Why set up a formal policy?

Teleworking can take many forms. It can be:

• tolerated;
• occasionally allowed to answer a special need or match an individual employee's preference;
• supported by formal documentation, made available on request;
• a formal initiative, actively promoted; or
• ‘the way we work around here’.

‘Yes, you can check your emails at home.’

Although most managers will tolerate staff working away from the office occasionally (e.g. at weekends or on weeknights), teleworking on this basis is unlikely to deliver lasting benefit for either the organisation or the employee.

‘Yes, you can work from home on Tuesday.’

Allowing employees to telework to answer specific needs is a step further along the path to full telework. Many managers are prepared to allow staff to work out of the office during normal work hours if there is a compelling reason or if the employee is important to the organisation’s success. This implies that the potential benefits have been recognised.

However, allowing only a few employees to telework has created challenges in some cases. Employees who are not allowed to telework might complain about favouritism, maintaining team communication can become difficult and the costs can become difficult to control. It can also be hard to monitor and manage work performance, occupational health and safety and security issues.

‘I’d like to control what’s happening.’

For these reasons (among others), some organisations have established formal telework policies and guidelines. Such initiatives manage the possible challenges and maximise the possible benefits by providing clear guidance about who can and cannot telework, how often telework can take place and what is expected of the teleworker—in terms of both performance and office safety and security.

Such initiatives are not normally publicised and are usually only made available to staff when they specifically request the option. In other words, telework is not considered ‘normal’ within the organisation—it is simply a response to a special need. The number of employees who start teleworking is likely to be low, costs and benefits are unlikely to be monitored and the full mix of benefits will not be realised. Furthermore, it is easy for such initiatives to be eroded and some have gradually disappeared.

‘Telework’s a great idea: let’s make it work better.’

Establishing a telework policy that can be actively promoted throughout an organisation overcomes most of the challenges mentioned above—and it can maximise the potential benefits. For a policy to be promoted means that it should be attractive to staff. More staff will participate, greater benefits will be gained and it is more likely to become a normal work option—making it easier to manage and monitor. It is usual for such initiatives to be continuously evaluated to confirm that benefits are being gained and that incremental improvements in the organisation’s processes can be made.

‘It’s just the way we work round here.’

A few organisations have reached the point where they no longer rely on formal policies and documentation. The experience that managers and employees have gained with working remotely or in many different locations has led them to simply accept that that is the way work must be done—it has become totally normal, simply ‘the way we work’.

This is the ideal situation, for managers and employees alike, but it can take many months for all staff to feel happy with such an arrangement. For this reason, it is still wise to start with a formal telework arrangement.

Find your own level

Naturally, every organisation will have to find its own comfort level within the spectrum of opportunities telework makes possible. However, once you have accepted that staff can work away from the office, you will have to decide how best you will manage the arrangement, minimise possible challenges and maximise possible benefits.

Maximum benefits have been demonstrated to come from actively promoted, formal arrangements and this site is designed to help establish such initiatives. How far you move through the levels and how fast you move is up to you. Aim at developing a telework initiative that you can be proud of, that staff will find attractive and which will deliver real benefits.