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If I allow one or two employees to telework, then all my employees will want to.

• Formal telework policies outline criteria for which positions and types of employees are eligible to participate. Policies should also clearly state the decision is determined by management and not a universal employee benefit.

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If I can’t see my employees, I can’t manage them.

• Effective managers should be able to manage employees when they telework. Clear communication about expectations and holding employees accountable is key.  Technology tools such as WebEx, Office365, Skype for Business are effective for facilitating conversations outside of the office.

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Employees are not working if they are not in the office.

• Consistently, people who telework report being more productive teleworking than in the office. Commute times and normal office interruptions are eliminated allowing employees to work efficiently and effectively.  Additionally, full-time teleworking is not the norm.  Traditional telework is employees only teleworking one to two days a week and report to the office for the rest of the week.  Policies should clearly outline the scheduled telework day and requirements.

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The employees who are not allowed to telework will complain.

• Implementing a formal policy clearly outlining the eligibility requirements and position types eliminates the employee’s opinion that decisions have been made arbitrarily or that they display favoritism. Keep in mind, not all employees will want to telework.