Building a Virtual Workplace Strategy

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Building a Virtual Workplace Strategy

If your organization has decided to incorporate mobile elements into the workforce, it's important to develop clear guidelines and expectations. This organizational strategy can then be customized for each department and/or team.

The organizational strategy should include the following elements.

Strategic Vision
Why is the organization incorporating mobile workers into the workforce? Some common reasons include:
Larger geographic reach, so that the organization has a larger talent pool to draw from

Better access to key markets
Competitive advantage
Improved employee work-life balance
Preparation for disasters or crises

Overall targets can also be helpful, such as a particular department going entirely mobile or a certain percentage of the workforce reaching mobility by a particular date.

Integration with Existing Policies
This section should answer the following questions:
Will this be a new program, will it clarify existing policies, or will it fulfill both purposes?
How will this virtual workplace plan integrate with existing policies, such as health and safety, security, and legal regulations?

Depending on your organization and your geographic area, you may need specialized policies and subject matter experts to help you with these elements.

Telework Options
What will mobile work options look like for each segment of your business? For example, perhaps door-to-door salespeople will be allowed to flex their hours and telework for 100% of the work week, while personal assistants will be allowed to telework for one day of the week.

Core working hours can also be specified. For example, the employer may mandate core hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with all workers able to shift their day two hours in either direction. This works especially well for employees in different geographic regions.

This section of the policy should also describe how much authority managers and employees have to customize the program, and who special requests should be directed to.

Costs and Reimbursements
Describe what costs employees will be reimbursed for (such as telephone, Internet, resources, etc.) and what costs they will have to cover. You should also outline what resources the employer will provide (such as cell phones, laptops, tablets, etc.) and who has responsibility for device maintenance.

Responsibility and Accountability
Your plan should clearly outline the employee's responsibility for completing their job and ensure that they have the appropriate resources to complete their tasks while mobile. In most organizations, telework is a privilege and can be revoked at any time.

You should also outline what happens if the mobile worksite loses power, Internet, and/or telephone. Will the time be waived, or will the employee have to come to the office or make up the time later?

Resources
In this section, outline what resources are available to employees, including technical support, policy questions, and human resource issues.

If a significant portion of the workforce will be telecommuting, your organization may want to appoint a virtual workplace coordinator who will help implement, maintain, and oversee your telework program.

Source: Velsoft Training Material