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With remote working on the rise, companies are adopting more policies that focus on working from home. But when should you use one of these policies? And how do you go about writing one?
We explore the ins and outs of creating a Working From Home Policy, so you'll feel more assured when it comes to writing up your own.
A Working From Home Policy is a set of rules and regulations that clearly outline what is expected from remote workers i.e. employees who are typically based away from the office. As well as clearly defining an employer's expectations, it also addresses the circumstances in which employees can work from home, and the procedures in place to support them.
A Working From Home Policy can be introduced for several reasons. For example, if:
Whatever the reason, a Working From Home Policy should be put in place before an employee begins to work independently from the office. This way, all parties involved will understand expectations and procedures from the beginning.
A Working From Home Policy and a Remote Work Agreement can both be used to regulate and manage employees that work away from the office.
While a Working From Home Policy addresses the team across the business, a Remote Work Agreement tends to be specific to an individual and their circumstances. As well as general expectations and rules, a Remote Work Agreement will also specify details such as an employee's salary, their work duties and obligations.
Along with outlining the rights and responsibilities of an employee when they work from home, a Working From Home Policy should also address how an employee can start to work at home and any processes that will facilitate the move to remote working.
While there may be no legal obligations regarding what to include in a Working From Home Policy, here are a few things to consider:
A Working From Home Policy helps your employees to be as successful as possible while working out of the office. It can be an effective tool in providing remote employees with more structure and creating a productive working environment.
Strictly speaking, a lawyer isn't essential for writing up a Working From Home Policy. It can be useful, however, to have a legal professional look over your final document to prevent any misunderstandings or issues with employees further down the line.
Working From Home Policies vary a great deal across different businesses and industries, with no two containing the same things.
When it comes to writing the right policy for your business, it's important to sit down and consider some key aspects of how you want this aspect of your business to run. You may want to think about the following:
If you're not sure where to start when you're drafting up your policy, you'll find loads of information online including Working From Home Policy guidelines and templates. Here are where to find some.
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