Techniques for evaluating employees’ performance.

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Working from home (WFH) policy template.

A WFH policy can be considered as a key element for an effective contingency plan to ensure business continuity, productivity, and job preservation (International Labour Organization, 2020).

Before setting up the WFH policy, it is essential to think the following:

What are the agreed-upon working hours for all team embers to be available?
What tools will be used for communication, and what are the procedures involved?
What is an acceptable response time for emails and messages?
Who reports to whom?
Who has access to which documents?
How are responsibilities delegated?

The following template (Table 1) can be used as a practical guide for a company that intends to develop a policy on WFH. While there is no one size fits all solution to respond to ongoing changes, the template lists out the main components to be included in the policy and other elements for consideration to suit the different situations and needs of the company.

*Table 1: WFH policy template*
Sections of the policy		Description
Purpose		Describe one or two sentences that explain why the company is implementing WFH.
Definition		WFH is a working arrangement in which an employee works from home, using ICT, and still fulfils essential work responsibilities.
Scope and application		Provide statements on when and to whom the WFH policy is applicable, limitations and conditions, including other applicable and existing policies.
Main elements for consideration	Compliance to company policies	Most companies have existing policies on a range of workplace obligations. It is important to note that all employees on WFH must comply with existing company policies as applicable.
	Compensation and work hours	WFH should not change the normal work hours, compensation, benefits or work responsibilities. Some flexibility may be required with the agreement between the leader and employee.
	Safety and health	Leaders have the duty to provide a safe and healthy working environment, thus should ensure the home workplace is safe. Leaders are responsible to look after the health of their employees, including mental health.
	Equipment, tools and supplies	The company’s position with regards to equipment, including hardware, supplies, or furniture should be outlined. It should address if, and under what conditions, the company will provide equipment for the employees to perform their duties from home. This may include computer hardware, computer software, phone lines, access to the Internet, access to host applications, and other applicable equipment and supplies.
	Technology, data protection and security	The use of technology for WFH can present higher risks of cyberattacks and confidentiality breaches as well as increased risk of cyberbullying. Most companies have data protection, confidentiality, security, and an anti-harassment policy for this purpose.
	Workstation at home	Company’s guidelines and requirements concerning home-office setup, equipment installation, safety, cost, and so on should be taken in to consideration when designing a WFH policy.
	Communication	Leaders and employees on WFH should agree on how they would be in contact. It is important to note that the employees must be accessible to their leaders and co-workers during the agreed working hours.
	Performance standards	Leaders should reinforce the standards of performance are expected to be maintained during WFH.
	Dependent care and other family responsibilities	The issue of child care and other personal obligations that may impact WFH should be addressed between the leader and employee. Leaders need to manage and adapt to the situation and ensure the essential responsibilities of the job are fulfilled.
	Leaders’ compensation and liability	It is important to be prepared for job-related accidents that occur in the employees’ home workspace during work hours. Check for applicable national laws and regulations. Consider to develop or extend the existing safety and health policy to cover worker’s homes during WFH. Ensure that employees are aware of the policy, including the procedures for reporting work-related accidents and ill health or any health and safety concern.
	Emergency and illness	The policy may include a clause providing guidance to employees on what action they should take in the event of an emergency, such as illness and injury, power failure, or loss of Internet connectivity.