Telecommuting Policy

The rise of the Internet and the people who can afford to have it in their very own homes come has also caused the rise of a new type of worker to the workforce— the telecommuters. Telecommuting is what telecommuters do. Telecommuting, which is also known as work from home, is a kind of a work arrangement in which the telecommuter or the employee works outside the typical office setting.

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The telecommuter can basically work anywhere aside from the comfort of their homes, such as coffee shops and libraries, as long as he or she has the access to the internet, he or she has a phone, web cameras and instant messaging that enables him or her to become a telecommuter, hence the term “telecommuting” because the telecommuter or the employee would commute or travel through the use of telecommunication links that keeps him or her in touch with his fellow co-workers and most especially his or her employer. Most of the telecommuting jobs are available in the fields related to financial, high-tech, sales, customer service, marketing examples, and communication industries.

10+ Examples of Telecommuting Policies

Telecommuting Policy Example

Telecommuting Policy

Even if it is a work from home job, there are instances wherein the telecommuter will be occasionally required to enter the office for whatever reasons the employer would have, such as meetings; however, there are some telecommuting job that is overseas wherein the employer lives in another country while his or her employers live in a whole different country. This is not a problem because distance conferencing is always a possible option as long as there is a stable Internet connection.

Sample Telecommuting Policy

With this comes the need for every employer who does telecommuting to offer policies that are especially catered to telecommuters and the telecommuting itself. In this article, we have provided ten examples of telecommuting policies that can help every telecommuting employer in creating or updating their telecommuting policies.

There is a need for every telecommuting employers, like any other employer, to have its own and personalized telecommuting policies for the industry that the telecommuting job is into in order to regulate its employees. This not just for legal compliance but this kind of job is something that is seemingly new and something that has not been going around for more than a decade or a score. You may also see financial policy examples.

Telecommuting Policy Sample

Telecommuting Policy Example

Telecommuting Policy

Sample Telecommuting Policy

Telecommuting Policy

Telecommuting Policy Sample

Telecommuting Policy Example

Sample Telecommuting Policy

Benefits of Telecommuting

There are many benefits to telecommuting and the most highlighted benefit is the telecommuters flexible work hours and work location. It is a benefit because it gives the telecommuters the ability to decide his or her own convenient time and location where he or she can accomplish his or her tasks effectively. This also gives the employee the capacity to have a work and life balance without affecting each aspect. You may also see customer service policy.

Another benefit telecommuters can get from telecommuting is that they can get more tasks done because they are more confident, comfortable, and efficient with this kind of work setting. There are some people who are not comfortable with constant social interactions with their co-workers. This kind of job is perfect for such kind of people because they can be the boss of heir space and time. It is also believed that telecommuters are most likely to be happier in the unique setting of telecommuting and it also means additional benefits to them such as having to save extra money supposed to be spent on commuting. You may also like email policy examples.

Telecommuting is also advantageous to the employers because of the fact that they allow their employees to telecommute means that they can become productive in accomplishing their tasks and what does that mean? It means more progress in the company and its business operations. Employers can also save up on office expenses because their employees are rarely at the office to report for work. You may also like policy proposal examples & samples.

Drawbacks of Telecommuting

Despite all the benefits, there is always a downside to this kind of work.

At home, or wherever you are to do your job, you have to have an extreme amount of self-discipline. Temptations are everywhere. You are using the internet when doing your job and it’s easier for you to go to your social media accounts and just scroll on your feeds the whole duration of your day instead of focusing into accomplishing your work. You must not get distracted easily or you will be behind with all the tasks that you need to accomplish. You may also check out security policy examples.

If you are a kind of person who finds the need to constantly be with other people, telecommuting is a kind of job that is definitely not for you unless you are flexible enough because telecommuting is a kind of job that is isolating. You are not going to work along with your co-workers, if you do not have any company at home or the place where you are going to work, you will surely feel and lonely, get consumed by this feeling but gets no task done.

This only means that when you would consider a telecommuting job, you should ensure that you have already weighed the positive and the negative side of telecommuting.

Elements and Practices to Consider in Creating Telecommuting Policies

You might need this information in order to create or update your telecommuting policies that can help you in managing a remote workforce that will enable them to become highly successful and effective.

1. Eligible for Telecommuting: Interview and Hire People Equipped With Telecommuting Skills

Not all jobs can have telecommuting as an option and just as not all jobs are appropriate for telecommuting, not all people who would apply for a telecommuting job are eligible for this type of job. You may also like examples of IT policies and procedures.

You would not need plumbers to install light fixtures, right? Similar to assessing applicants for a telecommuting job, you have to carefully choose who are equipped with the necessary skills needed for the job. You may also check out examples of insurance policy.

