How to Develop a Successful Work From Home Policy

Work from home setup

The practice of working remotely is on the rise: From 1995 to 2015, the percentage of U.S. workers reporting that they had telecommuted rose from 9 percent to 37 percent, according to Gallup.

As telecommuting has become more common, many business owners have gone back and forth on whether or not they should enable their workforce to work remotely. Giving workers access to tools that let them do their jobs at home or on the go (e.g., high-definition videoconferencing and remote desktop operation software) can benefit both businesses and employees. Workers eliminate the need for time-consuming commutes and don’t have to worry about falling behind if they get sick, for example. Meanwhile, employers benefit from the ability to hire highly skilled individuals who don’t live within commuting distance without asking them to take on the inconvenience of relocating.

Are you thinking about allowing your staff to work from home? If so, consider partnering with an external IT managed services provider to conduct a work from home audit. This will help establish a benchmark for your organization and assist you in determining whether a remote work strategy can benefit your business.

An audit will streamline your work from home strategy in addition to identifying any gaps. Performance is key for workers outside the office, so this process will provide you with recommendations for maintaining optimum policies. Here are some factors that the audit will take into account:

  • What department and/or roles are more team interactive and which ones work independently
  • Whether your business is limited to hiring staff within a 30-minute drive
  • What technologies you have in place today
  • Any gaps from a business continuity or technology standpoint
  • Performance metrics and tools
  • Whether your business is looking to expand to other markets

Those are just some of the items our team at Stratosphere Networks reviews during our work from home audit. Your business should also segment working from home situations by department and role to ensure success.

Additionally, here are some common technologies businesses have used to in past to help with work from home strategies:

  • Desktop screen and call metrics
  • VPN IP phones
  • VDI and virtual desktop
  • SSO and SSL VPN
  • Integration with Salesforce, Office 365, Lync, Skype, Google Apps for Business, and other applications
  • SIP number portability

Whether your business is based in Chicago or has offices throughout the U.S., a remote work policy will help you retain the most talented staff members and provide enhanced work-life balance with more flexibility.

If you want to learn more about establishing a remote work strategy and would like assistance conducting an audit, our team of IT experts at Stratosphere can help. We provide Chicago IT support as well as high-quality solutions and services for companies across the country. Contact us today by calling 877-599-3999 or emailing sales@stratospherenetworks.com.

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