How to create a work from home policy

Organisations across the globe have evolved their operations in response to changing workplace dynamics. Many employees now work from home regularly. For some, this is familiar territory: as many as 68% of Australian employers allowed remote work in 2019. For others, managing hybrid teams represents a continuing evolution in their leadership approach.

Learning how to create a work-from-home policy is one of the most significant ways that employers can provide clarity and structure to support the shift to hybrid work. This can help set expectations and standards in both the short and long term, given that remote and hybrid work will remain a permanent feature of the modern workplace.

Here are 4 tips on how to create a work-from-home policy that will help set your organisation up for the future.

1. Define processes and expectations

The first step in creating a work-from-home policy is to define the processes and expectations for remote work. How often can employees work from home? Who should they inform? How do they communicate this with colleagues and clients (if necessary)? Are they allowed flexibility around which hours they work as well? What tools should they use for communication with colleagues and clients when working remotely? Are there particular days or weeks when they're expected to be in the office?

Establishing tools and documents that help with this, such as an online calendar, remote work request form and working hour guidelines and limits, as well as the right communication tools, will help to make this a smooth process and keep everyone on the same page. Modern document and capture solutions enable seamless collaboration across hybrid teams, ensuring employees can access, edit, and share documents securely, regardless of location.

2. Establish Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Whilst offering flexibility to employees, you still need to meet your business goals. Establishing KPIs is crucial for management to assess whether productivity improves, declines, or remains consistent regardless of where a professional works. This then allows you to decide whether to roll out remote work more widely across your organisation.

An additional benefit of KPIs is that they give your employees a clear target to work toward, motivating them and keeping them connected to team goals, even if they're not physically with their team. Process automation services can help track performance metrics and streamline workflows across distributed teams, providing real-time visibility into productivity and outcomes.

3. Provide employees with the tools to succeed

It's vital that workers are given the right tools to work remotely. This could range from a laptop or mobile device instead of a desktop computer to additional antivirus software to minimise cybersecurity risks. Ensuring that they are fully equipped is the minimum requirement for any business offering remote working.

Today's hybrid workforce requires integrated solutions that support productivity across multiple locations. Kyocera Digital Workplace Solutions provides comprehensive platforms that enable secure document management, cloud-based collaboration and seamless printing capabilities, whether employees work from home, the office or a third location. These solutions include secure cloud storage, mobile printing options and advanced collaboration tools that maintain business continuity whilst protecting sensitive information.

Beyond material benefits, it is important to ensure that employees' work is humanised wherever possible. Contact via webcams or video conferences helps add a human touch, reducing the risk of loneliness when working from home. Regular contact in this way should be outlined in any policy to guarantee that managers and colleagues alike fulfil this requirement. Modern collaboration platforms integrated with Kyocera Cloud Packages facilitate these connections whilst maintaining document security and workflow efficiency.

4. Communicate your policy clearly

Communicating this policy clearly is essential. Telecommuting is not simply a one-way street. Whilst it offers benefits to the company, such as increased productivity and cost efficiency, remote work can cause anxiety for workers or even increase household bills.

Once you've learned how to create a work-from-home policy, clearly communicating what is expected of workers and how they will be supported will go a long way toward allaying fears and encouraging employee buy-in. Being open to feedback from your staff as they adjust to working from home can also lead to process improvements and ensure that both your organisation and your workers are getting the most out of your remote working arrangement.

Building a resilient and productive hybrid work environment requires the right hardware, software and processes. Kyocera Digital Workplace Solutions offer end-to-end support for hybrid organisations, from secure printing and scanning devices to cloud-based document management platforms. These integrated solutions ensure your team can collaborate effectively, maintain security standards and access the tools they need to succeed, regardless of where they work.

Download our Guide to Hybrid Workplace Strategy for a step-by-step strategy for implementing an effective hybrid work model that equips your employees to work anywhere, any time.

KYOCERA Document Solutions provides document management solutions with long-life print technology that delivers greater productivity, reliability and uptime.