With many organizations now employing a fully remote workforce where employees live in different geographic locations, it’s important to put certain policies in place to keep guidelines and expectations clear.
While all organizations differ in how they operate, there are some policies that all organizations with a remote workforce should have. These policies include:
Inclement Weather
There may be times when some employees experience inclement weather that impacts their ability to fully perform their duties. For example, some employees may experience storms that cause power outages, resulting in an inability to be online. It’s important that organizations with a remote workforce outline the processes and procedures for these types of situations. This way, should they arise, an employee knows exactly what to do.
Technology and Equipment
When employees work in an office, the employer traditionally provides equipment necessary for their job, including a desk, computer, and phone. With a remote workforce, it’s important to have an organization-wide policy about technology and equipment. This includes what items the organization will provide, the expectation for care and maintenance of the items, and any reimbursements that the organization may provide to employees for use of their personally-owned devices. For example, many organizations provide employees reimbursement for their cell phone and internet. In fact, some states mandate a certain amount of reimbursement for remote workers.
Organizations should make sure to also include information around company mandated security measures such as VPN, encryption and firewalls in order to ensure effective data protection.
Working Hours
With employees in different time zones, it’s important to establish if employees are expected to be available during specific times. Do employees need to be available at certain times within their timezone or accommodate the timezone of the organization's main office? It is also important to clearly state if remote employees are required to be available to attend meetings that may be scheduled based on a different time zone, and how their work hours change to accommodate these instances.
Crisis/Emergency Plan
Employees living in varying locations means that some employees may experience an emergency or crisis while others don’t. For example, if an employee is working remotely from an area that has experienced a natural disaster, what is the procedure for that employee to follow? This information should be clearly laid out and communicated with employees so that in the event of a crisis, they know exactly what to do.
Travel/Expense Reimbursement
When travel is required for work (ex: into the office or to a location for a work event), employees may qualify for reimbursement. It’s important to outline exactly what scenarios qualify for reimbursement and what expenses are covered. Employees should also be informed if there is a cap on reimbursement.
Outside Work Policy
One of the biggest complaints about remote work is that organizations aren’t able to know exactly how employees are using their time during the workday. For this reason, it’s important for organizations to establish an outside work policy that outlines expectations and consequences for employees using their time on-the-clock to complete outside work. This may also include employees engaging in outside work that is a conflict of interest, such as providing related services during off-the-clock hours to a client of the organization.
Remote Work Policy
With about 1 in 5 workers working remotely, drafting a remote work policy is important for nearly all organizations. A remote work policy should include basic expectations and information, such as guidelines or support for setting up an ergonomic home office, but it should also include the process to follow when relocating. Employees who work remotely and are interested in relocating should seek prior approval from the employer, as an employee’s work location has tax implications for both the employee and the organization.
While a remote employee can, theoretically, work from anywhere in the world, there are also implications if employees travel internationally and expect to work from those international locations for extended periods of time. This is why a policy outlining the organization’s expectations and procedures for this type of situation is important. Employees should be well aware of any time limitations or other restrictions the organization may have when it comes to extended time working from an international location.
Supporting a remote workforce comes with challenges, but many of those challenges can be avoided when the necessary policies are in place and clearly communicated to all employees. If your organization needs support with drafting, reviewing, or revising any of the policies above, Cause Capacity can help! Reach out today or visit our website to learn more about our Project-Based HR Services.
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