Feb 7, 2023 • 10 min read
One of the most helpful steps before transitioning into a remote workforce is drafting a policy to outline certain factors that will affect your work environment. That is an excellent way to prevent problems and handle possible circumstances proactively. Work policy is not precisely about having authority, but rather, it talks about having uniformity, unity, and procedures to help your teams work and adjust to the new setting better.
It is rather challenging to create a policy that would work the best, especially during your transition to a remote work setup. You want to ensure that it promotes inclusivity and diversity while also outlining certain aspects like expectations and responsibilities. The DigiWorks Team provided helpful tips for constructing an effective remote work policy.
You’ll learn:
Use the DigiWorks platform to hire, manage, and pay remote talent from all over the world.
You might be wondering if a remote work policy is vital when it is easy to talk to your remote workers and give verbal agreements. Remember that remote work is not just limited to certain changes such as having remote workers from different locations and cultures, but a completely different situation and strategy that needs a different approach. Remote work makes everyone’s life easier, as you have the convenience of technology and access to a large pool of talents. So, even if you’re just going to have this setting temporarily, it is still important to create a policy in order to eliminate misunderstandings among team members and prevent workplace issues along the way.
When thinking about the policy you would include in your draft, take a look at every angle and aspect that affects your company’s performance. Think outside the box—consider possibilities that you would not usually think of in an office setup. Remote work might affect all the departments in your company, so it is better to coordinate with team members and allow them to share their ideas. They can give you insights that will furtherly help the policy creation, and you are also allowing them to be included in the process.
DigiWorks, as one of the leading talent platforms that connect remote workers to business, also has its own set of policies. We ensure that every member’s situation is considered before officially setting up rules. We also allow our team members to forward their difficulties with the setup, so we can adjust the policies to ensure that it will work for everyone. Most importantly, our team ensures that every member lives by our rules so all team members can work collaboratively and promote unity in the workplace. Now, DigiWorks provided some of the essential factors that will help you develop an effective remote work policy.
Whether or not you are fully switching to a remote work setup, introducing it temporarily, or establishing a hybrid workforce, it is better to organize the company structure before setting up any policy. That will allow the HR department to overlook the positions that are suitable for a remote work environment and those that are not. You can also consider the working situation of every job title, such as having full-time and part-time remote workers and those assigned in the office, if you have a hybrid workforce. That is a necessary procedure and should be one of the first steps to be conducted as it gives an overview of who is eligible for the setup and who is not.
Approval doesn’t always have to come from the higher-ups. A good company would also ask for their team members’ authorization. This tip might not apply to those who are hiring from a remote talent agency like DigiWorks as it is already given that they can work remotely. Instead, you can ask them if they can work full-time or part-time and what conditions will work best for them. However, personnel who work in the office and are subject to transfer to a remote setup should approve of the situation.
Remember that every case is different for everyone, some can easily switch to a work-from-home setting, but some are not. Hence, you can collect and organize the approbation for the request before proceeding with the subsequent procedures. If for some reason they cannot work remotely, communication is the key! Understand their situation and provide solutions or alternatives if necessary. Don’t worry! If you are in need of remote workers, DigiWorks is always there to find the best talents to work for your company.
Sorting out work expectations is somewhat challenging but it is a crucial element in establishing a solid remote work policy. Managing team members’ work hours is important to ensure that they are not menacing their work-life balance. Therefore, the management can converse about specific aspects like work hours, availability, and workload to ensure that everyone is working at a time and condition that works best for both the company and themselves.
Alongside that is establishing expectations in their performances, responsibilities, and projects. Teams can also establish guidelines for factors that might affect their work execution. For instance, DigiWorks allows their team members to set up a make-up time for the working hours they failed to comply with due to personal and technical difficulties.
Establishing metrics and tools that will help measure their performance is the next step after setting expectations. Evaluating team members’ work is required, whether or not it is in a remote setting. After assigning respective tasks and assignments, employers should take time and effort to assess the outcome, more than just measuring the hours team members spent working. Constructing a policy that allows workers to understand that their performance is being monitored and deliberated will help increase productivity and quality of work.
Just like in the office, remote workforce is also eligible for benefits. This case might differ on each organization, agreement, and company policy but communicating it to your workers is a must! That includes their salary, perks, paid time-off, vacation days, training budgets, and other relevant factors. You can easily tackle these things with your team members, but it is better to include them in your remote work policy to avoid confusion and settle limitations.
Remote work setup is convenient when it comes to expenses as team members don’t have to pay for transportation fees, petrol, and other costs. However, companies should consider that they still have certain needs, bills, and expenditures even while working from home. Therefore, keeping in mind their salaries and extra allowances will help them perform better and give importance to their well-being.
