Copyright © Noel Hodson,
SW2000 Telework Studies,
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Telework-Guidelines
Updated
Drafted by
Noel Hodson, Telework Consultant, 14
Contents
1. Introduction.......................................................................................................................................................................... 2
2. Purpose of these guidelines............................................................................................................................................ 2
3. Definitions............................................................................................................................................................................. 2
4. Human Resources............................................................................................................................................................... 3
4.1. Request to telework....................................................................................................................................................... 3
Form SW2000-TW-HR1 -
Request to telework & selection criteria........................................................................... 4
4.2. Training for telework..................................................................................................................................................... 4
4.3. Home visits.......................................................................................................................................................................... 5
4.4. What you need and what SW2000 may provide................................................................................................... 5
4.5. Contract of Employment............................................................................................................................................... 6
4.5.a Model addendum to the Contract of Employment............................................................................................... 6
4.6. Working Hours................................................................................................................................................................... 6
4.7. Notification of sickness or absence........................................................................................................................... 6
4.8. Mail incoming and outgoing..................................................................................................................................... 6
4.9. Returning equipment..................................................................................................................................................... 7
4.10. Damage and loss of equipment............................................................................................................................... 7
4.11. Human Resources Contact........................................................................................................................................ 7
5. SW2000 Information Technology Department.......................................................................................................... 7
5.1. Workstation equipment guide..................................................................................................................................... 7
5.2. Internet connections...................................................................................................................................................... 7
5.3. Overseas travellers........................................................................................................................................................ 7
5.4. Person with a disability equipment and
furniture.............................................................................................. 8
5.5. Briefing for telework...................................................................................................................................................... 8
5.6. Technical support SW2000 Help-Desk.................................................................................................................. 8
5.7. Non-Core hours & saving work onto the C-Drive............................................................................................. 8
5.8. Transporting equipment............................................................................................................................................... 8
5.9. Non-SW2000 software.................................................................................................................................................. 9
5.11. Telephone lines and peripherals............................................................................................................................. 9
5.12. Telephone lines and telephone services............................................................................................................... 9
5.13. Telecoms maintenance.............................................................................................................................................. 9
5.14. Returning Information Technology Department
equipment............................................................................. 9
6. Facilities management...................................................................................................................................................... 9
6.1. Office furniture........................................................................................................................................................... 9
6.2. Office layout and installing equipment................................................................................................................... 10
6.3. Transport and moving home.................................................................................................................................... 10
7. HSE - Health and safety regulations
(following EU rules)..................................................................................... 10
7.1. EU Health and Safety your legal
responsibilities............................................................................................. 10
Form
SW2000-SW2000-TW-HSE1 safety assessment............................................................................................. 10
7.2. Advice.............................................................................................................................................................................. 10
7.3. Electrical......................................................................................................................................................................... 11
8. Confidentiality - Data Protection Act (DPA)
following UK and EU rules......................................................... 11
8.1. Your Confidentiality and DPA
responsibilities....................................................................................................... 11
8.2. Papers and manual files............................................................................................................................................. 11
8.3. Unauthorised persons................................................................................................................................................. 11
8.4. Breaches of the DPA rules......................................................................................................................................... 12
9. Insurance and risks......................................................................................................................................................... 12
9.1. Fire and your home insurance................................................................................................................................. 12
9.2. Mortgagors, Landlords, Business Rates................................................................................................................. 12
10. Taxation and financial.................................................................................................................................................. 12
10.1. Taxation status for SW2000 employees
unchanged....................................................................................... 12
11. Recording and evaluating the Pilot programme................................................................................................... 13
11.1. Teleworkers Diaries typical contents............................................................................................................. 13
11. Appendix A Characteristics associated with
teleworking............................................................................... 14
12. Appendix B agenda items for briefing
sessions................................................................................................ 15
Selecting the teleworkers..................................................................................................................................................... 15
Consult the Households and discuss:................................................................................................................................ 16
Review the Contract of Employment.................................................................................................................................. 16
13. Appendix C
Letter to appoint pilot teleworkers.................................................................................................... 17
14. Appendix D Equipment from departmental budgets........................................................................................ 18
Copyright © Noel Hodson, SW2000 Telework
Studies,
SW2000 will conduct a Pilot
programme of about 25 people working at their homes for 12 months and will
evaluate the programme to consider if telework could be and should be offered
generally.
