Question

Dear HR Professionals,

I would like to ask if your company allows employees to work from home when they are unwell or if they have something to attend to at home? On what basis do you/ your HOD approve/ reject of the staff working from home?

If so, do you record it in a leave system/ file? How do you prevent opening a floodgate where employees abuse this privilege and keep saying that they will work from home instead of taking proper medical leave or annual leave?

Thank you.

Joanna

Reply 1

We have work from home scheme but not because they are not well but to help them juggle with responsibilities at home. We usually limit the number of times per year they are able to apply in advance.

The consideration also rests on the role the person is holding. if the person is doing shift work or service has to be rendered face to face then not possible to apply.

Gloria

Reply 2

It is for the Company to decide whether they want to grant this flexibility and if so, to put in place all the conditions before staff can work from home.

- Staff should explain the reason for the need to work from home and get HOD's prior approval via email at least xx days in advance, with a copy to HR and duration should be no more than 2 or xx days unless there is a very very good reason. Staff must be "online" via Skype or WhatsApp and email & must be able to respond as if they are working in the office.

- If staff is unwell, they should see a doctor, get an MC and rest.

- Company can extend family care leave of say, 2 days for those without childcare leave (which are already generous) and to if you want to prevent abuse, ask staff to produce MC of their parent/loved ones to show that they had used the family care leave for this purpose but if you are comfortable to provide, then just allow staff to consume this family care leave (just like childcare leave).

- If they have something to attend to at home urgently or otherwise, they should take annual leave.

- Recording in the leave system will be good to track.

JS