Isn’t this interesting?
At NRG we have had a flexible working schedule and have been able to work at home for close to 20 years. We’ve also received the Alfred P. Sloan Workplace Flexibility award several times. One year we had the top score in the country! And last year, because the Obama administration is so woman and family friendly, the top winner sat next to Michelle Obama at the State of the Union. Rats! We’ve always been ahead of our time.
Our remote journey began when a fairly new employee was faced with back surgery. She was a single mom and she didn’t want to miss work…and we didn’t want to miss her. And we did this before technology really supported it. We’ve learned many things during these years. It’s important for small employers to be careful about these arrangements… and we’ve made every mistake in the book, (since there wasn’t a clear road map back in the day). Here are some points to consider:
Hire employees you can trust. And make sure they are accountable. If you hire the trustworthy and hold them accountable for results, you won’t have to worry if they took more time to walk the dog, throw in a load of laundry, or made dinner on work time. I’m happy if they’re happy and productive. Isn’t that what it is all about?- Have an agreement in writing. It helps clarify expectations.
- Don’t be stingy with office equipment. Make sure that they have all of the same tools that are provided at the office. That means a good chair, multiple monitors, etc. It also helps if you check out their workspace so that you know that they have privacy and quiet and are working ergonomically.
- Watch the language. We call this, “working offsite.” The perception that an employee is taking a vacation day is strong. Using the language “working offsite” instead of “working from home” will help reinforce the belief in everyone’s mind that work is happening.
- Make sure you have a system whereby the employee communicates their whereabouts. We use Skype for business or simply email to alert each other to breaks, lunches, etc. An IM system helps if someone is on a long phone call and a co-worker or boss is trying to get information.
- Do an inventory, and have them sign off on equipment. Make sure the language in your employee manual encourages the return of equipment in case of termination. It isn’t fun retrieving equipment if an employee is terminated. Think this through!
- Have an agreement about family/friends/roommates using office equipment. We have a strict rule against it. Not only is your data proprietary, but if personal information of a client is revealed, your business is liable.
This is a short list of things to consider. If you don’t already have a remote option, you need to do it. In Seattle, it adds so much time to our lives if we don’t have to sit in traffic in order to come to the office. And we also don’t spew carbon into the air. It is lovely to have a happy, healthy staff who can use their time wisely and can balance home and work responsibilities more easily. It is also super fun to wear exactly what we want all day long. Yep, it’s all about the PJ’s!