HR Telecommuting: Solutions for the Human Side of Remote Work

10. Determine strategic reasons- (Internal and External Drivers)
9. Research statistics and examples of similar organizations
8. Solicit senior leadership support and “Champion”
7. Set specific and measurable goals for initiative
6. Explore what business functions are capable
5. Assess current technology infrastructure
4. Conduct manager and employee focus groups
3. Create formal policies, procedures, and training
2. Train a group of managers and employees for Pilot Program
1. Launch Pilot program- monitor and address problems

10. Determining Strategic Reasons

When evaluating your program you first need to look at what overall strategic initiatives you are looking to meet with the formation of a formal program. These strategic initiatives are often referred to as Internal and External Factors.  For more on this read my post on Internal and External Factors.

9. Research statistics and examples of similar organizations

Take a look at our Telecommuting Statistics page and do some online research to see what other companies similar to yours are reporting with their Telecommuting and Remote Work Programs. Use this information to build a business case for your program. This will also help your organization to determine what additional factors you may want to consider.

8. Solicit senior leadership support and “Champion”

Organizations often times overlook this critical step. Telecommuting and Remote Work plans that don’t have the support of someone seen as “Senior Leadership” in the company are often times thus not supported by the employees. Employees often see this lack of support as a black mark for them and their role in the company if they support the initiative. Announcing this support will go a long way to employees supporting and succeeding with the new initiative.

7. Set specific and measurable goals for initiative

This is where you take the Internal and External Factors from above and draft your own goals and measurements of success. Using examples from other companies in your industry and information on how your company operates, set some goals for what you would like your Telecommuting or Remote Work program to achieve. These goals will then become the measures of success for the program. For instance, let’s say you want to improve your ability to retain Top Talent. Looking at statistics you will see that Telecommuting programs often times reduce turnover by 15-55% collectively. Using this information you set a goal of reducing overhead by 30%. Use your industries standards for what it takes to replace employees and do the math. For one 800 person highly technological company here in St. Louis, we calculated these savings at $7.2 million per year alone!

6. Explore what business functions are capable

Not all functions within your organization are going to be great for Remote Work. Security clearances, manual labor of some sort, or Technology barriers may prevent employees from working remotely. It is CRITICAL that the organization set clear standards for what positions are eligible. This will prevent many of the unfair labor treatment claims currently circulating in our legal system. From there, specific guidelines can be created for managers to follow on who is eligible.

5. Assess current technology infrastructure

DON’T just tell your IT Department to go out and get what you need! Often times, current technology is more than capable of supporting remote employees. What needs to be assessed is the technology they ACTUALLY use and “how” they use it. For a lot of employees, they may not need the latest communication tools and software available. They may only need access to email. What’s important, is that the business functions, employee needs, and technology all meet the same requirements. This can avoid many “over-investments” that companies make.

4. Conduct manager and employee focus groups

In order for you to truly know what employees and managers are going to need in the form of policies, procedures, training, and guidance; we often suggest a few focus groups. During these guided discussions employers are able to uncover and avert potential problems with implementation. It is in these groups that you can learn the “front-line culture” and “front-line” tactics employees are currently using to complete work. This valuable knowledge will help your company create a more robust program.

3. Create formal policies, procedures, and training

After all the above information has been collected you are ready to start putting your program together. Using the information from the strategic assessment, technology audits, focus groups, and work requirements, you can now put together a robust set of policies, procedures, and training for your employees. Be sure to refer to our Sample Policies and Procedures to further make sure you have met all the requirements. If you are interested we can put your program through our Assessment Tool and provide you with a report card and recommendations on your program.

2. Train a group of managers and employees for a Pilot Program

Every Telecommuting or Remote Work program should run a pilot program of some sort. This is the best way to determine what will and won’t work. Employees need to be trained in the companies policies and procedures, as well as the Best Practices for Remote Work. This will expose your program and training to the real demands of your workforce. It is critical that any issues brought forth are addressed and dealt with, documenting all changes. Focus groups and regular check-ups should be conducted after the Pilot Program to assess necessary changes.

1. Launch program and track results

Launch your program and track the results based off your goals and strategic initiatives you want met. Train employees before deployment and assist managers as they begin to manage their remote workers. Watch for the pitfalls often associated with Telecommuting and be sure to report on the status of the program to senior leadership.

For more information or help with any of these steps, please feel free to contact me directly:

Brandon Dempsey
SuiteCommute
888-878-4832
Brandon@suitecommute.com