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The FAQs of Remote Work During COVID-19

 

As companies put emergency remote work policies in place and the workforce shifts toward working-from-home, there are often more questions than answers. Here are a few solutions to the most burning questions about transitioning, implementing, and sustaining a successful remote work program. 

For Employers 

When should we go remote?

Companies should act proactively instead of reactively. Ideally, you want your organization to avoid having any sick employees throughout the pandemic, and the only way to do so is to take swift action. Consider your location, workforce, industry, and capabilities ahead of time, then make an informed decision.

Can I prepare ahead of time?

The most successful work-from-home policies start far before a crisis. If you have the time and resources, begin implementing these steps to make the transition to remote work even easier.

How do I talk to my employees about emergency policy changes?

Remain clear, concise, and calm at all times, relying on hard facts that can be supported by trusted empirical sources. Stay in constant communication as updates emerge, and be receptive to employee questions and concerns.

What if we can't go fully remote?

Take as many precautions as possible and remember that anything worthwhile is still effective, even if it's only partial. Limit air travel, conferences, outside visitors, and even in-office meetings as best as possible. Urge teams to use video and teleconferencing tools.

What about maintenance staff?

Some office staff is essential for maintaining your building. Consider the important roles that administrative staff, groundskeepers, mailroom employees, and other operations positions play; ensure their safety, especially if they need to be on-site.

What can I do to ease the work-from-home transition?

Not every employee has the at-home infrastructure for a successful remote career. Especially in a time where household finances may become tight, consider providing a reimbursement program or stipend for employees to outfit their space. Remain in constant communication to make sure employee needs are met throughout the remote period.

What if somebody has an illness unrelated to COVID-19?

While employee health should always be a primary consideration, now more than ever, all ill employees should be urged to stay home due to any illness, however unrelated to COVID-19 it may be.

What groups are considered high risk?

Age has the largest effect on both mortality and morbidity regarding COVID-19; urge staff over 60 years of age to self-quarantine as soon as possible. From there, encourage pregnant employees, those with chronic illnesses, and other immunocompromised individuals to work from home.

What information can I trust?

Stick to large-scale, largely empirical resources that don’t make assumptions or become overzealous with their data. Several trusted resources, including the CDC, WHO, and SHRM, can be found here.

Are there any legal considerations?

Certainly. Follow federal and state rules and regulations regarding private health information, mandatory sick pay, FMLA (which does not cover the common flu; however it can possibly cover a longer-term chronic respiratory illness), and all ADA guidelines. Consult your legal team or a corporate lawyer for the most accurate information.

For Employees

How can I protect myself against COVID-19?

Begin with the same precautions you'd use during any other flu season. Practice excellent hand hygiene (wash with soap and water more often than usual and supplement with hand sanitizer), cough into your elbow, and thoroughly sterilize surfaces in public areas.

Should I wear a mask to work or out of the house?

CDC recommendations are constantly being updated to reflect the current situation. At this time of updating, it is recommended that a face covering be worn in areas of high community spread, such as grocery stores, public transit, or other group environments.

What do I need to bring home to work remotely?

Printed materials often become lost in the shuffle, no matter where you are. Don't forget the notepads, binders, files, and catalogs you use occasionally. Bring home your peripherals, such as a wireless mouse or keyboard, to prevent fatigue from working day in and day out on a laptop. And, of course, don't forget your charger.

Where should I set up my at-home workspace?

There are endless schools of thought throughout the interior design community, but none suit every situation. Setting up a home office will depend on the size of your space, where you have an area for a desk and storage, and what furniture you need to do your best work. 

What can I do to make remote work as effective as in-office work?

Read up on best practices for work-from-home employees, including how to eliminate distractions and navigate working from an isolated environment.

As companies put emergency remote work policies in place and the workforce shifts towards working-from-home, there's often more questions than answers. Here's a few solutions to the most burning questions about transitioning, implementing, and sustaining a successful remote work program.
 

FOR EMPLOYERS 

ᐅ When should we go remote?

It is recommended that companies act proactively instead of reactively. Ideally, you want your organization to have zero sick employees throughout the pandemic, and the only way to do so is to take swift action. Consider your location, workforce, industry, and capabilities ahead of time and make an informed decision from there.

ᐅ Can I prepare ahead of time?