Telework is working at home
using computers and telecommunications connected to the SW2000 Local Area and
Wide Area Network. SW2000 and its teleworkers may benefit from:
q Increased flexibility and the capability to work
outside SW2000 core-hours.
q Increased work satisfaction and improved
performance.
q An improved work/life balance.
q Reduced work-related costs.
q A contribution to traffic decongestion, creating
environmental benefits.
These guidelines provide advice and guidance to SW2000
employees about how to telework and the SW2000 procedures and contacts during
the first pilot period of teleworking. Some 25 employees will be invited to
telework for twelve months and the results of this pilot programme will be
evaluated.
q RAS Remote Access System - is the software and hardware
required to remotely connect to the SW2000 Systems network.
Copyright © Noel Hodson,
SW2000 Telework Studies,
q CITRIX A system
that transfers work from networked computers to the central server.
q HOME-OFFICE SW2000 or self-equipped office or your
own workstation - at home.
q DSE - Display
Screen Equipment
q PAT - Portable
Appliance Testing - certifying electrical equipment (based on EU
regulations)
q HSE - Health and
Safety Executive
(based on EU regulations) or OSHA in the
**********
You Supervisors authority
to telework is necessary. Various departments will need to see a copy of the
authorisation to enable you to telework and to report the outcomes.
There are few personal
barriers to telework. The authorisation and selection criteria questions
are on Form SW2000-TW-HR1. TO APPLY -
Complete
the form on-screen or on paper, print a copy, obtain your Supervisors
signature, keep the original form and ensure copies are sent to the relevant
departments. Retain the original signed form for audit purposes.
4.1.1
Type of work suitable for teleworking.
Most desk work and
work normally done on computers or by telephone, is suitable for telework. A
study by The Henley Centre for Forecasting,
o Transport and travel vehicle drivers
and assistants such as air stewards.
o Physical labour on traditional farms
and in some primary industries.
o Personal services hairdressing,
massage, most medical procedures.
o Most sport and leisure activities
sports coaching, ski-ing instructing etc.
o Stage and Club performances for live
audiences.
o Hotel and Restaurant work.
o Collaborative work at technical
complexes such as CERN or in film studios.
o Retail distribution shop assistants
and goods carriers.
o Politics where elected
representatives are required to attend centres.
o Teaching school children though
distance-learning is growing rapidly.
Copyright © Noel Hodson,
SW2000 Telework Studies,
There
are few tasks that SW2000 staff could not perform, wholly or partially, from
mobile or home offices.
4.1a.
Eligibility to join the telework pilot.
[1] Participants must be residents of An EU country
and live within commuting distance of SW2000 HQ.
[2] Participants must be fixed-term staff
members with a minimum of two satisfactory performance appraisals (i.e. must
have been employed with the SW2000 for at least two years).
[3] Participants must be performing tasks that
are suitable for teleworking, i.e. the majority of the tasks do not require the
staff member to be present at the SW2000 premises. [4] The agreement of the staff member as well as
both 1st and 2nd level supervisors is required for participation in the pilot.
[5] Teleworkers must have their own computer and
equipment (printer etc) required to perform their work at home.
4.1.b
Suitability for teleworking
Type of Work : Successful candidates for pilot
teleworking are most likely to be drawn from mid-level grades P3 to P5 and from
those with jobs such as:
Medical Professional
Typing
Editorial
Translation
Secretarial Support
4.2.1 Initial Briefing - The first purpose of the
briefings is to
highlight the main issues for teleworkers and for their Supervisors. These
issues include:
For Teleworkers:
o Negotiating boundaries with the family or household
o Installing electronic equipment in a home-office
o Using
facilities in accordance with these and other SW2000 guidelines
o Safe-keeping
and sensible use of all SW2000 equipment
o Reporting
any breaches of these guidelines to your Supervisor
Copyright © Noel Hodson,
SW2000 Telework Studies,
o Productivity
issues
o Communications
with colleagues and tele-communications
o Isolation
For Supervisors:
o Co-ordinating
dispersed teams. Supervisors and teleworkers need to understand the differences
between co-ordinating team members at a distance and when they physically
attend central office.
o Reporting
on telework arrangements supervisors will need to collect data in
anticipation of requests for reports.
o Co-ordinating
teleworkers with their core-team colleagues.
4.2.2 The second purpose of the briefings is to
ensure that SW2000 re-states its obligations as an employer and that
teleworking employees are fully aware of their responsibilities.
4.2.3
The briefings:
These identify the issues that might arise.
