Frequently Asked Employer Questions: How to Manage an Employee’s At-Home Workspace
Question
How should an employer manage an employee’s at-home workspace?
Answer
Making the decision to allow employees to work from home presents its own set of challenges for employers. With many employees transitioning to working from home, even on a part-time basis, it is important for employers to understand how to effectively motivate, reward, and interact with their people. Employers should have a clear and thoughtful telework policy at the initiation of the telework period that defines, among other issues:
- When the employee will work from home;
- Employee safety;
- Cyber security requirements;
- Confidentiality concerns;
- Expectations of the employee’s work;
- An employer’s right to inspect the workplace; and
- Clarifying the inventory of employer-owned items.
A telework policy helps employees balance the demands of their work and their personal lives. Creating a telecommuting policy that is comprehensive and specific about details like eligibility, frequency, productivity, expectations and requirements, cybersecurity, and communication methods is advantageous for both employer and employee. When managing employees’ at-home workspace, setting expectations early and often, emphasizing communication, and being organized are keys to success.