What Is a Work from Home Program?

What should be included in your work from home program and policies?

Typically, a work from home program and its guidelines will outline policies around security, information handling, remote communication, and more. Here we’ll expand on what goes into crafting a successful work from home program, including request procedure, assessments, productivity expectations, and more. 

• Policy purpose and objectivesOutlining policy objectives provides clear details about the intent of a company’s WFH policy, what their expectations are, and what they aim to achieve by providing remote job openings. The policy’s stated purpose and objectives should also communicate key details about the execution of the policy going forward.  
• Eligibility and scopeThe work from home program and its eligibility and scope section should clarify the basis on which work from home applications and requests will be accepted and considered. For example, some employees may need daily access to highly specialized equipment or sensitive information, making remote work impossible from a logistical or security standpoint. 
• Request procedureIn the request procedure section of your work from home guidelines, the process of making a remote work request is laid out. For instance, you should establish whether employees need to make a verbal request, register through a portal, or discuss it with their manager directly. Provide detailed explanations of how and through who work from home requests are made.
• Availability and attendance expectationsA good work from home program should also outline availability expectations of remote employees. What time will they need to be available for daily and weekly meetings? What events are they expected to participate in and what hours should they be “logged on” and available to tackle work-related issues?
• Productivity assessmentThe policy should also state how the remote workforce’s productivity will be gauged. On what parameters will performance be measured?
• Essential equipmentThis section of your work from home policy should outline what tools and technical support will be offered to remote employees. For example, does your company expect you to use your personal laptop for work or will they provide one? The policy will have all these conditions mentioned and all the other details on how to work from home.
• Security standardsAll security-related policies and protocols should also be defined. For example, if it is against company policy for remote employees to use open public Wi-Fi, the security section should state that expressly. The policy should spell out details regarding security, VPN use, and other considerations.
• Make a timelineIt is imperative to have a proper timeline as it pertains to large projects. That way, it’s easier to plan and keep track of ongoing and future projects while ensuring employee productivity.
• Adequate planningWhen you implement a work from home program, you will have to set new protocols that take into account the challenges, benefits, and new conditions associated with remote working. 

Ensure seamless communication with clear policies and documentation that makes transitioning to remote work easy for employers and employees alike.