What is a work from home policy?
A work from home policy is a workplace policy that sets out which roles are eligible to work remotely or in a hybrid arrangement, what equipment and expenses the company covers, and what's expected in terms of availability and communication.
When should your company use one?
A work from home policy is worth putting in writing as soon as any role is allowed to work remotely, even occasionally, so eligibility and expectations don't end up decided inconsistently, manager by manager, employee by employee.
Free work from home policy template
Use the template below as your starting point. It covers eligibility, equipment, and communication expectations, and it's ready to copy into your employee handbook.
Purpose
This policy sets out when employees can work from home, what's expected of them while doing so, and what [Company Name] provides to support it, so remote and in-office work feel equally reliable.
Scope
This policy applies to employees whose role is approved for full-remote or hybrid work. It does not apply to roles that require a physical presence, such as [on-site support / retail / manufacturing roles], which are covered separately.
Eligibility
Working from home is available when:
- The role can be performed effectively without daily in-person presence
- The employee has completed any required onboarding or probationary period
- Their manager has approved the arrangement
Work hours and availability
- Employees are expected to be reachable during [Company Name]'s core hours of [X am to Y pm]
- Calendars should reflect actual availability, including breaks and appointments
- Employees should respond to messages within a reasonable time during work hours, even if not instantly
Equipment and expenses
[Company Name] provides a laptop and any role-specific equipment needed to work remotely. Reasonable expenses for a home office setup are reimbursed according to [Company Name]'s expense policy, up to any stated limit.
Home office requirements
- A reliable internet connection sufficient for video calls and work applications
- A reasonably quiet space to take meetings without frequent interruption
- Company devices connected to a secured network, with screens locked when unattended
Communication expectations
- Use [Slack / Teams / the company's chat tool] for day-to-day communication
- Attend scheduled team meetings with camera on, unless otherwise agreed
- Post a status update if unavailable during core hours for an appointment or personal matter
Performance and accountability
Employees working from home are evaluated on the same standards and output as employees working on-site. Working from home is a privilege tied to reliable performance and is subject to review if expectations aren't met.
How to customize the template
Specify whether this is a fully remote, hybrid with set in-office days, or manager's-discretion arrangement, since the eligibility and communication sections above will read differently depending on which model you use.
Legal and practical considerations
If employees work from home in a different state or country than your company is registered in, check whether that changes tax, payroll, or labor law obligations. Home office equipment and expense reimbursement rules also vary by jurisdiction, so confirm what your company is legally required to cover before finalizing the numbers in this template.
Rollout checklist
Once the template is customized, a few practical steps make sure it's consistently applied:
- Decide whether this is fully remote, hybrid, or manager's-discretion
- Confirm equipment and expense reimbursement amounts with finance
- Add it to your employee handbook and internal policy library
- Communicate eligibility criteria clearly to all managers
- Include it in new hire onboarding for eligible roles
- Review it if your office footprint or team distribution changes
