A Complete Guide to Creating a Work-From-Home Policy That Works for Your Business

For many small businesses that operate from an office, remote and hybrid work policies have become a standard consideration. Allowing employees to work from home can offer them much desired flexibility and cost benefits, but it requires thoughtful planning as the employer.

This guide will help you decide whether remote work makes sense for your business, as well as how to implement remote work policies effectively.

Should your business go remote? 

Before going remote, it is important to first evaluate several key factors that will impact your business. Ask yourself:

• Can you still meet your customers’ needs while working remotely?
• Can you afford to purchase laptops, software, and other equipment to enable remote work?
• Can you save money on overhead costs by switching to remote work?
• Do your employees want to work from home? While many employees seek flexible and remote opportunities, some still prefer working and collaborating in person, in a traditional office.

The right approach to remote work will vary by business type and the needs of your business, your employees, and customers, but these questions will help you start to evaluate what type of policy may work best for you.

WFH readiness for individuals 

Just as remote work might not necessarily be the best for every business, not every employee is prepared to work from home. Keep in mind these considerations before going fully remote:

• What is your situation like at home? How will working from home impact the lives of those around you? Will you be able to do your best work at home?
• What type of workstation do you have at home? Having a dedicated workspace will help improve productivity and can help reduce employee burnout.
• Do you have access to high-speed internet? The type of work your employees do will likely dictate the internet connection and speed they will need, but all remote workers need access to some form of reliable internet to do their work.

The flexibility and comfort of working at home will support the productivity of some employees, while the same policies may make work more difficult for others. Keep these readiness factors in mind to help you determine what will work best for your employees. 

Build a remote-work policy that sets expectations 

If you’ve decided to proceed with remote work, it’s essential to implement a clear policy for employees to follow. Your remote-work policy should set expectations for:

• Working hours: Clarify answers to the following questions: Do you want your employees to work for set hours each day or log their hours to reach a set total each week? If your employees work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, for example, how will you accommodate employees who might work in different time zones? If employees need to log their hours, how will they do so?
• Availability: Setting standards for when employees are available to message, email, or attend virtual meetings helps facilitate collaboration. Furthermore, establishing expectations for response times to communications sets a guideline for collaborative work and makes it easier for employees to coordinate their projects.
• Communication: For remote workers, communication breakdowns and delays are disruptive to their work. Establish how employees are expected to collaborate on projects while working remotely and how you will address any poor internet connections or software glitches that interrupt collaboration.
• Performance: Set guidelines for how performance and productivity will be measured to ensure remote workers know what is expected of them. You might measure an employee’s output quantitatively, whether they’re hitting certain metrics, or qualitatively, by maintaining a certain level of quality in their work.

[Read more: How to Schedule a Hybrid Workweek to Maximize Employee In-Office Time]

Remote collaboration and productivity tools your team needs 

To facilitate collaboration and productivity, there are several tools and applications that help make remote work more efficient, safe, and successful.

NordVPN

For anyone who accesses sensitive customer data, a virtual private network (VPN) can help protect your information, especially while using public Wi-Fi hotspots. NordVPN allows you to establish a secure online connection that encrypts your data to protect your connection and privacy. 

Google Drive

To manage documents and files, using a cloud-based storage system such as Google Drive makes your workday more manageable. Google Drive lets you store files in the cloud while allowing multiple individuals to work and collaborate on the same document, spreadsheet, or presentation in real time. 

Trello

For project task management, apps like Trello help teams to coordinate, work, and collaborate on projects. Trello allows you to easily take a bird’s-eye view of any project (and all of its components) and which team members are involved. You can also add comments, share files, and sync items to your calendar to stay organized and on deadline.

DocuSign

If you regularly use contracts, a cloud-based e-signature software like DocuSign makes it easy to create and share documents with others and request their signatures on forms. Once a contract is signed, DocuSign saves that version so it’s always on file.  

Calendly

Scheduling tools like Calendly make it easy to schedule meetings and conference calls. You can set your calendar preferences ahead of time, send a link to participants, and they can select the time that works for them; then, Calendly will add the meeting to your calendar. 

Slack

As your remote workforce grows, you need more ways to enable communication and collaboration among your teams. Slack, an instant messaging platform, makes it easy for team members to message in private or public group channels. You can also have one-on-one conversations with individual teammates and share files to further facilitate collaboration.

[Read more: 5 Tools That Can Help Boost Productivity for Remote Entrepreneurs]

Security and compliance basics for remote teams 

Data security becomes more important than ever when working from home. As mentioned previously, having a VPN can afford your company some privacy when working with sensitive customer data or using public Wi-Fi. But there are other measures you can take to protect your small business.

First, ensure that your employees use the proper channels for internal and external communications — if you’ve decided to use Slack, Google Drive, or Zoom for virtual conference meetings, make sure others are using the proper platforms and that they are working well for your employees. You can also require that employees turn on multifactor authentication (MFA), taking an extra step to confirm their identity before they log on or access sensitive platforms for an added layer of security.

Additionally, train employees to recognize and avoid phishing attempts and not click on suspicious email links to further protect your business. A well-informed workforce is the first line of defense against cyberthreats, helping your business stay secure and compliant. 

Prevent isolation and sustain culture 

For remote teams, maintaining team connection and company culture can be one of the top challenges. Regular communication, manager check-ins, and intentional team-building efforts are all the more crucial for employees who work from home.

Connection

Remote workers tend to experience more loneliness than those who work in the office, but this doesn’t have to be the case. Finding community with co-workers and replacing in-person networking with online networking can go a long way. You can use platforms like LinkedIn to network with others in your industry, as well as schedule phone calls and virtual coffee chats with your peers to maintain connections.

Communication

Difficulties with communication and collaboration are paramount to address for remote teams. Consistency builds trust, and organizations that are clear and consistent in their communications not only set expectations for employees but also contribute to an open and organized culture. Managers who establish regular check-ins, build platforms to recognize outstanding employees, and develop remote team-building exercises can help overcome the hurdles of working remotely.

[Read more: 7 Health & Wellness Perks Employees Love]

How to make remote work sustainable long term

As you look toward the future of your business, the best remote work policies are those that evolve. To build a long-term work policy, consider what will work best for your business, your employees, and your customers.

Most employees prefer flexible work options, and having that flexibility has been shown to not harm equity, productivity, or organizational performance. In fact, studies show that hybrid employees are just as productive as their in-office peers, and companies that have followed the return-to-office movement have not seen meaningful gains in financial outcomes.

For employees, hybrid work has helped with mental health outcomes and work-life balance, but there are certain factors to consider regarding performance and feedback. It’s important for remote workers to be open with their managers, discuss their performance and goals, and understand their boss’s expectations for remote, hybrid, or in-person work. Hosting events that allow employees to socialize, network, gain skills, and prioritize well-being all contribute to a sustainable remote work environment.

Finally, be prepared to refine your approach to remote work as your business grows. If your team is outgrowing your office space, could you pivot to remote work to save on costs and invest in developing remote work strategies? Do your employees or clients need to be in the office to complete their work? Reflect on your remote work policy periodically, and evaluate what has been working and what changes might help your business to grow even further.

CO— aims to bring you inspiration from leading respected experts. However, before making any business decision, you should consult a professional who can advise you based on your individual situation.

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