A remote setting might give team members the thought that they can work under their own rules as their office is their home. It might be true that they can control certain practices as they work in a location convenient to them, but complying with company policies must be given importance. Both in-office and remote work come with their own sets of rules that help regulate a collaborative, inclusive, and productive work environment, which both team members and employers must abide by. On the other hand, these protocols should also give workers fair treatment and equal opportunities
Setting specific policies and ensuring that all company personnel are complying with them also has its own set of benefits. It helps workers feel more connected when adjusting to the company’s shared values as they collaborate with others. Sometimes work-from-home setup confuses team members’ personal and professional roles, but adhering to protocols might help them feel more engaged in their work and produce better results.
Smooth and solid communication in a remote work setting is one of the factors that needs certain protocols to ensure that every worker is communicating well with their colleagues. Assigning protocols that enable team members to be responsive and communicative is helpful in many different factors. First, it ensures that all emails sent in their inbox are acknowledged, whether from their superiors, co-workers, or clients. Another thing, the organization should provide proper communication tools such as Zoom, Slack, etc. It will also be helpful if they can organize occasional meetings that discuss factors beyond work-related topics. Perhaps, ensuring that all team members are well and satisfied with their work conditions is a great way to start a conversation.
Agreements towards confidentiality should be adopted by every team member as it will put risk not just to the company but to the whole organization and even co-workers. Making verbal policies (a written form is highly recommended) is a great way to give team members a heads up about private information. Being in a remote location might also indicate working in public places, in the presence of the general public. Therefore, ensuring that team members are conscious and alert about their situation, location, and whereabouts is a crucial factor to avoid disclosing confidential information.
Another factor is when printing out confidential documents. Ensure that the company has given a corresponding protocol for properly safeguarding printed works. There might also be chances that team members need to utilize public networks, regular changing of passwords should also be regulated. Other policies connected to this aspect is the usage of VPN, opening and downloading suspicious software, and hacking. The organization can provide a tutorial on how to work with software safely and safeguard delicate information appropriately.
Every company should develop proper protocols related to limitations, procedures, and the rightful method of terminating an team member. Simple malfunction with remote work should not be a factor for termination. That is why creating a policy relevant to this will ensure that every team member will be given fair treatment and evaluation, whether they are office-based or in a remote setting. It should also include clauses about protecting information, addressing accounts, and accumulating equipment after an team member leaves the company.
In some ways, remote work can reduce costs for most companies as it saves them from investing in the extra workspace and other office expenditures. However, companies should not limit their budget regarding data protection, technical support, and various benefits. It is essential to allocate a budget on equipment needed for a work-from-home setup that might be beneficial to the remote workforce. team members also appreciate allocating a budget for the allowances of remote workers that covers their expenses from having a home office. The policy can include other factors such as equipment repairing and maintenance to minimize disagreements.
It might seem like an extra cost, but companies are also investing in data protection and security when enacting such protocols. There might be some sensitive information or even phone calls and messages that you would not want to be associated with the team members’ personal gadgets. Hence, providing a business phone or laptop will help secure these confidential data. Always remember that technical malfunction occurs the majority of the time and is somehow inevitable. Assisting your team members with proper tech support will avoid difficulties and encourage your team members to seek assistance, making this a very important part of creating a remote work policy.
After knowing all the helpful guidelines in creating an effective remote work policy, you have probably established the rules and regulations following the setup. Now it is time to implement these policies and encourage team members to live by them. Before officially enforcing these regulations, you can send it beforehand to your team members and make sure that everyone agrees with it. Or, you can set up a meeting explaining every variable and enlighten them with the purpose of it. Allow them to give their ideas as well, as every policy can be subject to changes, depending on what works for the entire organization.
Following the implementation of the rules ensures that every team member abides with it and has no trouble working with every policy. Find ways where you can monitor their work and ensure that everything is in accordance with the rules. Track if changes are needed, and don’t worry about setting up a new one, as long as it is convenient with every aspect of the company and the team members. These new habits will develop a much more efficient remote environment and productive workforce. A remote work policy will help teams collaborate together, live by the company’s shared values, and successfully work in a remote setting.
Use the DigiWorks platform to hire, manage, and pay remote talent from all over the world.
Now, you know how to make and what to include in your company protocols and remote work policy. Thanks to DigiWorks, you learn a lot about managing a great remote workforce today! The good thing is that the DigiWorks team will not just help you find the best remote workers for your company but will also help you with overall management! Creating a remote work policy will be a lot easier when you have a partner platform like DigiWorks that will help you manage your team! Learn more about us and visit our page through https://www.teamdigiworks.com/.
DigiWorks is an easy-to-use platform that helps small businesses and start ups hire amazing remote talent from around the world. DigiWorks offers a way for you to hire, manage and pay people from all countries. If you find an amazing virtual assistant from Philippines, a content writer from Nigeria, or operations manager from South Africa – manage and pay your entire team from one platform with no hassle.
If you’re looking for a more affordable and sustainable option you might consider making use of a hiring platform like DigiWorks. Virtual assistant companies or platforms like DigiWorks are amazing as they not only match you with pre-vetted and assessed remote workers that can take care of all your business needs but they will also handle all onboarding and payroll needs as well.