employers

As an employer, you may worry about disruptions to workflow while your employees work from home. Trust is the foundation of a successful remote team and teleworking typically leads to increased productivity. However, remote work during a stressful time, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, is different than long-term, self-selected remote work.

The SANDAG iCommute program has compiled tools and resources to help your organization succeed.

Tips for managers

• Trust that every team member is working to the best of their ability
• Organize meetings to focus time together on activities that move the team forward, such as decision making, collaboration, and connection
• Give timely feedback and err on the side of overcommunication
• Manage by results rather than time and attendance, avoid micromanaging
• Be considerate of work-life balance, employees’ “normal” workdays may change
• Redesign roles, if necessary, to meet remote working changes

Assistance offered

Learn more about the Telework Assistance Program, a pilot program for San Diego region employers interested in developing, enhancing, or formalizing their long-term telework or remote work initiatives.

Sample templates

Use these resources to help develop policies and procedures for teleworking. Work with your HR and IT teams to supplement and customize information for your organization.

• Telework policy
• Employee agreement
• Home office safety checklist
• Telework implementation process
• Telework FAQs

Resources

Articles to support successful teleworking

• Forbes: Teleworking best practices during and beyond times of crisis
• Gallup: How to keep remote worker wellbeing high
• Harvard Business Review: A guide to managing your (newly) remote workers
• CAROO: 25 Tips to Promote Employee Well-Being in the Workplace
• Robert Half: 5 ways to effectively manage a team of telecommuters
• Virginia.gov: Guidelines for managing by results
• Today.com: Can 'windowed work' help ease the stress of working from home?
• Thrive Global: 5 remote work project management challenges and how to fix them
• Entrepreneur: 3 ways strong leaders can support work-from-home employees
• HR Drive: How 'windowed work' and telework support belonging
• San Diego Union Tribune: Are American’s actually more productive working from home?
• San Diego Union Tribune: Old-fashioned thinking doesn't stand a remote chance anymore
• Brookings: Telecommuting will likely continue long after the pandemic
• McKinsey Digital: From surviving to thriving: Reimagining the post-COVID-19 return

Books

• Managing Teleworking
• Implementing and Managing Telework: A Guide for Those Who Make it Happen

LinkedIn courses

• Remote Working: Setting yourself and your teams up for success
• Managing virtual teams

Webinars   

• SANDAG iCommute: Telework Assistance Program - How to formalize your organization's telework program for long-term success (recording)
• SANDAG iCommute: Returning to Work? Commute Considerations (recording)
• SANDAG iCommute: Telework Wellness - How to nurture teams and boost morale (recording) 
• SANDAG iCommute: New to Telework Culture? How to overcome challenges and prepare employees for success (recording)    
• SANDAG iCommute: Seasoned Telework Programs - Expanding and adapting for company-wide remote work (recording)
• Gallup: COVID-19: Managing your workforce through disruption (On-Demand)
• Gallup: Maintaining employee wellbeing through the COVID-19 disruption (On-Demand)

Case studies

• 8 case studies from CT Rides
• How these 4 companies (Dell, Humana, Sodexo, Appen) are embracing flexible work — and why you should too
• Utah telework pilot program successful, implementing statewide
• TeleworkSD Pilot Project Report

For more information about telework or our employer program, call 511 and say “iCommute” or email [email protected].