Remote work, also known as telecommuting, has become an increasingly popular approach to the modern work day, providing flexibility and convenience for both employees and employers. As organizations adapt to this evolving landscape, many questions naturally arise about teleworking’s functions, benefits, challenges, and best practices.
This FAQ is designed to address the most common concerns and misconceptions we’ve heard surrounding teleworking. Whether you’re new to remote work or seeking to refine your existing program, here you’ll find practical guidance to help navigate decision points.
“If I allow one or two employees to work remotely, then all my employees will have to.”
| Formal telework policies can, and should, outline which positions are eligible to work remotely. Its good practice to clearly state the decision is determined by management and not a universal employee benefit. Teleworking benefits could be revoked if certain performance criteria are not met, ensuring that teleworking is rolled out in a way that doesn’t interfere with productivity. For more information about which positions work best with telework, see here. |
“If I can’t see my employees, then I can’t manage them.”
| Effective managers will be able to supervise employees that work remotely. Clear communication about expectations and holding employees accountable is key. Focusing on performance, email responsiveness, and task completion by a set schedule helps keep employees on track. Technology tools such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, or Google Workspace, are effective for facilitating conversations outside of the office. |
“Employees are not working if they are not in the office.”
| Businesses that telework often report an increase or no loss of productivity. Commute times and normal office interruptions are eliminated allowing employees to work efficiently and effectively. Furthermore, with the rise of hybrid telework agreements employees typically report to the office one or two days a week. If a particular task would benefit from in person collaboration, these can still remain regularly scheduled, while reaping the other benefits of telework. |
“Remote Work is not here to stay”
| Remote work is widely considered here to stay, both as the traditional full time remote, or as the increasingly more available hybrid schedules. Surveys consistently report that employees tend to prefer remote work, while employers report that well managed telework programs result in no appreciable loss in productivity. More, forward thinking employers have capitalized on the opportunity to save money by reducing their building footprint, and recruit from a wider employee talent pool. For more on the benefits of telework, see here |
North Carolina Telework 