Teleworkers are invited to raise matters that concern them and request help as
needed. A list of agenda items that you might wish to raise with your
Supervisor or with your usual HR contact are listed in appendix A:
4.2.4
From dialogue
and from notes taken at the briefings, a teleworkers training/briefing
schedule will be designed and agreed.
Equipment
Maintenance: In the event of equipment
failure, other than in exceptional circumstances, repairs will only be made by
return of the faulty SW2000. equipment to central-office. SW2000 Telephone
Services or EU or France Telecom engineers may visit
your home by appointment to undertake repairs.
Supervisors & colleagues normally will not visit your
home-office: In exceptional
circumstances, SW2000 Supervisors and colleagues may visit by prior appointment
and mutual agreement for business meetings and/or to ensure that local health
& safety guidelines are being applied.
Both parties, the teleworker and the visitor/s, should
conduct themselves in a businesslike manner as they would at any SW2000
central-office.
Copyright © Noel Hodson, SW2000 Telework Studies,
During the pilot
period the teleworkers must provide their own computer and peripherals.
Teleworkers can apply to their departments for home-office or portable
equipment to be supplied on their departmental budget.
In some cases your department may agree to provide telework
equipment; but in most cases you will be expected to provide your own
equipment. A pilot teleworker will need to ensure they have:
q Information Technology a computer, software,
equipment and peripherals.
q Telephone Systems - telephone line/s for work
purposes. SW2000 will reimburse the business call and internet connection
charges.
q Facilities Management Sufficient space, furniture,
office equipment and transport for equipment if required.
q Self-Assessment Health & Safety checks (on the
form provided).
q Stationery, paper and other consumables, drawn as
usual from your own department.
These guidelines are in addition to and are not a
replacement for the SW2000 policies and guidelines or for the
contract-of-employment. Breaches of these guidelines or excessive demands for
support may result in the option for an individual to telework being withdrawn.
SW2000 at all times reserves the right to cancel any telework programme.
When you are authorised by your
Supervisor/s to telework, Human Resources will write a pilot telework
arrangement confirmation letter that will include:
q Defining your
home-office as a SW2000 workplace
q Agreeing proper access to SW2000 systems and data
from the home-office
q Compliance with these guidelines.
q A formal review 3 months after the date of the
confirmation letter.
q Ceasing telework and reverting to central-office.
q Ceasing employment and returning SW2000 equipment
and data.
You are required to agree and to counter-sign the
letter. You will be given a copy and a copy will be placed on your personnel
file.
An
example of a letter that will be written to appoint pilot teleworkers is set
out in appendix C, below.
Your working hours and days
as set out in your employment contract are unchanged unless varied by agreement
with your line-Supervisor. See the advice in Paragraph 5
Copyright © Noel Hodson,
SW2000 Telework Studies,
Information Technology
Department below, about working outside of core-hours, SW2000 Help-Desk services and
the potential risks to your work/files.
If you are scheduled to work at home but cannot work
due to sickness or some other cause you must notify your Supervisor, by
telephone or email that you will not be working and follow the usual procedures
for any absence from work.
Consult your Supervisor about incoming and outgoing
post. Do not invite SW2000 business contacts to write to you at home. You must
follow normal authorisation procedures for issuing SW2000 documents, printed or
electronic. The general principle is that external SW2000 contacts should not
know that you are working at home.
If you leave SW2000, it is your responsibility to ensure
all SW2000 equipment and data is returned in good working order. Inform SW2000
Telephone Services to ensure any telephone lines provided by SW2000 are
discontinued.
Also see Information Technology Department, Section 5, and
Facilities Management, Section 6, of these guidelines.
You must immediately
report any loss or damage of SW2000 equipment or unauthorised access to
SW2000 data to your Supervisor and in the event of theft
or criminal damage you must report to the local police and obtain a Police Reference Number. See the Insurance and Risks section of
these guidelines for instructions and advice.
Authorisation, equipment and training matters
must be discussed with your Supervisor. For advice on HR issues contact your
usual HR representative.
***************
If your department offers
to equip your home-office; to obtain your SW2000 computer
and peripherals from SW2000 Information Technology Department you will need
your Supervisors signed authority to telework (FORM
SW2000-TW-HR1). Take the original form
signed by your Supervisor to SW2000 Information Technology Department and
SW2000 Information Technology Department will complete the telework equipment
supply process. (Also see the Facilities
Management Section (FM)
for furniture, telephones and other supplies).
