Corporate Policies and Procedures: Adapting to Remote Work Environments
The COVID-19 pandemic thrust nearly everyone into a different way of working and doing business than ever before. People had to quickly adapt to working from a home office instead of going into the office every day. Many places are open again, but with some significant differences. Some people still work remotely full-time, while others do their jobs in a hybrid format – working part of the week at home and part of the week at the office.
Having employees work where you cannot see them creates challenges for companies, like making sure that the work actually gets done and people do not feel isolated. A Maryland business attorney can help you develop corporate policies and procedures for adapting to remote work environments.
What Issues Can Arise with Remote Workers?
At first blush, one might think that the only difference between working in the office and telecommuting is the difference in locations. In reality, you will need to think about many issues, including:
Taxes
Legal implications
Employee benefits
Insurance to cover job-related injuries or illnesses, data breaches, and other risks
Management of remote workers
Communication tools for use among employees and between supervisors and the workers.
Productivity and working hours
Keeping employees connected to and working with each other
Who will pay for, insure, and repair the equipment and furniture for home offices
Who will pay for high-speed internet and office supplies for home offices
How to evaluate and train workers for the skills necessary to work from home
Depending on your company’s line of work, you might need to address other issues besides these. Also, you will want to keep in mind opportunities for team collaboration. Being in separate physical locations does not have to prevent working together.
Put all the details of your corporate remote work agreement in writing to avoid misunderstandings or confusion. Make sure that both an authorized company representative and the employee sign the document and that each party gets a copy to refer to in the event of questions.
Which Positions Can Utilize Telecommuting?
Clarify who and how many workers can work remotely and nail down a schedule to make sure the office gets the necessary coverage at all times. Ask for input from employees to ensure fairness and equity. Make sure that your workers understand what employees are expected to do and whether they must follow specific working hours.
Not everyone is a good candidate for working from home, even on a hybrid basis. Some people need regular and frequent in-person social interaction with their co-workers and clients or customers. Others would dearly love to work remotely, but they lack the computer and other technical skills to do the job. You might be able to provide training or other support for some employees with tech challenges, but not everyone has the aptitude for working independently.
Another issue to consider is that some people might be great workers when physically present in the office, but they lack the organization, time management, and other skills necessary to succeed in a remote work environment. There can be many distractions at home, particularly when there are children in the house or if the employee serves as a carer for an elderly, sick, or disabled family member.
Benefits of Working Remotely for Workers and Companies
Workers could enjoy many benefits if allowed to work from home, whether on a full-time remote or hybrid work schedule. For example:
Gas prices – a particularly concerning item right now.
Other commuting costs, like parking, wear and tear on the car, more frequent oil changes, tires, and a higher risk of car crashes.
The wasted time and avoidable stress of commuting.
Expenses of being in the office, like business attire, dry cleaning, and lunches.
Lower stress and anxiety, particularly if there are any “difficult” supervisors or co-workers who create a stressful working environment.
Child care – which can be a double-edged sword, since having children at home while trying to get work done can be a challenge. Allowing flexible work hours could help a good employee manage their multiple responsibilities.
There are also advantages for the company when some workers use a home office, such as:
With fewer employees in the office on any given day, the company might be able to reduce the size of its office space. For example, if synchronized strategically, workers who are at home half of the time and present in the physical office the other half of the time could share space with people who are not in the office on the same days as them. Break rooms and conference rooms could get downsized as well.
The cost of office space is one of the most significant expenses for many businesses. Slashing this cost in half could increase the profits substantially.
Some people simply do not work well together. With a hybrid work schedule, it could be possible to keep those employees apart from each other, thereby avoiding conflicts and strife.
Things are not always rosy for people who work from home. When you embark on a remote work environment plan, be sure to include in your corporate policies a test period of a few months to make sure that both the worker and the company are happy with the arrangement. Be prepared to make modifications as needed. Remote employee experiences can vary.
Boss-Ware and Other Productivity Tools
Boss-ware might seem an easy solution to the issue of making sure that your home office workers are actually working instead of binging shows on their streaming services, but most workers in a remote work environment resent feeling as if their boss is looking over their shoulder constantly. Also, there are legal ramifications if an employer requires cameras to be on in private situations.
Employees who use their own computers usually resist having productivity or performance management software installed because some apps capture personal information unrelated to the job. Some boss-ware can turn on the computer’s camera without the user’s knowledge or capture log-in information and passwords for personal accounts, like bank accounts.
Often, there are less invasive ways to manage remote work arrangements and assess whether your home office employees are being productive, for example, setting goals for the day or the week. If the worker completes reasonable goals, then they are being productive.
Remote-Employee Wellness
You will want to address the physical and mental health of your workers in your remote work policies. One of the frequent complaints about working from home is that bosses schedule far more virtual meetings than they did in person before the pandemic. You want your employees to feel connected and not isolated, but you do not want to force them to attend time-waster meetings that make it difficult for them to get their real work done.
Some people have a hard time separating work life from personal life. When they worked in an office, it was easier to leave their job behind for the day or the weekend when they clocked out and physically left the work location. They might have a hard time resisting working during the evenings and weekends when the place where they work is in their home.
In addition to exhaustion, you will want to emphasize the need for employees to get up and move around frequently and to use ergonomic strategies to avoid a stiff back and neck or developing carpal tunnel syndrome.
These are but a few examples of the many topics you might want to include in your corporate policies for remote work. Your HR department and tax advisor can provide additional input, and a Maryland business attorney can help make sure that your policies comply with any applicable laws and guidelines.
