Page 60 - Impact of WfH study report _SCOPE-ILO_Neat
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“company  employees;  as  caregivers  at  home;  and/or  managers/leaders/decision
                   makers in companies”, as they strike a work-life and family balance.


                   The  guidelines  based  on  inputs  from  multiple  stakeholders  that  include  women
                   executives  (E4-E9  level  executives  in  PSEs);  senior  management  and  decision
                   makers in PSEs, besides SCOPE can be read in attribution to the three roles executed
                   by women in particular. Some of the guidelines are applicable to all genders; some
                   guidelines  are  also  overlapping.  A  working  from  home  policy  -  integrating  these
                   guidelines, is recommended to ensure that employees, now and those joining in future
                   are clear about working from home practices.



                   GUIDELINES



                   I. GENERIC
                      a.  PSEs, irrespective of enabling a temporary or short term or a long-term WfH
                          arrangement, redefine the definition of a “workspace” to include “remote work”,
                          “tele-work”, or “work from home”; and spell out clearly, and in written, both the
                          employers’ and employees’ obligations under any such work arrangements.
                      b.  Guidelines  mentioned  herein  are  workable  only  when  line  managers  and
                          supervisors are i) a trained and sensitized on WFH modalities and expectations;
                          and  ii) well informed on the eligibility factors, approval processes, performance
                          evaluations,  etc.  to  avoid  confusion  and  prevent  perception  of  different
                          employees being treated differently.

                   II.    WOMEN AS EMPLOYEES
                          Rationale:  Flexibility  and  customization  are  important  elements  in  a  WfH
                          arrangement
                       c.  A  clear  guideline  on  the  working  time  (e.g.  a  9.30  AM-5.30  PM  work
                          requirement); availability expectations (i.e. setting rules that establish the time
                          when people must be available) – must be outlined in the policy.
                       d.  Besides  availability  expectations,  communicate  work  expectations  i.e.
                          communicate clearly the work allocations (e.g. agreeing upon individual tasks
                          and  responsibilities,  which  is  measurable  in  terms  of  task  fulfilment,
                          achievement, also success).
                       e.  Specify how employees will be evaluated in terms of their productivity.
                       f.  Unless  otherwise  agreed  upon  in  writing,  any  work-from-home arrangement
                          must not affect an employee’s benefits, work status, work responsibilities, etc.
                       g.  Making arrangements for employees’ physical and mental well-being with also
                          an  assurance  of  all  redressal  channels  available  for  communicating  any
                          duress/stress while working from home.

                   III.   WOMEN AS CAREGIVERS
                          Rationale: The unpaid work women do is one of the biggest barriers they face to reaching
                          their potential in the workforce
                       h.  A  policy  must  give  due  recognition  to  women’s  unpaid  work  that  includes
                          domestic upkeep, parenting responsibilities, caring for the sick and the elderly.



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