Addressing the people and tax implications of working remotely

Every company’s strategy is custom-built based on their industry, global footprint, talent needs, and company culture. Key questions include:

• How important is “physical workspace” to your company culture?
• Is remote work an option for you based on the culture you want in your organization and your vision for the future?
• Which roles are you willing to make remote?
• What are you willing to do to sustain high-performance teams in a virtual environment?
• What support would your remote workers need, and how much support is the organization able to provide?
  
  

Your remote work policy or guidelines address eligibility requirements, benefits and entitlements, compliance practices, expense management, and other related issues. It will help address considerations such as:

• Which roles and seniority levels will have remote work options?
• How will compensation and benefits change for a remote worker?
• How can the company limit risk exposure and adhere to regulatory and tax compliance guidelines?
  
  

Your remote work operational plan addresses how you will implement this change in your organization, as well as how you will provide ongoing administration of your remote work strategy and policy. Key questions for operating a remote work program long-term include:

• Which function and team will own the remote work strategy and policy going forward?
• What roles do business and talent leaders, managers, and compliance functions play in approving remote work?
• How will your organization communicate with remote workers, managers and talent leaders on an ongoing basis?
• What changes need to be made to the larger talent and HR operations processes (e.g., onboarding, productivity, performance) to support remote workers and a dispersed workforce?
• What technology and tools does your organization need to effectively enable remote workers?