Managing Remote Employees (Checklist)
Posted April 01, 2020
If your organization is having employees move to a telecommuting arrangement during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, you will need to make sure that you formulate a plan. Employers can use this checklist when managing their remote employees. (Downloadable version is here.)
| Schedule | YES | NO |
| Do you have set guidelines for working hours? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Have you communicated these set guidelines for working hours to employees? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Do you have a plan to monitor when employees are online? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Are employees required to check-in when they’re working remotely? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Have you communicated your expectations for employees’ working hours? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Do you have a plan in place to accommodate employees who may be balancing caregiving and working from home responsibilities? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Are your scheduling expectations detailed in your telecommuting policy? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Policy | YES | NO |
| Do you have a telecommuting policy? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Does your policy include information about expected working hours? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Does your policy include information about communication expectations? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Does your policy include information about your company’s cybersecurity expectations? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Does your policy include information about your company’s expectations for using company property at home? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Does your policy include information about productivity expectations? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Have you distributed your policy to employees? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Do you require employees to sign a policy acknowledgment agreement? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Technology | YES | NO |
| Do your remote employees have access to all the technology they need? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Does your company have access to video conferencing technology? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Does your company have access to communication platforms? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Do you have a plan in place for what employees should do if they have issues with their technology? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Are employees allowed to request additional equipment should they need it? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Are technology specifications detailed in your telecommuting policy? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Communication | YES | NO |
| Do you have a plan for regularly communicating with remote employees? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Is your communication plan detailed in your company’s telecommuting policy? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Do you plan on checking in with employees daily? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Do you plan on checking in with your team daily? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Do you have plans for fostering team-wide communication? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Does your communication plan include providing company-wide news regarding the COVID-19 pandemic? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Employee Engagement | YES | NO |
| Do you have a plan for keeping remote employees engaged? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Do you have an employee recognition program for remote employees? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Do you check-in with employees to see how they’re doing with the new working arrangement? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Do you encourage employees to preserve their work-life balance? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Do you check in on your employees’ mental well-being? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Do you have strategies in place to ensure employees don’t feel isolated? | ☐ | ☐ |
| Do employees have access to telecommuting resources? | ☐ | ☐ |
Asking your employees to work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic can help them stay healthy. For further resources on COVID-19, contact Horst Insurance.
