The Ultimate Playbook: Improve Retention and Hire Globally with a “Work from Anywhere” Policy

The “work from anywhere” (WFA) concept allows your current, and future, employees to perform their job duties regardless of location. What initially started as “remote working”, demonstrated and proven by the pandemic, which allowed people to work from home, the WFA concept allow you to go that one step further; a coffee shop, a coworking space or, more importantly, an entirely different country.

The “work from anywhere” concept revolutionises the traditional remote work model by offering employees unparalleled flexibility and autonomy in choosing their ideal work environment. This policy has become a powerful tool for companies to attract and retain top talent, as it caters to individuals who value work-life balance and location independence. Additionally, both employees and employers can enjoy significant cost savings, as the need for office space, resources, and commuting expenses is reduced. Furthermore, WFA fosters globalisation by allowing companies to tap into a diverse global talent pool and providing employees with access to opportunities without being constrained by geographical boundaries.

I recently created a WFA policy for my employer and in this article, I’ll be covering the positives & negatives, assessing your company readiness, how to develop a clear policy framework, the technology & tools, how to measure & manage plus legal & compliance considerations.

Assessing Your Company’s Readiness For WFA

Your single biggest hurdle will be your company’s current infrastructure. If your company is already fully-cloud and coped swimmingly through the pandemic, there’s a high chance that the big work is done here. But you’ll need to check all of your systems, can it all be accessed and operated without needing to be in your main centre of operations? You’ll probably want to grab somebody senior from IT on this one to walk you through it. Another one, you’ll want to check is “conditional access”, a lot of IT policies now will have location-based access policies for a lot of their systems, so you’ll really need to go over your software and hardware infrastructure with a fine toothcomb before even considering progressing any further. After this point, you’ll want to make sure that users have the right security setup on their device that takes into account the nature of a WFA policy. It’s a far more expansive subject than just this paragraph and you should absolutely consult an IT professional, but the chief things to consider are;

• Install a VPN to protect sensitive data and hide your whereabouts
• Avoid public wi-fi – Only use password-protected networks that you know, failing that acquire a mobile hotspot
• Setup Find My Device – Apple, Microsoft (Windows) and Android all have their own options
• Arrange a regular cloud backup – there are no end of options available, have a search online
• Install a Password Manager – my suggestion would be 1Password
• Enforce MFA/2FA – multi-factor (or two-factor) authentication will protect you against the mass majority of incidents, this should be a non-negotiable on all platforms that you use

So, if you’re still reading at this point, it’s assumed your infrastructure is all good to go and you’re not currently engaged in a shouting match with the IT department. Good, let’s move on.

Identifying The Roles That Can Be Adapted For WFA

As you work your way through this document, you’ll come to understand that a WFA policy will not be a one-size fits all across the company. “But James, our 9-5 office-based policy across the board works, why can’t this?”. How long and expensive is your hiring process at the moment? Exactly. Flexible working policies means exactly that, flexible. Whilst there will have to be rules, there needs to be flexibility to be able to adapt to a multitude of scenarios.

Not all roles and tasks may be suitable for a WFA arrangement. Some may indeed have legal implications and some tasks just simply cannot be carried out remotely, this is why it is essential to evaluate each position within the company to determine which roles can be effectively performed remotely. You may need to adjust the responsibility of certain people to suit or completely rewrite a job spec to suit, some however, such as a delivery driver for example, simply cannot be adapted for WFA and that needs to be recognised and communicated very early on. It’s important to recognise those that may feel side-lined/marginalised by a WFA policy, either through the nature of their job or their personal life and this should be considered early on. What else can be done to accommodate for those that can’t fully take advantage of a WFA policy?

Overall, introducing a WFA policy will have a significant impact on company culture and employee engagement, both positively and negatively. It is vital that you have benchmark data from a recognised employee engagement platform before proceeding, so that you can get a clear view of what’s improved and what’s declined. Remember: what gets measured gets managed (and no, Peter Drucker didn’t say that, but that’s a blog for another day.)

Developing Your WFA Policy Framework

Oh we’re already there? I hear you cry. Not quite, whilst this next section will cover the main subject of developing a WFA policy, we still have a long way to go yet hobbits. A well-defined framework, that is continuously reviewed and updated, will be the essential tool in your WFA arsenal to set you up for success. Your framework should address the scope of the policy, employee eligibility criteria and also maintain a firm balance between flexibility and accountability.

The scope of your “work from anywhere” policy should clarify which aspects of the work can be performed remotely and the extent of flexibility offered. This may include details on:

• The locations employees can work from, such as home, coworking spaces, or other countries. Financial super-app, Revolut, for example, has a pre-approved list of locations for WFA (source: revolut.com)
• Any core hours or time zones that employees should adhere to, ensuring the availability for meetings and collaboration.
• Whether the policy is applicable full-time, part-time, or on a case-by-case basis.

For example, GitLab, a fully remote company, has a comprehensive policy called “The Remote Manifesto,” (and it’s frankly brilliant) which outlines their remote work principles and practices (source: https://about.gitlab.com/company/culture/all-remote/).

