What Is A Work From Home Policy

As employees working from home is on the rise, working from home policies creates a process and guideline for employees to work from home, alongside protecting companies and stakeholders through establishing key work health safety, data security, and availability requirements for anyone working from home. This article will explore everything associated with working from home policies including its key components, common mistakes to avoid and how to properly implement a working from home policy. 

Key Components 

There are components that are central to constructing a work from home policy. Some key components include:

Purpose of Policy

It is important the business sets out the purpose of having a work from home policy. This is a simple section which addresses that the business has rules and regulations employees must abide by when working from home, alongside the structures put in place to monitor activity. 

Employee’s Role and Working From Home

It is important the work from home policy sets out the role of the employee and how this translates when working from home 

Guidelines for Working From Home

Employers are likely to set guidelines for employees who choose to work from home. These guidelines may include how often employees should work from home, the equipment required for remote work and health/safety assessments that should be conducted. It is important for employees to abide by these guidelines and for employers to enforce these. 

Confidentiality

Employees are subject to confidentiality and data protection when working from home. This includes compliance with all duties and obligations regarding data protection and the usage of the business’s IT systems. 

When drafting a work from home policy, Lawpath recommends using a template or seeking legal advice to ensure legal compliance and consistency. Drafting a scratch work from home policy can be challenging, especially due to the changing nature of remote working and technological advancements. 

Common Mistakes to Avoid

It is important to have a working from home policy that is legally compliant and free of any mistakes. We recommend using a template when drafting a policy to prevent inconsistencies and ensure legal compliance.

Health and Safety Risk Assessments

It is important to be legally compliant with health and safety laws when working from home. Embedding health and safety risk assessments within the working from home policy is important. Businesses have a legal obligation under work health and safety legislation to ensure their employees are working under safe conditions whilst working from home. Conducting risk assessments and completing the Australian government’s work from home checklist is a great way for employers to ensure their employees are safe and prepared to work from home. 

Communication and Meetings

Having regular one on one meetings with employees is an important strategy to implement when working from home. Including a section within your working from home policy that outlines regular communication and meetings when working from home can be an effective method to prevent employee burnout and occupational stress. 

Not Monitoring and Reviewing Employees

Employers have the right to monitor employees when their working from home arrangements commence. Employers could measure productivity and analyse any growth or decline in effort amongst their employees. 

Advantages of Working From Home

Increased Productivity

Working from home is likely to increase productivity. On average, employees who work from home spend 10 minutes less a day being unproductive, work one more day a week, and are 47% more productive (Owl Labs Report).

Flexibility

Employees who work from home are granted more flexibility as they are able to balance their personal life and work at an equilibrium. Employees who have parental responsibilities, health issues or commitments after work hours are granted more flexibility when working from home. 

Employee Work Life Balance

Employees who work from home have a greater work life balance as they are able to skip commuting to work and having the capacity to work from the comfort of their house. 

How to Implement A Working From Home Policy

We recommend using a template when drafting your work from home policy. Using a template enables you to bypass the complex legal issues when drafting a working from home policy. 

There are a few steps when implementing a working from home policy:

1. Assess if a working from home policy is needed or not. Ensure there is a necessity or demand to work from home before drafting the policy. 
2. Outline what the policy will include– what obligations should employees fulfill? How many days are workers entitled to work from home? 
3. Finalise and notify employees about the complete policy and ensure they understand their duties when working from home. 
4. Ensure to consistently revise the policy. 

Conclusion

To conclude, a strong and clear working from home policy is essential in today’s evolving work landscape. As employees are increasingly needing flexibility on workdays, it is important for employees and employers to discuss working from home options. A good working from home policy will have components such as the purpose, guidelines and privacy requirements when working from home. Furthermore, employees should avoid making common mistakes such as failing to conduct health and safety assessments and not monitoring employees when working from home. There are various advantages when working from home such as an increase in productivity and employee satisfaction. It is important to ensure when implementing a work from home policy to abide by a set of steps to ensure a smooth integration of working from home. 

F.A.Qs

What is the difference between working remotely and working from home?

Working from home denotes a temporary situation, where employees will work from home due to flexibility, sickness or environmental factors such as COVID-19 or weather conditions. Remote working suggests taking on a work environment that is entirely outside of the office as a permanent solution. Remote also encompasses anywhere outside home, meaning the employee is not subject to working from their house and is potentially granted the ability to work from spaces such as cafes or shared workspaces. Learn about the key differences between working from home and remote working. 

How do I implement a working from home policy?

Implementing a work from home policy requires a few steps. It is firstly important to determine the necessity for developing a work from home policy and then draft one. It is recommended to use a template when drafting a work from home policy or seek legal advice to ensure consistency and legal compliance.

How do I implement a working from home policy?

Employers should ensure they pay attention to details and include key components such as the purpose for the policy, and the role employees have when working from home. It is recommended using a template when constructing a working from home policy.