Creating a Remote Work Policy: Where to Start

Before the coronavirus pandemic created the current need to minimize physical and social contact, you probably didn’t think you needed a remote work policy. You either had no remote workers or you considered yourself too small of a business to draft a formal document.

Now, with the need to act quickly and move your workforce to a remote location to keep projects moving forward, you may find yourself having to create one in a crunch. We’ve got you covered with a step-by-step action plan to develop a remote work policy for your small business.

Process

First, decide on the process of remote work for your team. This includes establishing a chart that reflects roles, responsibilities, and reporting for all team members.

Even if that process is exactly the same as your usual workflows, it’s still important to create a visual structure as a reference for your team members. It can be reassuring for those who have never worked remotely to know exactly what’s expected of them. Defining the process creates purpose in an uncertain time.

Tools and technology

Next, provide the right tools for your remote team. Right now, this may mean that they need to check out equipment from work to ensure better security rather than relying on their…