The most successful work-from-home policies start far before a crisis. If you have the time and resources, begin implementing these steps to make the transition to remote work even easier.

ᐅ How do I talk to my employees about emergency policy changes?

Remain clear, concise, and calm at all times, relying on hard facts that can be supported by the empirical sources found here. Stay in constant communication as updates emerge and ensure that you're receptive to employee questions and concerns.

ᐅ What if we can't go fully-remote?

Take as many precautions as possible and remember that anything worthwhile is still effective, even if it's only partially completed. Limit air travel, conferences, outside visitors, and even in-office meetings as best as possible and urge teams to use video and teleconferencing tools.

ᐅ What about maintenance staff?

Some office staff is essential for maintaining your building. Consider the important roles that administrative staff, groundskeepers, mailroom employees, and other operations positions play; ensure their safety, even if they need to be on-site.

ᐅ What can I do to ease the work-from-home transition?

Not every employee has the at home infrastructure for a successful remote career. Especially in a time where household finances may become tight, consider providing a reimbursement program or stipend for employees to outfit their space. Remain in constant communication to make sure that employee needs are being met throughout the remote period.

ᐅ What if somebody has an illness unrelated to COVID-19?

While employee health should never be a backburner consideration, now more than ever all ill employees should be urged to stay home due to any illness, however unrelated to COVID-19 it may be.

ᐅ What groups are considered high risk?

Age has the largest effect on both mortality and morbidity regarding COVID-19; urge staff over 60 years of age to self-quarantine as soon as possible. From there, encourage pregnant employees, those with chronic illnesses, and other immunocompromised individuals to work from home.

ᐅ What information can I trust?

Stick to large-scale, largely empirical resources that don’t make assumptions or become overzealous with their data. Several trusted resources, including the CDC, WHO, and SHRM, can be found here.

ᐅ Are there any legal considerations?

Certainly. Follow federal and state rules and regulations regarding private health information, mandatory sick pay, FMLA (which does not cover the common flu, however it can possibly cover a longer-term chronic respiratory illness), and all ADA guidelines. Consult your legal team or a corporate lawyer for the most accurate information.


FOR EMPLOYEES

ᐅ How can I protect myself against COVID-19?

Begin with the very same precautions that you'd use during any other flu season. Practice excellent hand hygiene (wash with soap and water more often than usual and supplement with hand sanitizer), cough into your elbow, and thoroughly sterilize surfaces in public areas. From there, avoid all groups, travel, physical contact, and

ᐅ Should I wear a mask to work or out of the house?

CDC recommendations are constantly being updated to reflect the current situation. At this time of updating, it is recommended that a cloth face covering be worn in areas of high community spread, such as grocery stores, public transit, or other group environments.

ᐅ What do I need to bring home to work remote?

Printed materials often become lost in the shuffle, no matter where you are. Don't forget the notepads, binders, files, and catalogs that you use every once in a while. Bring home your peripherals, such as a wireless mouse or keyboard, to prevent the fatigue that can come from working day in and day out on a laptop. It also goes without saying-- don't forget your charger.

ᐅ Where should I set up my at-home workspace?

There's endless schools of thought throughout the interior design community, however none of them are one-size-fits-all. Setting up a home office will depend on the size of your space, where you have an area for a desk and storage, and what furniture you need to do your best work. See our blog post about setting up your office as well as our article in Home Business Magazine, Five Steps to a More Productive Home Office.

ᐅ What can I do to make remote work as effective as in-office work?

Read up on best practices for work-from-home employees, including how to eliminate distractions and navigate working from an isolated environment. NBF has some great content to get you started, including Working Hard while Working from Home, The Pros and Cons of Working from Home, and more from the NBF blog.

Working from Home
Tips

More From NBF

Working Hard while Working from Home

Perhaps the weather outside is frightful (and your home office is so delightful), you're feeling under a different kind of weather, or there's a global safety concern that could decimate the workforce-- whatever the reason, a work-from-home day might pop up unexpectedly. While fully and partially-remote employees are used to the on-your-own workflow, desk-bound employees might have a harder time adjusting to a different scenery.

Designing a Remote Work Policy that Works

Designing a Remote Work Policy That Works

If we learned one thing during the COVID-19 crisis, it’s that we're a more independent workforce than we once thought. Companies in high-risk areas quickly transitioned to mandated (or highly recommended) work-from-home policies using the tools they already had. It begs the question—how would this have been even easier if preparations started ahead of time?