Copyright © Noel Hodson,
SW2000 Telework Studies,
If you have questions about
the telework equipment and services from SW2000 Information Technology
Department contact MR/MS ************ , Information
Technology Department Service Development Supervisor, Tel. Extension **** , who
will direct you to the appropriate person or department.
Computers provided by SW2000 will
be configured to connect from your home to SW2000 Information Technology
Department, via a telephone line, modem and an ISP (internet service provider.
(See equipment list above). If you provide your own computer, bring it in to
SW2000 Information Technology Department, show your Supervisors authority for
you to telework, and ask IT to configure your machine for RAS connection to the
SW2000 Intranet.
For overseas
travellers the usual SW2000 Global Private Network will be provided.
Special
equipment needs will be addressed through the Telework Health & Safety
Self-Assessment procedure (see Section 7 below), or please contact your usual
HR representative for advice and assistance.
Pilot teleworkers will
receive a briefing about their own or the SW2000 computer, the telephone system and access
codes. The briefing
focuses on the technology differences between working at central-office and
working at home. From the dialogue and notes taken at this briefing your IT
focused training programme will be designed and scheduled.
In normal work-hours call
IT dept. on ************ for support if
required.
If IT cannot fix
the problem over the telephone they will make an appointment for you to bring
the equipment to central
office where it will either be repaired or replaced within 24 hours. Do not save any data on the computer. If your telephone fails; call
SW2000 Telephone Services on **** internally or ***** *** ****** externally. A
SW2000 or EU or France Telecom telephone engineer
will visit if necessary, by appointment.
SW2000 prefers that teleworkers do the majority
of their work on-line to the SW2000 Intranet giving normal access to SW2000
systems and automatically backing up the work. Out of
core-hours and some weekends, the SW2000 network may shut down for
maintenance. At such times your
work/files are NOT SAVED or BACKED-UP.
You must save your work to the C Drive (the main drive) in the
computer. Set-up the Microsoft
Office files so that they AUTO-SAVE every few minutes. SW2000 employees overseas, in other time zones,
must particularly note this advice.
Copyright © Noel Hodson,
SW2000 Telework Studies,
When working on-line in
real time from home or remotely via a modem, your on-screen cursor may lag
significantly behind your keystrokes due to the transmission time from your location
to the central office system and back again.
To circumvent both of the
above problems you can download, work on and save files to the computer C drive.
If you do so, you MUST save the file/s
back to the network-drive before switching-off and/or email the file to
yourself at SW2000 and then, for data-protection purposes, delete the
work-files from the home-office computer.
Users should take extreme care when transporting equipment
outside of SW2000 buildings to prevent loss or damage of equipment and of any
sensitive or confidential data stored. See paragraph 4.11 above.
If it is necessary to transport all your home-office
Information Technology Department equipment, it will fit into a family car and arrangements can be made to unload the
car at central-office, or SW2000 Facilities Management will arrange collection. Telephone *** ********* ******** SW2000 Facilities Management.
If your department provides your home-office equipment, you
are not permitted to install any additional software on the SW2000 computer nor to
delete any pre-installed software.
5.10.
Unauthorised access
Do not allow unauthorised use of your equipment by any
person, particularly by non-SW2000 employees. Unauthorised users may be in
breach of the local Data Protection rules.
If you obtain your departments budget and apply to
Facilities Management (FM) for your home-office furniture (see Section 6 below)
ensure that FM order any SW2000 telephone line/s from SW2000 Telephone Services
or contact telephone services yourself by dialling **** (internal).
SW2000-Telephone Services will arrange the installation of lines to
Home-offices. E.G. An ISDN system carries several
lines to and from each home-office. All
additional installation, rental and call charges will be paid by SW2000.
apply for reimbursement of the expenses in the usual way. In all cases,
teleworkers must retain their own home telephone for incoming and outgoing
personal calls.
You can use your central-office extension phone to have
internal and external calls forwarded. If you are moving to another location
set the new number from your central-office desk. You can change the contact
number as often as you like. The callers are unaware of the new location.
Copyright © Noel Hodson,
SW2000 Telework Studies,
If the telephone is faulty,
call SW2000 Telephone Services on ******* internally or ****** ******** ***
externally. If necessary a
SW2000-Telephone Services or a EU or France Telecom
service engineer will visit your home-office by appointment.
