What are the key elements of a remote working policy? We’re here to tell you.

As working from home is the new normal, at least for now, how can you ensure your employees feel supported and engaged in their work?

1. Eligibility First things first, you need to look at your company’s positions and operating model to determine which roles are suitable for working remotely.You should make it clear in the policy which jobs can be performed out of office to your employees and make sure this is referenced in your induction process, so staff have a clear understanding of expectations from day one.2. AvailabilityDo you want your employees to work a 9-5 day or are you flexible with working hours?Whichever you decide on, this must be clearly stated in your policy to ensure expectations are managed.

   3. Responsiveness

   Consider including a rule in your policy on response time. For instance, do you expect your remote employee to respond to colleagues immediately?

   As we’ve already mentioned, communication is fundamental to forging healthy work relationships so ensure these expectations are laid out in your policy.

   4. Measuring productivity

   Productivity can’t merely be measured by the number of hours worked with your remote workers. Consider other ways you can measure productivity and include this in your policy. For example:

   • Number of cases resolved
   • Number of projects completed
   • Amount of client interactions
   • Number of new clients won

   5. Tech

   Do your employees require specific tools to complete their work? Perhaps a certain internet bandwidth or specialist equipment? Do you offer off-site technology support or do your employees need to come into the office for support?

   You’ll need to stick these considerations in the policy, too. Make sure your prospective remote workers know what the technological expectations are from the get-go.

   6. Physical Environment

   You may have a preference on the physical environment your employees work in. If so, you might want to include in the policy a requirement for an employee’s physical environment to be approved prior to working remotely.

   This falls under the banner of health and safety.  In an office environment, it can be assumed the building is safe, things like CO2 levels are monitored and alarms are in place to detect fire or break-ins.

   7. Security and confidentiality

   Office networks are usually secure, but this security isn’t guaranteed in the outside world. If you’re not comfortable with your employees working in public places or on public Wi-Fi, make sure this is stated in the policy.

   Similarly, client confidentiality must also be addressed. You’ll need to state that sensitive information must never be shared in public places if your employee is making a client call.

   If you have any concerns about managing your remote people or if you are unsure about allowing remote working in your business, don’t hesitate to get in touch with one of the team.

   We can discuss any HR issues you may have under strict confidentiality and give you honest, effective advice on how to best approach the problem at hand.

   Email info@79.170.44.118 to arrange a free consultation or call 0191 236 1459