{"id":7351,"date":"2019-11-20T10:00:56","date_gmt":"2019-11-20T10:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"\/gb\/en\/blog\/?p=7351"},"modified":"2023-01-16T12:14:59","modified_gmt":"2023-01-16T12:14:59","slug":"work-from-home-policy-for-your-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/gb\/en\/blog\/work-from-home-policy-for-your-business\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Build a Work From Home Policy for Your Business\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

For many traditional office workers, the chance to work from home or <\/span>travel and work<\/span> sounds like a dream come true. It definitely looks good on paper, no more time wasted commuting, the ability to adjust the thermostat your own liking, and working in pajamas (at least for employees who don’t do video conferencing).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There are benefits for companies that hire remote workers or allow staff to work from home at least a few days a week. A recent <\/span>Stanford University study<\/span><\/a> proved that remote workers are far more productive, adding up to a full work day’s worth of productivity each week. In addition, the two-year-long study found that each remote worker saves each company an average of $2,000 per employee by reducing the cost of rent<\/a> and other utilities.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Employees love it, productivity goes up, and your company saves thousands of dollars\u2014 it sounds like a dream come true for companies, too.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, shifting to a remote or partially remote workforce is not a decision that should be taken lightly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you are considering giving your staff the option to work from home either full or part-time, you need to develop a work from home policy that outlines who is able to work from home, how often they can work from home, as well as address the considerations below.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Determine if It is a Good Fit For Your Company\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Before you implement your work from home policy, make sure it is a good fit for your company. For example, if your company relies heavily on face-to-face interactions with team members or clients, a full work from home workforce wouldn’t make much sense, unless you found <\/span>team collaboration tools<\/span> to meet your needs remotely.<\/span><\/p>\n

To organise your thoughts, consider <\/span>using a mind map<\/span> to list company goals, culture, and other concerns that may impact whether a remote workforce<\/a> is the right choice for your brand. For example, you could use the following template to explore how performance and goal setting would work in a remote team.<\/p>\n

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Source: Hosted Image<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In addition, some business cultures are heavily team-oriented. If that is the case for your company, you might consider how remote work might impact the company culture. Look for options to encourage a team mentality, such as open office hours once a week or a virtual team-building experience.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Establish Eligibility Requirements<\/span><\/h2>\n

At most companies, remote work is considered a perk. If your company plans to maintain an office, not all employees will work from home. So, who will be permitted to take advantage of the work from home policy?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Consider creating eligibility standards for remote workers \u2014 just like it isn’t a good fit for all companies, it might not be a good fit for all employees. Some office-based employees might struggle with isolation as a remote worker, or not have a home situation that supports remote work. Others might simply prefer to work in an office space, and that is okay.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Eligibility requirements will vary based on your industry, however, they might include:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n