Lay a foundation for success from the very start. Remaining mindful of employee needs, wants, and everything in between will help your organization thrive no matter where your employees reside. A healthy remote work policy will increase productivity while employees are in the office, so long as they know that they have the trust, support, and flexibility that comes with a well-thought-out remote work policy.

Start Sooner Than Later

Your company should establish your remote work policies long before an emergency strikes. Take steps to implement the tools and rules necessary for success, and consider the different situations that could keep office-dwelling employees homebound for varying lengths of time.

Not all remote work factors are equal. To create the most comprehensive policies, understand the different reasons why employees may become homebound:

  • Global Health Risks: These situations are precautionary, but they often occur during the most severe and threatening situations. Directives to stay home can come from a parent company, senior leadership, Center for Disease Control recommendation, or even a government mandate. While severe, there's often enough lead time to allow employees to return to the office to gather files and other items they need to do their job long-term. These measures can often last for a significant amount of time.

  • Individual Health Risks: When an employee is recovering from an illness, becoming sick, or transitioning back to work from a medical procedure, it's often advisable to stay out of the office until they're at full speed. These situations often arise suddenly, but there should be clear expectations of productivity to determine whether they should use PTO instead. These measures can range from half a day to a few days off work.

  • Inclement Weather: When severe weather strikes, coming into the office could be the difference between making it in for the day or never returning to work again. Depending on an employee’s location and the severity of conditions, it is often advisable to let employees stay put and avoid risk. These are often short instances but hard to anticipate.

Human Resources Is Your Best Resource

When it comes to remote work, there are a few different prevailing schools of thought in the HR community. They can guide you in the direction of what best benefits employees, and, depending on how progressive their policies are, they can recommend solutions to senior leadership and direct managers.

Today's HR departments understand that each department faces unique circumstances, noting that different job duties have different needs when it comes to remaining in the office. Instead of creating sweeping policies that may not benefit every employee, consult the leaders of individual departments to determine the best course of action.

Be Prepared With Software and Hardware

A setup for success starts with day-to-day tools that can work both in-house and remotely. Ensure your hardware and software choices have full functionality in and out of the office. These days, prices are negligible when it comes to choosing between desktops and docked laptops, allowing teams to stay flexible outside the office while making it easier to bring information to on-site meetings.

When it comes to software, use cloud storage solutions to keep files easily accessible at all times. Virtual private networks (VPNs) can protect sensitive data, web-based applications can provide flexible use over an internet connection, and a robust chat system will keep employees in close contact even when they're apart. These tools are just as useful in the office as they are outside.

Create Chains of Communication

When that snowstorm strikes or it's time for nonessential employees to work remotely, a clear and easily understood chain of communication is integral to prevent confusion. Not all employees have cellular access to their work email, making it necessary to communicate through outside channels. You can call it dated or tried-and-true, but a phone tree can be the most logical tool to spread information. Deliver messages to every employee by making it clear that their direct supervisor should contact them in case of closure or emergency, ensuring everybody knows who they should turn to for guidance and instruction.

Your Human Resources Information System (HRIS) may have integrated tools to expedite communication, enabling it to come from a single, trusted source. Whether that's an email blast that goes to employees' personal accounts or a mass text that gives immediate updates for building closures, it's worth exploring the added tools that can streamline the chain of communication.

Embrace a Trusting Environment

Remote work comes with a degree of trepidation. It's dangerous to assume that your perfectly productive in-house employee will suddenly slide off the radar when transitioning to a remote role in an emergency. Just because they're out of sight doesn't mean their work is out of mind. It takes strength in management to remember that work is still the main component of remote work.

Think about the metrics you use to evaluate in-office performance. Every position has benchmarks that you've seen in action—setting those benchmarks as expectations can ensure that remote sessions have the same output as a day in the office.

 

Making a Quick Transition to a Remote Workforce

We can never anticipate when the most trying times will pop up, but we can certainly face these challenges in a way that keeps everybody safe, secure, and productive. During the 2020 COVID-19 outbreak, employers and employees have felt immense pressure to keep their staff and themselves safe. This has to begin with taking precautions, whenever necessary, to keep everybody isolated and home-bound.

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