Workingย from Home policyย
Companies are embracing remote working to help their employees balance work and family. With flexible working becoming increasingly popular, itโs important for employers to ensure that they have a โworkingย from home policyโ in placeย toย clearly outlineย employers and employeesโย rights and obligations. When your employeesย are workingย from home,โย additional challenges and risksย canย arise ifย you donโt scope out the process.ย ย ย
As an employer, you are responsible for implementing a policyย to ensure the followingย questions can be answered:
- Who in your company is responsible for answering any queries in relation to this policy?ย
- Who is responsible for all company property and equipment when working from home?ย
- Who is responsible for insurances in accordance with this policy?ย
Did you know?ย
- Employees still need to comply with all policies and procedures whilst working from homeย
- Employees still need to follow your occupational health and safety policy whilst working from homeย
- You need to find out if there are any restrictions in the employeeโs home to allow the employee to work from home
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Working from Home (โWFHโ) Agreement :ย
Aย signedย writtenย agreementย outlines the conditions of working from home arrangement between the Company and the employee, and includes relevant checklists relating to, but not limited to work health and safety requirements. Key Business Advisorsย can helpย youย create a robust remote workforceย by implementing a โWorkingย from Home Policyโ.ย
What does the policyย cover?ย
A goodย working from home policy covers the frameworkย thatย allowsย employees to work from home underย particular circumstancesย and is especially relevant to the current global crisis ofย COVID–ย 19.ย ย
The importance of having a healthy workspace at home and ensuring employees are aware of their obligations in relation to working from homeย is crucial.ย A good policy must alsoย beย accompanied with a workstation checklist that allows employees to self-check their working from home spaceย to ensureย they are working in a safe and ergonomic environment.ย This is an important requirement to ensure the employerโs WHS obligations are met.ย ย ย
A working from homeย policyย shouldย provideย a framework for allowing employees to work from homeย when appropriate. The opportunity to work from home is not an entitlement or a right.ย The objectives of this framework areย to:ย
i. clarifyย who will be allowed to work from home and in what circumstances;ย
ii.ensureย that adequate provision is made for workplace health and safety where employees work from home; andย ย
iii. ensure employees are aware of their obligations and responsibilities in relation to working from home.ย
Who can use it?ย
Any employerย wanting theirย employees to work from homeย inย specific circumstances.ย
What does It cover?ย
- Procedureย
- Home-based worksiteย
- Zoningย
- Property andย equipmentย
- Insuranceย
- Workplace Health andย Safetyย
- Attendance at the officeย
- Working hoursย
- Childcare andย domesticย dutiesย
- Performanceย managementย
- Breach ofย policyย
Contact us to tailorย a workingย from home policyย to suitย yourย needs.ย ย
Book a 15 min chat with ourย HR consultant to scope it out!ย
Talk to a HR Consultant