If you leave SW2000 it is your responsibility to return
SW2000 equipment and data in good working order. All hardware, keyfobs/tokens and access codes must be returned to SW2000
Information Technology Department. Delete
all data files from the
computer. Inform
SW2000 Telephone Services to ensure the ISDN or other line (if installed by
SW2000) is discontinued.
Also see the Facilities Management and procurement section of these guidelines
for procedures to return other office equipment.
************
In all cases, take measurements of your home-office space and note hazardous places
where the compute,r printer and other delicate
equipment should not be placed,
including:
1) Visible
to passers-by and thieves, for security reasons.
2) Accessible
to young children and pets.
3) Where
details on the screen or printer can be read by non-SW2000 people.
4) In a
window in hot sunshine or in dusty areas.
Suppliers will be authorised by SW2000 to deliver to your
home and where relevant to install furniture and equipment.
If you stop teleworking or leave SW2000, SW2000 can arrange for their equipment
and furniture to be collected. If you move house, please arrange for your
removers to transport the home-office contents and inform Facilities Management, HR and SW2000
Information Technology Department of the change. If you need assistance to
re-install the equipment and furniture contact Facilities Management. Inform
SW2000 Telephone Services to ensure the ISDN or other SW2000 lines
discontinued. SW2000 will need to ask
Copyright © Noel Hodson,
SW2000 Telework Studies,
EU/France
Telecom to install a new line in your new home so sufficient notice will be
required to ensure that there is no interruption in service.
Contact: Mr Ms ************ ,
Facilities Supervisor, on Extension *****, at Oxford HQs, to be directed to
the appropriate Facilities Management officer.
Your home-office is subject to the Health and Safety at
Work rules of the local region.
Your responsibility is to read and apply these guidelines. Alert
your Supervisor to any safety concerns you may have about telework or home
working. You MUST complete Form
SW2000-SW2000-TW-HSE-1 in the EXCEL file
attached to these guidelines. EU Workplace Regulations cover working environment issues
such as lighting, ventilation and
temperature. Any special needs you may have will be provided for following the
HSE self-assessment on Form SW2000-SW2000-TW-HSE1.
Each
SW2000 home-office may be subject to risk assessment by SW2000 to
ensure compliance with regulations made under the Health and Safety at Work
rules. Electrical equipment, including
plugs and connectors, could be subject to statutory PAT checks (Portable
Appliances Tests) every year. If a SW2000 computer is provided it
may come with a free-standing plug-in keyboard and a mouse. Ensure the optimum ergonomic and Display Screen
Equipment rules compliant
layout. SW2000 retains full responsibility, as it does when you work at a
SW2000 central-office, to ensure compliance with any local workplace safety
regulations. Employees also share the responsibility and must co-operate,
follow the advice and act intelligently.
It
is not SW2000s legal responsibility to check your house power and wiring but
SW2000 share responsibility, with you, from the power socket/s in your
home-office to the workstation equipment.
SW2000
Information Technology Department can supply a fuse protected plug array for
the electric power, and there is surge protection built into the computer for
the power and telephone connections (lightning strikes sometimes burn out PC
modems via the telephone line) to protect the computer and peripherals. Contact
Facilities Management or the
Information Technology Department if your home or area suffers from unreliable
or disrupted power supplies or similar problems.
*************
Copyright © Noel Hodson,
SW2000 Telework Studies,
If located in an EU Member State
and perhaps in An EU country, your home-office
workstation and the work environment could be subject to the same DPA rules that apply at SW2000 central-office in
Are to read and understand the SW2000 Guidelines on DPA and
to read and abide by these telework guidelines.
If you take files or
reports home, always leave a note with a colleague at central-office of the
files removed. Carry them securely in a closed brief case. At home, store the
files in lockable, fireproof filing drawers and
return them to central office as soon as possible. Do not dispose of SW2000 papers,
including any drafts that you have printed at home, in your domestic dustbin.
All waste papers must be brought back to central office for safe destruction or
disposal to reduce the risk of a DPA breach.
Lock Up. To minimise
the risk of SW2000 papers being read by unauthorised persons always operate a
clear-desk policy. Put all papers in locked
filing cabinets. Always lock your computer if you leave for a short
time and switch it off if you leave for a longer period. Always disconnect from
the SW2000 Intranet or RAS when you
leave the house.
In the EU, leaks of confidential information, particularly
personal information, on paper or electronic, can be criminal offences. You
must immediately report any loss or interception of SW2000 paper or
electronic data to your Supervisor. Any theft or criminal act must be reported to the police and a Police Reference number obtained.
