beneficial relationship between employees and the company.
Application for a work from home arrangement is dependent on each case and hence does not apply to all employees. However, approval to work from home will be based on job duties, prior performance, and productivity. All employees who would rather work from home are strongly encouraged to apply for this arrangement.
Employees’ duties which do not allow them to work from home are obligated to report to work on a daily basis. These employees include those who are required to meet with clients, as well as the maintenance and support staff. Others whose job duties revolve around using computers and other technologies can occasionally work from home.
Our company’s work from home policy or telecommuting allows employees to work or complete their work outside the office premises on the following basis:
Work from home arrangements will vary between occasional, temporary or permanent opportunities.
The following reasons generally determine whether an employee will be granted a work from home agreement, but are not limited to:
Other reasons for working from home will be decided upon by employees and their direct supervisors’ or managers’ judgment.
We encourage employees, managers, or supervisors to consider the following factors when requesting or agreeing to work from home arrangements:
Employees are encouraged to use the following process when they plan to work from home:
Employees who require to work from home due to unavoidable reasons are encouraged to file their requests as soon as possible so that their managers can approve them immediately.
We understand the some of our employees and their managers are in different time zones and communication may be a challenge from time to time. In such circumstances, we encourage employees to work from home and notify the HR department and later check in with their managers.
Our work from home policy does not affect employees’ compensation. However, if you experience any challenges regarding employee compensation and benefits, contact the HR team to sort it out.
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