Mobile devices and Teleworking policy
Mobile and teleworking policy is a vital topic to cover in any company that wants its employees to be productive. Teleworking (or telecommuting) is the practice of working at home instead of in an office. It can be as simple as a laptop and internet connection or involve using more complex technology like videoconferencing systems for communication and collaboration with colleagues. There has been an increase in remote workers. Many businesses are starting to offer flexible work hours and work from home as an incentive for employees to attract talent. The mobile and teleworking policy is one such document, which outlines the expectations for employees who work remotely or on the go. The technology world is changing rapidly. As a result, businesses are being forced to adapt the way they do things. One of the most significant changes has been in how people work and where they work from. Many employees now work remotely using laptops or tablets, while others rely on mobile devices for their day-to-day tasks. The rise of mobile employment has created companies to update their policies about working outside of an office environment.
Types of Mobile and teleworking policy
- Flexible hours - this is the most common type of policy that many companies adopt, in which employees can work from home on a day-to-day basis or when they feel like it. The company may also offer flexitime and part-time options to help staff balance their personal life with professional responsibilities.
- Remote working - this type of teleworking policy allows employees to work remotely from wherever they want, so long as they meet specific guidelines set by the company such as regular via video conferencing or phone calls
- Moderate- This type of policy allows employees to use certain apps for personal purposes when not actively working if it does not interfere with productivity or other jobs in the office (i.e., social media).
Advantages of Mobile and Teleworking policy
- Work-life balance- Employees can take care of personal and family matters without interrupting their workday. They can spit their work into different blocks of time, reducing the workload and accomplishing complex tasks in less time.
- Productivity- Workers can be more productive when they're not stuck in an office all day long. Telecommunicating has increased employee job satisfaction which leads to better productivity and higher employee retention.
- Reduced expenses- Remote workers don't have to waste time commuting to work every day, saving them time and money on fuel. This can also benefit the business as the team grows. You don't need to upgrade your office. Instead, the money saved from rent, electricity, and housekeeping can be re-invested into the business.
Jobs Suitable for telecommuting
A vast percentage of employees must have worked remotely at least once in their lifetime. Some types of jobs like chef, construction engineers, and manufacturing require employees to work on-site. In contrast, professionals like writers, analysts, software engineers, freelancers take the pleasure of remote work. Jobs that require more communication and meetings can be done remotely due to advancements in video conferencing. If you are the hr of a company and want to determine the tasks that can be done remotely, you can classify the importance and requirements.
Employees appropriate for telecommuting
While remote work is highly desired by everyone but not all successfully ace at remote work. Many employees misuse this privilege and don't complete their work on time. A successful remote worker must have the following qualities:
- Capable of working without supervision and highly skilled
- Ability to meet deadlines
- Problem-solving ability and highly productive
- Years of service may also favor the decision to allow remote work
Best practices to implement mobile device and Teleworking policy
- Managers, along with their team, should create a teleworking policy. Managers should communicate effectively with their team, any questions should be addressed, and solutions should be discussed.
- Take precautions while using your mobile devices in public places. Install security software or create passwords to secure confidential data. Create backups if required.
- Train your employees and increase their understanding of the risk emerging from operating the devices remotely. Sign a user agreement to control the use of business data. Employees must be aware of what devices they may use to access corporate information on-site and off-site.
- Cover any expenses that qualify for re- reimbursement like internet service, office desktops, etc.
- Please keep track of employees working overtime and avoid employees working or checking emails after their working hours. This will impact their productivity, and they will get dissatisfied from teleworking. Take performance reviews and measure the productivity of employees to track the benefits of this policy.
- Managers must know what their employees are working on throughout the day. Allow your employees to share to-do lists to track their work progress. Set targets and reward them for their accomplishments.
- IT failure can be the most crucial reason behind teleworking issues. Teleworkers are highly dependent on laptops and internet connections, so work with your IT team to ensure the technology is operating smoothly and efficiently. Outline systems, tools and create backups beforehand that will help them deliver their projects.
- Establish communication guidelines or expectations for responsiveness. For example, you can create an expectation that emails should be responded by the end of the day or if any call is missed, there be a callback within an hour.
- While teleworking, employees are likely to face issues in managing this phase. It is essential to have an open discussion with the team to address any problems and brainstorming solutions. Review your policy at various time intervals (i.e., quarterly) to discuss what is going well and improved.
- Monitor performance and use telework as an opportunity to build trust. Don’t be rigid in monitoring employees as it will hamper their productivity and create an environment of distrust.
