When you set out to implement telecommuting in your office, a few sharply defined policies are essential. These are policies that define the rights and privileges of employees who telecommute, their eligibility, as well as expectation from them. Employer-telecommuter relationships are often managed on the ‘Management by Objectives’ principle, where the employee is generally free to use his own methods of working without oversight by the employer, as long as both employer and employee are agreed on their common objectives.
At first, you need to create a ‘Company Telecommuting Policy’, which sets out the overall worldview of the organization. Such a policy must define clearly
1. The eligibility criteria for employees to seek telecommuting rights, including length of service, performance and self-motivation, ability to work independently and nature of the job performed (some jobs may not be suitable for telecommuting);
2. The training requirements each employee must fulfill before being granted those rights;
3. The arrangements for data and communication security such that company data is not leaked or destroyed deliberately or inadvertently.
A detailed Company Telecommuting Policy Template has been included in the toolkit, which you may refer to while drawing up your own policy.
That done, you need to set up a process for evaluating applications for telecommuting from employees, as well as a mechanism for supervision of the same. The evaluation policy must state clearly what criteria will be used to approve applications, as well as who is authorised to do so. Supervisory guidelines should include
1. ensuring the employee has undergone the requisite training
2. ensuring the telecommuting contract is signed
3. reporting arrangements between telecommuter and her/his supervisors
4. ensuring data and network security arrangements are in place
You can refer to the Approval and Supervision Policy Template while drawing up your policy.
Finally, you need to draw up an Employee Telecommuting Policy that makes it clear to each eligible employee what her or his privileges and expectations are. It is similar to the Company Telecommuting Policy, except that it also lists the organization’s official policies on work hours, pay, benefits, leaves as applicable to telecommuting. Such policies may or may not be the same as those applicable to regular employees, depending on whether the organization chooses to incentivise telecommuting or not. Some more things the policy must state are
1. Workspace requirements from the employee at the site of telecommuting
2. Meetings that must be attended physically by the employee, and those she or he may avoid or attend by teleconferencing
3. Security commitments expected from the telecommuter.
The Employee Telecommuting Policy Template can help you set up and implement your own policy.