**********
You do not need to take out
extra insurance to cover
SW2000 equipment and SW2000 workplace risks. But you may decide to review your
insurance cover in the perspective of establishing a home-office. SW2000 is
insured and SW2000
policies extend to all places of SW2000 business which include home-offices and data in transit. If
SW2000 owned home-office equipment is stolen or destroyed at home or in
transit, SW2000 is able to claim in the usual way.
You
should read your policies to ensure that working at home does not affect your
home insurance. You should ensure that insurance of your personal
computer is not affected by working at home.
The SW2000 Safety Adviser has included a Home-Office Safety Assessment
Form SW2000-SW2000-TW-HSE1 in these guidelines. Section 4 of the form addresses
electrical fires and safety issues. SW2000 is insured for its legal liability
to SW2000 employees and 3rd parties including damage to your home
for which SW2000 is legally responsible but this would not include the rest of
your home in the absence of SW2000 legal liability (see above). You should
ensure:
(1) That your
home insurance policies for the building and contents are not adversely
affected by the existence of a home-office.
(2) That you
have properly completed form SW2000-SW2000-TW-HSE1 and followed any resulting
advice.
(3) That a
smoke alarm is fitted and a fire blanket or extinguisher is on-hand and that
you test these regularly.
SW2000
advise that you read the terms and conditions of your mortgage/lease/tenancy and get a copy of the local authority
or regional planning/zoning laws. You
should consider if your home-office effects your legal occupation of the home.
**********
Part time teleworkers (1-2 days a week) are unlikely to
need to consider any tax implications as a result of teleworking. Full time
teleworkers (3-5 days a week) should consider if there are likely to be any
Capital-Gains-Tax implications, as there might be for EU
and
Advice: If your line
Supervisor or payroll department are unable to advise, contact Mr/Ms ************ in SW2000 Payroll, Oxford HQ EXT **** or you should consult your own accountant.
Evaluation forms for teleworkers and for Supervisors will
be provided at stages through the 12 months of the programme. These should be
completed (on-screen if possible) and returned to HR (Mr Peter Meyerhoffer at ********* or his colleagues).
Central to the recording and reporting procedures is the
Teleworkers Diary.
Copyright © Noel Hodson,
SW2000 Telework Studies,
These diaries should be kept in units of 15 minutes, just
as lawyers, accountants and other time-fee charging professionals do every
working day. All incidents, benefits,
difficulties, problems and ideas for improvement that the teleworkers encounter
should be recorded for later analyses. Comments should be brief and
business-like. All hours spent on work-in-progress should be tracked. These
diaries should be set up in EXCEL or a similar spreadsheet that can be readily
totalled and analysed, written on-screen (on paper is better than none at all)
and updated at least every half-day. Contents should at the very least include
these 4 topics:
11.1.1 Planning
communications in advance and recording after the event.
Ironically for people relying on advanced communications equipment, isolation
and getting out of touch is a problem for some teleworkers. Overcome this by
listing the early log-on and late log-off telephone calls you will make and
always list a number of progress and gossip calls per day with colleagues,
other teleworkers and supervisors. Remember that SW2000 is paying for the calls
so be generous in the use of your telecoms and follow the planned diary calls
every day. Record when contact is made or not made, for analyses.
11.1.2 Work-in-Progress Give each piece of work you do a name and a
number and record the hours you spend on each task including non-productive
tasks such as fixing the printer or repairing your desk. Record your work day
in 15 minute segments. Differentiate between Productive and non-Productive
work. Note when you give your colleagues or Supervisors an update of the
work. Record problems
such as missing information, difficulties in connecting to the SW2000 intranet
and difficulties in getting support from your core-team colleagues. Note
each week whether in your view the week has been more or less productive than
it would have been in central office.
11.1.3 Work/Life Balance The pilot programme evaluators will be particularly interested in
the Benefits you enjoy and the Problems you encounter. If for example you are unwell and could not
attend Central Office but are able to spend some hours at your home
work-station, report this. Or, for example, if your child is sent home from
school, stopping your work, whereas if you were at central office you would
have carried on working report this incident. Leisure use of time released
from commuting is of interest. If you smoke while you work and would at central
office take an outdoor break for this; note the time saved if you smoke at your
home-office desk. Most teleworkers report increased leisure activities, such as
handicrafts, time with their families and fitness regimes, alongside increased
hours on work tasks; let the evaluators know what changes occur in your
work/life balance. Note any changes in your general health that can be ascribed
to teleworking.
