Home Working Policy

This Home Working Policy is for employers who want to offer home working as a form of flexible working.

It is intended to help employers deal with requests to work from home in a structured way and to make clear that home working will only be agreed where it is mutually beneficial and the employer’s business needs are met.

This policy is designed to work alongside a Flexible Working Policy, but it is equally relevant to employees who do not have the statutory right to request flexible working.

Home working requests and flexible working rights

Employees with at least 26 weeks of continuous service now have the statutory right to request their employer to consider flexible working arrangements.

Employers should be ready to deal properly with any such request, and this policy can be used as part of that preparation.

Why employers use a home working policy

Working from home can offer benefits to both employers and employees, including increased employee satisfaction, better staff retention, and possible savings on office space and recruitment.

At the same time, a clear policy helps employers set boundaries around when home working will be suitable and what conditions will apply.

What the policy covers in practice

The policy deals with the main issues arising from formal home working arrangements, including:

• how employees apply for home working and the criteria used to assess requests;
• equipment, connectivity, health and safety, and insurance;
• confidentiality, security and data protection; and
• hours of work, annual leave, sick leave, and expenses.

Home Working Agreement for individual arrangements

The Home Working Policy is supported by the template Home Working Agreement, which creates individual and enforceable agreements between employer and employee and allows specific provisions to be agreed for each arrangement.

Home Working Policy is part of Employment. Just £38.50 + VAT provides unlimited downloads from Employment for 1 year.