Two years into the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, most DC employees and managers are extremely familiar with working remotely. Although many of us would consider ourselves work from home experts, it’s probable that we’ve all picked up some bad work from home habits or have forgotten the tips we originally incorporated when first adjusting to remote work. In honor of this year’s Telework Week DC, we’re unpacking some oldies but goodies along with some NEW teleworking tips to help your employees continue to telecommute productively....

The District of Columbia has officially re-opened and many organizations and businesses are planning their transition back to the physical worksite. As more employees return to their regular commute, there are many ways that you can help increase their confidence in using public transit again. While employees are planning their trips to work, they may have questions about reinstating their pre-tax benefits or subsidies for transit or vanpools. Additionally, over the past year, we've received some questions related to DC Commuter Benefits Law compliance that we've addressed below in order to help you meet those requirements....

Over the past year, telework has certainly provided value as a safe alternative work arrangement in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Whether it’s one day a week or every day, teleworking can save you time and money, reduce air pollution, and even help stop the spread of COVID-19. We understand that many people can’t telework due to the nature of their job and recognize that the telework experience differs from that of pre-COVID times, however, we encourage everyone to take time for wellness which can start with recapturing the personal time that commuting to the office previously offered....

Since the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, telework has become a popular solution that allows employees to stay safe at home while maintaining business productivity and operations. This type of arrangement allows you to skip the commute to work entirely from home or another alternative worksite. To create an environment that is conducive to productive work, you'll need more than a desktop computer or laptop in order to perform your duties comfortably and efficiently. For the ultimate, ergonomically-friendly space, check out the goDCgo team's favorite telework tools below....

With the onset of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, many employers were quick to adapt to maintain business continuity by allowing employees to telework on a part- or full-time basis. Organizations that had formal telework policies in place pre-pandemic experienced a pretty smooth transition, while those with no policy or informal policies faced greater operational challenges. Creating a formal telework policy is a great way to keep issues from arising and to offer guidance to managers on how to handle issues when they do arise. What Is a Formal Telework Policy? A formal telework policy is a document that clearly lays out the details about teleworking, including when and for how long employees can telework and guidance for situations that emerge when working remotely. Informal policies are when managers allow telework based on their discretion and typically on a case-by-case basis. With an informal policy, there is no company-wide protocol or guidance. Why Should You Create a Formal Policy? Informal policies are subjective and can seem unfair. When a manager decides one employee is allowed to telework and another isn’t, it can cause confusion, lead to rumors of favoritism, and create animosity in the workplace. More importantly, it creates a looming uncertainty for those who have not been deemed eligible to participate. By taking the time to write down a policy that outlines specific guidance, related policies, and procedures employers create clarity and transparency. But it’s not just the teleworking employees who benefit; a written telework policy provides guidance to managers and supports the organization and its business continuity in emergency situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic. With a written policy that addresses common telework issues, managers can also feel confident letting their employees telework since they know what should and will be done if an employee abuses the independence of working remotely. Items Commonly Addressed in Formal Telework Policies...