11.1. 4 The Technology It is vital for the evaluators to learn what
equipment should ideally be provided. There is little point escaping the
frustrations and time spent on commuting if you waste it all wrestling with
inferior work equipment record what goes wrong, what is right and make your
suggestions for ideal solutions; particularly about compatibility.
Copyright © Noel Hodson,
SW2000 Telework Studies,
END OF
FORMAL GUIDELINES
(See paragraph 4 of these
Guidelines)
Supervisors of teleworkers generally benefit from
having the following characteristics.
Good Supervisors have:
o
Good communication skills.
o
A high level of trust for employees.
Staff who telework in this pilot will adapt most effectively if they:
o Enjoy working alone
o They do what they say and say what
they do.
o Are independent and able to make
decisions.
o Measure their own
work output.
o Keep Supervisors informed about the
work in progress.
o Are experienced at using computers
and communications technology.
o Are happy without a rigid office
structure.
o Have clear boundaries between work
and personal life.
o Have suitable well equipped
work-space at home.
o Are focused and not distracted by
home matters during work hours.
(see Paragraphs 4 Training; and
4.2.3 in these Guidelines)
Copyright © Noel Hodson,
SW2000 Telework Studies,
Volunteers
only: SW2000 will not oblige people to leave the Core Team
SW2000 do Not rely on all volunteers becoming good teleworkers. Some 33% of volunteers find they do not enjoy
working at home and they return to central office working.
Returning to central office: A period of 14 days notice on either side
is required.
Potential
problems to discuss with teleworkers, their families and households, include:
a)
Isolation
b)
Difficulty establishing work routines
c) Loss of
colleagues assistance
d) Loss of
office social life
e) Trapped
in the home
f) Poor
home office accommodation
g)
Intrusive family
h)
Intrusive neighbours and friends
i)
Intrusive pets
j)
Inadequate meetings facilities
k)
Involved in trivia - No junior support
l) Fear of
losing promotion opportunities
m) Fear of
missing training opportunities
n)
Resenting Supervisors or colleagues visits
o) Fear of
reduced access to corporate information
q) Fear of
telework being a step towards redundancy
r)
Concerns about landlords rules and local-residential-laws
s) Fear of
damaging company data or equipment
t) Danger
to children from electronics.
Location
of a home office is a personal choice but can be disruptive if a wrong choice
leads to having to relocate. Matters to
consider include:
a) Sockets for telephones and power.
b) Wiring and fire safety.
c) Good (day) light and lighting.
d) Confidential Desk Top (to stop items from
being seen by casual visitors).
c) Freedom from intrusions
d) Answering the door and the telephone
simultaneously
e) Majority opt for a spare bedroom but these
can be very isolated
g) Parents and carers seem to prefer being in
the living area
h) Long term teleworkers often convert the
garage, loft or build an extension or garden room.
i) Some need space for a working colleague
j) All need shelves and storage
A typical
home office requires:
a) Desk
b) 2
Chairs
c) Filing
cabinet/drawers with locks
d)
Shelving
e) Extra
telephone line/s
f)
Telephone services
g)
Personal Computer
h)
Modem/ISDN/DSL etc. for E-Mail and connectivity
i) Fax
with copier capability
j) Answer
phone service
k)
Cordless Phone or headset
l)
Stationery pack (from report folders to staples and rubber bands)
NB: 12
square metres is the average central office space per person.
a)
Territorial rights by weekday
by
night
by
weekends
b) Home
office location
c)
Business visitors
d) Answering
business calls
e)
Procedures for teleworker sickness
h) Need
for confidentiality
i)
Family Chores (use commuting time)
j)
Interrupting the teleworker
Teleworkers
contractual variations could include:
a) Place/s
of Work
b) Working
Hours
c)
Responsibility for equipment
d)
Responsibility for data and paper documents
e) Access
to Supervisors, customers and suppliers.
f)
Requirement to attend central offices
g)
Promotional rights
h)
Training rights
i)
Household's using employers equipment
j) Right
to return to Core Team
k)
Payments for heat, light, telephone, wear and tear (or a "rent")
l)
Communication responses
(see 4.5a in these Guidelines)
From: Human Resources
SW2000 Telework Studies (SW2000),
To: The Teleworker
Department
Office Address
Home Address.
