Telework guidelines

The initiative’s Guidelines document provides the detail behind the initiative: how it is to be implemented, who will be considered and how the initiative will work.

There are many different ways of preparing and presenting a telework initiative guidelines. Some organisations prefer more formal documents that spell out everything in detail: others take a much less prescriptive position, leaving the detail to be sorted out between managers and employees.

The important thing is that the telework guidelines document reflects the language and culture of your organisation. The telework template provided on this site takes a middle path: you are encouraged to edit and change it—to make it your own. (It is advisable to make preparation of your guidelines a collaborative exercise involving a steering committee or other colleagues wherever possible.)

Any set of guidelines should clearly introduce the intended telework initiative and establish how interested people can start teleworking. It should also include information about how the arrangement can be terminated and the frequency and duration of telework. Answers to many other questions that intending teleworkers and their managers might ask could also be included.

The document should also provide detailed information and instructions, where necessary. For example, if data security is considered a major issue, the guidelines can spell out the security procedures that could be used.

A telework guidelines template is available as an editable document.