Since telecommuting is seemingly a new kind of job that is just on the rise at this age, you cannot find a lot of people who have more than a decade experience with this kind of job that is why there are some skills you need to look into every applicant in order to see if he or she has the skills right for a telecommuting job. You may also check out examples of training policy.

Such skills should consider includes:

• Savoriness when it comes to using various forms of technology or gadgets
• The ability to effectively manage time
• The capability to work with less supervision
• Has an excellent communication skill especially in written and spoken communication
• The skill to excellently solve work-related problems
• The ability to collaborate despite the distance
• Has the ability to do things with initiative
• Has an impressive and strong work ethic
• Well-organized and well-mannered
• Possesses the “can-do” attitude
• Focused on the given task at hand
• Has the ability to motivate himself or herself
• The ability to be a highly productive individual
• Possesses a high level of job skills
• Possess grace and steadiness under pressure
• Has the ability to make it through and achieve deadlines
• Is conscious enough to keep management informed
• Can be willing to become socially isolated.

Additionally, telecommuting policies must always include criteria for the eligibility of every applicant. Keep in mind that this kind of job is remote and if ever a telecommuter would go AWOL or absent without leave, it will be extremely difficult, especially for overseas, to reach out and contact them. You might be interested in examples of credit policies and procedures.

2. Provision of Tools and Resources of the Telecommuters.

There are some telecommuters who cannot afford to secure their own tools and resource, and since you are the employer, it is strongly encouraged that you should be the one who will provide your employees with the necessary tools and resources in order for them to do their job. You may also check out examples of insurance policy.

Since there is a geographical location hindrance, it is a great necessity for your employees to have the right and complete tool and resources in order for them to communicate with you effectively and clearly. Since technology is the greatest factor when it comes to telecommuting jobs, this should be an ample amount of attention dedicated to this. You may also like how to create a company policy.

Relying on email alone is not effective that is why you should also include providing and installing instant messaging services where you can have your own online meeting platform where you will conduct virtual meetings. There is a wide variety of instant messaging services that help you in effectively contacting your employees such as for video conferencing and online meeting spaces. You can also make use of the social media but an instant messaging service is more effective when it comes to telecommuting. This does not only make up a successful telecommuting business but it can also create a cohesive and organized team with an excellent performance that is not hindered by distance. You may also see financial policy examples.

Here is a list of things that makes up an effective and ideal technical set-up every telecommuting employer provide to his or her telecommuters:

• A job or a company phone that is dedicated and exclusive of the work
• A professional voice mail system that makes sure to identify the job and the company
• A professional voice mail system that makes sure that there is no busy signal or waiting
• Three-way calling
• A fax machine with a fax number that enables every telecommuter to receive a fax at any  time and send faxes from home office
• A professional and dependable Internet service that enables every telecommuter to do effectively his or her job

3. Provision of Training and Development Programs to Your Employees

Yes; it’s still possible and necessary to conduct training and development programs to your employees despite their location. As mentioned on number 1, you cannot find a lot of people who have more than a decade experience with this kind of job that is why you should only choose applicants who have the right skills suitable for a telecommuting job let alone with  telecommuting policies since it is a different kind of policies for a different kind of job. This is why you have to make sure that you include an offer of staff training for your employers. You may also see how to create a company policy.

On the first days of their employment, make sure that you would already cover important and crucial remote work policies. You should also see to it that at least once a month, you should give updates because after all, the only constant thing in this world is change and there is a big possibility that there are changes that could happen within a month. You might be interested in best human resource policies and practices.

4. Safety and Security of Your Business and Your Employee

As much as you want to trust your employees, there is still a need for you to ensure the security of your company information and documents given the fact that your employees are not within your reach. There are chances wherein the company information and documents you have provided for them will be misused or can even fall into the wrong hands. You may also check out leave policy examples.

This does not mean that you, as the employer, have malice and does not have any trust in your employees. Having security-related to your telecommuting policies is just a protocol given that the safety and security of your business. This also to ensure that whatever sensitive information telecommuters have in their hands are safe and whatever happens to it, it will be the telecommuter’s responsibility and he or she is accountable to whatever that could happen to such information. You may also see travel policy examples.

Additionally, since telecommuting jobs have the need for an Internet connection in order to strive and be successful, there is a risk of security. Make sure you provide your employees with safe tools and resources that could put you and your company as a whole into safety and security-related issues. You may also see petty cash policy examples.

Telecommuting is gradually becoming a popular and mainstream kind of job with the rise of the internet. With the help of these necessary elements and practices, your employees will be confident enough that they have entered the right company of the right kind of job. The right policies would help in making the right people do the right job. Make sure you consider all the aforementioned suggest elements and practices every telecommuting job should have. You may also see examples of complaint policy.