Today’s work environment has changed tremendously from what it was two years ago. Working remotely has become common and employees have the flexibility and ability to work from their home, a coffee shop, or just about anywhere. Whether your employees have a regular work from home schedule or are able to work remotely during bad weather or illness, it is important that you have a policy in place so both employer and employee are on the same page regarding what the company’s policy is and what the expectations are.
There are several key points that should be addressed in a remote work policy. Some of those points are: 1) Adherence to Data Security Protocols; 2) Communication; 3) Work Hours and Schedules; and 4) office meeting guidelines.
Adherence to Data Security Protocols. Data security is crucial in any environment, but especially in a remote work environment. Your employees may be working in a shared work environment, on a public network, or some other environment that does not have appropriate security measures in place. You can specify, for example, that employees cannot access your internal network on an unsecure Wi-Fi network. Determine whether employees are permitted to attend meetings or conduct business in a public space and if you do not want them doing so, state it specifically. Be as specific as possible so that employees know what the policies and protocols are.
Internal Communications. Amy and I speak often about the importance of open communication with employees. Communication is crucial in a remote environment. Specify the platform on which internal communications will take place (Microsoft Teams, Slack, etc.). State the time frame in which a response is expected – if there are different categories of response times, specifically state each one. If a remote employee has an issue, specify who handles which issues and who should be contacted.
Work Hours and Schedules. Be specific about hours and schedules. Specify when employees are expected to be available, when the workday begins and when it ends. If you offer flexible arrangements, specify the number of hours employees are expected to work each day or each week. If you expect your employees to share their schedule with a team of people, you can specify this in your policy, as well. State how employees are required to keep track of their hours (if hourly) and who they should submit their time to.
Office Meeting Requirements. If office meetings will be held virtually, specify which platform will be used for the meetings. If you have regular office meetings, you can state the schedule and which meetings employees are required to attend, if any. You can also state whether employees are expected to appear on camera. If an employee is uncomfortable with appearing on camera, have a discussion about it and if an exception needs to be made, you can do so.
When creating a remote work policy, it’s better to be over inclusive rather than under inclusive. Given the state of the world today, it’s clear that remote work is here to stay, even if it’s in a flexible or hybrid capacity, and it’s important that all parties know and understand what is expected of them. A clearly stated remote work policy will accomplish this goal.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this post is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation. We invite you to contact us and welcome your calls and communications. Contacting us, however, does not create an attorney-client relationship.
