Remote work had been gaining popularity and preference in certain sectors until the COVID-19 outbreak following the first detection of the virus in December 2019. As the disease spread across the globe, governments were forced to implement strict health regulations and movement restrictions, which, in turn, pushed companies into managing remote teams.
With a significant portion of the workforce working remotely, organisations had to adapt to the concept and develop a remote work policy. However, not many organisations had considered the option of allowing most, if not all, of their employees to work from home, which meant there was a need to create effective work from home policies.
There are several factors to consider when managing remote teams and this is how an organisation can create HR policies for remote workers.
What is a remote work policy?
Before an organisation can even think of creating relevant HR policies, there must be some understanding of what a remote work policy is. Effective work from home policies outline the guidelines and regulations for persons working remotely. The policy would typically cover the responsibilities of remote workers.
A remote work policy may include information on who qualifies as a remote worker, the legal rights of remote workers, what equipment and other facilities are provided by the employer, and frameworks on password sharing or time tracking.
When managing remote teams, an organisation may also specify the type of remote worker and if they are attached to the organisation on a full-time or part-time basis.
What should you include in a remote work policy?
When creating HR policies for remote workers, organisations must ensure they cover all relevant areas and factors. A policy cannot create confusion or leave room for misinterpretation and must clearly state the expectations the organisation has from its employees.
Purpose of the remote work agreement
One of the key elements a remote work policy should include is the purpose and scope of the remote work agreement. The purpose of the policy must be clearly defined and should also include the benefits of effective work from home policies to both employers and employees.
The purpose of the remote work agreement will look at the reason for creation and if remote work will be adopted permanently by the organisation or if it is a temporary measure taken due to the pandemic.
Who does the remote work policy apply to?
Eligibility is a key factor to consider when creating policy of this nature as the organisation must be specific about which employees are eligible to work remotely and what the eligibility criteria is. In some instances, the eligibility criteria may focus on distance from the workplace and commute and in other instances, may focus on how long an employee has been part of the organisation.
The policy should outline who is eligible to work from home, how often they can work from home, and who can approve remote work requests.
Defining eligibility and related areas removes any room for miscommunication and misinterpretation.
Who does the remote work policy apply to?
Eligibility is a key factor to consider when creating policy of this nature as the organisation must be specific about which employees are eligible to work remotely and what the eligibility criteria is. In some instances, the eligibility criteria may focus on distance from the workplace and commute and in other instances, may focus on how long an employee has been part of the organisation.
The policy should outline who is eligible to work from home, how often they can work from home, and who can approve remote work requests.
Defining eligibility and related areas removes any room for miscommunication and misinterpretation.
Clear expectations when managing remote teams
Organisations and managers will understandably have expectations from remote workers. It is important that these expectations are clearly defined so that employees know what they must deliver.
Availability is one of the key factors to consider in this regard. While an employee can be available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. when working from the office, the same level of availability cannot be expected when working remotely during a pandemic. The policy can include windows during the nine-to-five workday when they are allowed to step away from the keyboard or specify core working hours when availability is absolutely necessary.
Effective work from home policies will also consider how quickly teams are required to respond to emails or messages. This should take into account time zones and workload.
Communication tools to use when working remotely
Managing teams remotely is a task that can be made easy with the use of the right tools and software. Organisations can specify the communication tools employees are required to use when communicating with teams and managers. An added benefit of using software developed specifically for managing remote teams is that they make scheduling and meetings easier to carry out and organise.
Other considerations
Security is a key factor to consider when creating a remote work agreement as an employee’s family or friends may have access to devices and equipment provided by the company. The policy can also cover the technology and equipment offered to remote workers by the company.
