An employers’ guide on

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An employers¡¯ guide on working from home in response to the outbreak of COVID-19

An employers¡¯ guide on

working from home

in response to the

outbreak of COVID-19

An employers¡¯ guide on working from home in response to the outbreak of COVID-19

1

Copyright ? International Labour Organization 2020

First published 2020

This is an open access work distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International

License (). Users can reuse, share, adapt and build upon

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An employers' guide on working from home in response to the outbreak of COVID-19

Geneva: International Labour Office, 2020

ISBN 9789220322536 (web PDF)

Also available in French: ISBN 9789220322604 (web PDF) and Spanish: ISBN 9789220322611 (web

PDF)

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An employers¡¯ guide on working from home in response to the outbreak of COVID-19

How to use this guide

This guide has been developed by the [NAME OF EBMO] in collaboration with the International Labour

Organization Bureau for Employers¡¯ Activities (ILO-ACT/EMP) to provide practical guidance to member

companies that have implemented ¡°working from home¡± protocols for their staff in 2020 as an

alternative temporary arrangement during the COVID-19 crisis.

Companies have implemented working from home protocols as preventive measures or in response

to the order or directive of the Government restricting face-to-face contact. This guide provides

recommendations for companies, including the duties and responsibilities of employers and workers,

considerations and challenges, and how to address and manage those challenges. It also provides a

sample template for companies to enable them to develop a bespoke working from home policy.

This guide makes reference to international labour standards laid down in relevant conventions and

recommendations. These standards are internationally negotiated and adopted by governments,

employers and workers in the ILO and form the basis for many national labour laws.

Acknowledgements

Jae-Hee Chang, Maria Machailo-Ellis and Gary Rynhart led the development of this guide from ILOACT/EMP. It was reviewed by Samuel Asfaha, Magdalena Bober, Farid Hegazy and Vanessa Phala

from ILO-ACT/EMP. Jon Messenger and Valentina Beghini from the ILO¡¯s Conditions of Work and

Equality Department also provided valuable inputs and comments. Finally, Miaw Tiang Tang drafted

this guide.

Disclaimer: The responsibility for opinions expressed in this guide rests solely with their authors, and

the publication does not constitute an endorsement by the International Labour Office of the opinions

and guidance expressed in them. Reference to names of firms and commercial products and

processes does not imply their endorsement by the International Labour Office.

An employers¡¯ guide on working from home in response to the outbreak of COVID-19

3

Foreword by the President

In only a few months¡¯ time, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has had a devastating economic,

social and health impact across the globe. Hundreds of thousands of lives have already been lost, and

the end of this crisis is not yet in sight. From the outset, [NAME OF EBMO] has been working with our

members across the country to assist them in managing the negative economic, social and health

implications of the COVID-19 crisis.

[NAME OF EBMO] will continue to provide support throughout this crisis. Our priorities throughout the

crisis are to:

? provide strong leadership to ensure the health and sustainability of the workforce and our

communities;

? represent the interests and needs of business in crisis to Government with innovative and quick

action, measures and solutions;

? support business during this period with relevant information and services as well as opportunities

for remote networking and engagement with peers as these alternative arrangements are

becoming universal.

This guide is the latest example of our commitment to our members.

Employers navigate a complex and evolving landscape. In our daily discussions with government

representatives, we are prioritizing measures to support business continuity. This is particularly critical

for the hospitality, retail and related sectors that have already suffered a very significant demand shock.

Difficult decisions are being made each day and people¡¯s safety must always come first. We urge our

members to implement government measures as speedily and effectively as possible and implement

positive action wherever possible.

This guide has been designed to help our members respond to a ¡°new normal¡± that is changing day by

day. Many companies are relying on ¡°working from home¡± arrangements for the first time. Some are

thriving while others are struggling to adapt. I hope this guide can provide timely assistance.

Finally, I would like to thank the International Labour Organization for their assistance in developing

this guide.

Yours sincerely,

President of [NAME OF EBMO]

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An employers¡¯ guide on working from home in response to the outbreak of COVID-19

Contents

Foreword by the President

3

Introduction

5

1. What is working from home?

5

2. How is working from home different from teleworking, telecommuting, or remote working?

5

3. Are all jobs suitable for working from home arrangements?

6

4. How are companies adapting to implementing WFH arrangements?

7

5. Are workers obliged to observe the company's directive to work from home?

7

6. What are employers¡¯ responsibilities when implementing working from home arrangements

in response to COVID-19?

8

7. What are workers¡¯ responsibilities when working from home?

12

8. How do you measure workers¡¯ productivity when working from home?

13

9. What are the main challenges in implementing working from home arrangements and what

considerations should be made to address and manage them?

14

10. Should working from home continue after COVID-19?

23

Annex: Working from home policy template

24

References

30

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