(DATE)
Pilot Telework Arrangement Confirmation
Letter
Following the telework authorisation obtained from
your SW2000 Supervisor, Eduardo
Craxis, you are now required and enabled by
SW2000 to work at your home on some or all work-days as may be agreed from time
to time, from
Except as may be required by employment or other
laws and without infringing your rights as an employee and SW2000s obligations
as an employer:
1] Your existing contract of employment remains in
force. There are no changes to the agreed salary or to any other payments or
terms in your contract other than those that may be set out in this letter.
2] From the date of signing this telework
arrangement, the requirement for you to attend SW2000 office locations to carry
out your duties includes attendance at your home-office.
3] You must read the SW2000 Telework Guidelines and
comply with them.
Copyright © Noel Hodson,
SW2000 Telework Studies,
4] Your home-office is a SW2000 micro-office and
SW2000 have the usual responsibilities as your employer in and for that work
location only at the times when you conduct SW2000 work in your home-office. Your home-office is only an authorised and
approved SW2000 work location (a SW2000 micro-office) when it complies with the
SW2000 Telework Guidelines. To do so it
must comply with any local, regional and national EU
Health and Safety at Work rules, including any equivalents of the EU Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations
and also the requirements of the EU Data Protection
Act/s as stated in the Telework Guidelines.
5] If you are required by SW2000 during any period
of telework at your home-office to attend a SW2000 central office or other
SW2000 work location you will promptly travel to that location for the time or
times required.
6] Upon reasonable advance notice, you will give
access to your home-office to SW2000 personnel who may need to visit your
home-office to fulfil SW2000s legal obligations as your employer or
to maintain your home office equipment.
7] This pilot telework arrangement will remain in
force for 3 months from the date of signing at which time it will be reviewed
and may be continued or discontinued at SW2000s option for a total of 12
months from the start.
8] If you cease to work completely or stop
teleworking for SW2000 for any reason, you or your personal representatives
will immediately return all SW2000 equipment, furniture, files and data to
SW2000 in compliance with the Telework Guidelines.
9] Either party can upon reasonable notice of not
less than 14 days, revoke this telework arrangement and revert to traditional
central-office attendance.
10] Any costs you incur in order to telework, other
than costs agreed in writing and in advance by SW2000, are your own
responsibilities and are not the responsibilities of SW2000.
11] SW2000 at all times reserves the right, upon
reasonable notice, to define or redefine your place of work and your mode of
working for SW2000 whether by telework methods, by traditional work methods or
otherwise.
You are required to agree and to
counter-sign this letter. You will retain a copy and a copy will be placed on
your personnel file.
|
Signed for SW2000 Human Resources |
Signed by the teleworker |
|
SW2000 HR Officer Name
.. |
A |
|
Officer HRM
SW2000 |
SW2000 Position |
|
Date of signing
.. |
Date of signing
.. |
Copyright © Noel Hodson,
SW2000 Telework Studies,
(see
paragraph 5.1 above)
If teleworkers are equipped
by their departments, they may receive the loan of equipment as required,
including:
From SW2000 Information
Technology Department:
q
A
computer with access to the software and peripherals required for your
work, including software loaded onto the computer for out-of-hours work, with:
q
Microsoft Office.
q
Outlook e-mail.
q
Intranet and Internet connections.
q
ISDN Card/Modem and connection via an Internet
Service Provider (ISP).
q
Computer
carry-case with SW2000 return-address tab.
q
Key fob or token or CODE that provides secure access
to the SW2000 Network with access code provided.
q
If a printer is needed - an ink-jet printer will be
provided with ink cartridges, leads/cables and instructions.
q
Health & Safety approved long lead plug in
mouse.
q
Health & Safety approved long lead plug in
keyboard.
q
Health & Safety approved adjustable height
computer stand.
q
For persons with a disability appropriate
technical equipment.
From Facilities Management and
SW2000 Telephone Services
q
ISDN/DSL telephone line or a modem for your own
home-telephone.
q
Telephone instrument.
q
Hands free head-set where required.
q
Display Screen Equipment compliant work environment, smoke alarm and
fire blanket/ fire extinguisher
q
For persons with a disability appropriate
furniture.
q
Fire proof filing drawer/s.
From your own department
q
Stationery teleworkers must ensure they have
paper, stapler, hole-punch, printer-ink etc and all other desktop items needed
for their work.
Copyright © Noel Hodson,
SW2000 Telework Studies,