The COVID-19 pandemic doesn’t appear to be going away anytime soon. Like many companies, your employees have been working from home for months, and it seems like this will continue for the foreseeable future.
At present, you don’t have a formal remote work policy, but you’re interested in creating one. Doing so is important because it helps your team stay on the same page. It allows employees to know their legal rights and can provide key protections if a current or former employee sues your company.
A remote work policy must be tailored to each individual company, so no two organizations should have the same one. However, these guidelines will help you cover key bases.
5 Topics to Include in Your Remote Work Policy
Responsiveness
You can walk over to an employee’s desk in a standard office setting if you need to reach them. However, this isn’t an option with remote work, so you need to set a standard for response times. If you don’t, there will likely be at least one person who holds the rest of the team up by failing to reply to emails on time.
Work Hours
You know if employees aren’t at the office, because they aren’t physically present. Of course, this isn’t as easy with remote work, so it’s important to set ground rules for expected work hours. Some companies need employees to hold standard work hours, while others have more room for flexibility. Decide if you’ll make work hours a company-wide mandate or something set by individual team leaders.
Many employees are trying to balance working from home while caring for their children 24/7. Therefore, if you’re able to accommodate flexible work hours, this will be much appreciated.
Equipment
Clearly define what tools employees will need to work from home effectively. This might include equipment like a laptop, printer, videoconferencing software, and a secure internet connection. This ensures employees will be able to work effectively while upholding the same quality standards expected in the office.
If your company provides any of this equipment free of charge, you’ll also want to note that, but more about that in a bit.
Data Security
When employees work from your office, they’re all logged into your highly secure company internet. However, you don’t know what types of connections people are working with at home. Therefore, you might require employees to log in to your network with a VPN or another secure connection, to ensure company files and private customer data remain under wraps.
Benefits
Some companies offer employees a stipend for work essentials — i.e., to set up a home office, buy a new laptop or pay for their internet connection. If your organization provides any type of reimbursement, make it clear in your remote work policy. This ensure employees know exactly what you’ll be paying for and what they’ll be expected to provide themselves.
Need to hire during the pandemic? PrideStaff Northern Kentucky is here to help you find the perfect fit. Contact us today to find out how we can be of assistance!
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