Establishing Eligibility Criteria for Employees

To determine which employees qualify for your “work from anywhere” policy, companies should consider factors such as job role, performance, and employee tenure. Examples of eligibility criteria might include:

• Job role: Some roles may be more suitable for remote work, such as software development or content writing, while others may require a physical presence. But remember to try and be as impartial as possible when deciding.
• Performance: Employees with a proven track record of productivity, reliability, and self-discipline may be better suited for remote work. You need to be able to trust the person you’re allowing to work remotely, if you don’t, you’ll be micro-managing them right out of the door into the warm embrace of another employer.
• Tenure: You may want to require a minimum employment period before granting remote work privileges, ensuring the employee is well-versed in company culture and processes. For instance, Buffer, a social media management company, has a “Work From Anywhere” policy, but they require new employees to work from their country of residence for the first three months (source: https://buffer.com/resources/remote-work/).

Balancing Flexibility with Accountability

A successful “work from anywhere” policy should strike a balance between providing flexibility and ensuring employee accountability. Companies can achieve this by:

• Setting clear performance expectations, including goals, deadlines, and key performance indicators (KPIs), to evaluate employee productivity. A real success factor would be to use SMART goals to ensure that they’re clear and fair, work with the employee together to design the goals, don’t do this in silo.
• Implementing regular check-ins, such as weekly or bi-weekly team meetings, to discuss progress, address concerns, and maintain team cohesion. Make sure you implement a recognised framework for your team meeting, so that they are productive and you get results. Here’s a handy summary of some popular meeting frameworks: https://blog.pigeonholelive.com/how-to-make-meetings-more-effective 
• Encouraging open communication and feedback, allowing employees to voice any challenges or suggestions related to remote work.

Automattic, the company behind WordPress, has a “Work With Us” page that highlights their focus on results rather than hours logged, which can serve as an inspiration for other organizations (source: https://automattic.com/work-with-us/).

By developing a clear policy framework that outlines the scope, eligibility criteria, and balances flexibility with accountability, companies can lay a strong foundation for a successful “work from anywhere” program.

Technological Infrastructure and Tools

Digital technology is the lifeline of a “work from anywhere” policy, and therefore, investing in a robust technological infrastructure is critical. You’ll need to take a long hard look at your current operational platform as it stands to make sure you can make this work, because frankly, a WFA policy will really test even the most steadfast of operational platforms.

Make sure your team members have access to stable and secure internet. Yes, working from a jungle in Costa Rica would be lovely but the last thing you need is someone dropping out of a client call due to a shaky connection. Put the right checks and rules in place to ensure somebody is set up for success by incentivising the purchase of quality Wi-Fi hardware, or even supporting their broadband subscription, could be a worthy investment. The rise of 5G and Starlink satellite internet could also be a game-changer for WFA, making “work from anywhere” truly possible.

Having the right communication software will also be crucial and whilst you’re likely familiar with Slack, Microsoft Teams or Zoom, there’s a slew of new tools that can transform your company’s remote working capabilities. Tools such as Tandem for spontaneous conversation, Mural for interactive workshops and Miro for project planning are worth considering.

On top of that, a cloud-based project management system such as Jira, Asana, Trello, or Monday.com can help keep everyone on the same page, providing transparency on workloads, deadlines, and project progression. And lastly, you’ll want to consider time tracking too, software like Harvest or Toggl can provide a clear picture of time spent on different tasks.

Training and Support

Training and support systems are paramount to help your team members navigate the nuances of remote working. Equip your employees with resources on effective remote work habits and setting up a conducive home office environment, or offer ergonomic assessments to prevent physical strain. An efficient IT support team that operates a “follow-the-sun” model, so that people can get round-the-clock support to resolve technical challenges promptly and provide training on cybersecurity best practices. Initiatives promoting work-life balance, regular mental health check-ins, and access to online wellness resources are also vital for maintaining employees’ well-being. Because, remember, it’s not all about work, work, work.

Measuring Success

Implementing a WFA policy is not a set-and-forget exercise. Regular reviews and adjustments will be required to ensure it continues to serve your business and your employees effectively. Whilst we touched on KPIs for individuals earlier in this guide, you’ll also want to establish quantifiable Key Performance Indicators for your WFA programme as a whole, to enable you to measure the success of your policy, taking into account metrics such as employee productivity, client satisfaction, employee turnover rates, or employee engagement scores. Ensure your policy evolves alongside your business, industry trends, and feedback from your employees. Encourage them to share their experiences and challenges to facilitate improvements in your policy.

Legal, Compliance & Tax

Finally, bear in mind that implementing a global WFA policy comes with its share of legal and compliance considerations. The implications of remote work for taxes and labour laws can affect both the employee and employer. Different jurisdictions have diverse labour laws, which may impact benefits, overtime, and holiday pay. With remote work, there’s an increased potential for data breaches and cyber attacks, so it’s crucial to have secure systems in place and to ensure employees are well-versed in data security practices. If you’re employing individuals from different countries, it’s important to be mindful of local employment laws. Looking at companies with favourable “digital nomad visas” in place are often a good place to start, as they’ll, for the most part, be quite open to foreign labour working within their borders. Another thing to consider, is starting off with a small list of pre-approved countries that your work force can work from, and as you grow and iron out the kinks, expand the list.

In Conclusion

The potential benefits of a “work from anywhere” policy are significant: improved employee satisfaction and productivity, cost savings, and access to a global talent pool. However, it’s a challenging process that requires careful planning, regular review, and continuous improvement. Start small, learn from others, and take one step at a time towards building your ultimate WFA playbook. Good luck, my fellow WFA adventurers.

What do you think? Do you have experiences or insights to share? Drop me a comment below – I’d love to hear your thoughts. Safe travels!