Organisations are encouraged to have a pilot study or a trial period before embarking on the telecommuting arrangement. This is especially important if it plans to design a strategy for a significant number of employees.
Organisations should consider the number of employees to be involved in the pilot study. At this stage, employees selected are often those with experience. The duration of the trial period also needs to be determined.
Before implementation, the management should meet with the HR team to draft guidelines for teleworkers and their immediate supervisors. Amongst the factors to consider would be non-negotiable elements such as maintaining productivity. Employee concerns should also be addressed in the guidelines.
Once all the factors have been considered and any issues or concerns addressed, an agreement between the employee and organisation which clearly outlines the work schedule, equipment used and any other relevant details of the telecommuting arrangement between the parties involved should be drafted. This helps to create a mutual understanding of the job roles and manage expectations.
Here are some resources for telecommuting agreements:
Draft Policy for Telecommuting
Sample Telecommuting Agreement