What is a best practice for a telecommuting policy?
To help you adopt best practices in your telecommuting policy, we asked CEOs and HR leaders this question for their best ideas. From setting boundaries for working hours to utilizing sign-in time clocks, there are several best practices that may help you create an effective telecommuting policy for your remote workforce.
Here are six telecommuting policy best practices:
- Set Boundaries for Working Hours
- Deliver Regular Training for Employees
- Adapt Practices To The Changing Times
- Set Clear Guidelines for Remote Teamworking
- Incorporate Accessibility for Technologies
- Utilize Sign-In Time Clocks
Set Boundaries for Working Hours
Staying connected as a remote team and establishing expectations in the virtual workspace is crucial in our new hybrid environment. Work-life balance can be difficult when working virtually as there are no boundaries between home and the office. Employees can find themselves working unrealistic hours to complete projects, which creates burnout and decreases productivity. It’s crucial employees set proper working boundaries and only sign on after hours for emergencies. While this new way of working is new, we embrace the changes while growing our team.
Jodi Neuhauser, Ovaterra
Deliver Regular Training for Employees
Although you might have recruited candidates with skills required for remote working, not everyone has had experience in telecommuting policy. Hence, delivering training is the best practice, and during orientation, carve out the necessary time to precisely cover remote work policies. It’s vital to update established employees on occasion as well. Flexible work, including telecommuting or remote work, is gaining more popularity and mainstream. However, with these best-in-class and convenient practices for telecommuting policies, employers can feel confident that they’re moving in the right direction. Establishing and handling a successful telecommuting workforce is essential; delivering training would be the best practice.
Caroline Lee, CocoSign
Adapt Practices To The Changing Times
Firstly, the HR policy team should draft and finalize the telecommuting policy. After that, add this policy to the employee handbook, so that whenever any new employee joins, they can be aware and align with the team. In your policy, make sure you provide equal opportunities to all your employees, and it is a must. Regarding the Telecommuting policy, HR should be flexible by adapting to the times. So, If any new things happen, the HR Policy team can rephrase the previous guideline or add new rules to fit the unique situation. Every month, HR should arrange a Feedback & KT session for employees facing difficulties in adapting this policy.
Ismail Hossain, BJIT Group
Set Clear Guidelines for Remote Teamworking
The best policy is to have clear guidelines upfront. That means set hours of work, breaks, and job ending times. It also means having some safeguards to watch over remote employees like computer monitoring time clock systems. I would also require local employees to come into the office at least once every two weeks just to stay in touch with co-workers, have in-person meetings, and have that office connection
Michael Gorlovsky, Windermere Orthodontics
Incorporate Accessibility for Technologies
Allow teleworkers equitable access to meeting and communication technology to guarantee universal access. For example, video conferencing and project management software may pose challenges for some teleworkers who identify with unique abilities. Accessibility features in technology may improve some teleworkers’ daily experience (such as closed captioning and text-to-speech capabilities). Also, consider including a section on accessibility guidelines that encompass COVID-19 preparedness to encourage an organizational review of the technology, applications, and other required tools for accessibility conformity.
Keyonda Smith, KM Smith, PhD Consulting
Utilize Sign-In Time Clocks
One of the best practices is to have sign-in time clocks that track their computer use to show they are working. Their work isn’t total computer work and I trust them for times they aren’t on the computer. I know they have to make calls and do other things remotely. However, having an online time clock streamlines the process and keeps others from even thinking about casting doubt. It makes it where I don’t have to think about it or calculate it.
Steve Mascarin, Taunton Village Dental
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