---
name: remote-work-policy
description: "Creates comprehensive remote work policies with expectations, tools, communication norms, and performance standards for distributed teams."
allowed-tools: Read Write Glob
metadata:
  author: matthewhitcham
  version: "1.0"
---

# Remote Work Policy

## When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:
- Create a remote work policy for employees or contractors
- Define communication norms, availability expectations, and tool standards
- Set performance standards for remote team members
- Formalize an informal remote work arrangement into a clear document

**DO NOT** use this skill for co-working space setup, office lease decisions, or hybrid office scheduling. This is for creating the policy document that governs remote work.

---

## Core Principle

A REMOTE WORK POLICY REPLACES THE UNWRITTEN RULES OF AN OFFICE — WITHOUT IT, EVERY TEAM MEMBER INVENTS THEIR OWN VERSION OF "HOW WE WORK," AND MISALIGNMENT FOLLOWS.

---

## Phase 1: Context

Gather the information that shapes the policy.

### Required Inputs

| Input | What to Ask | Default |
|-------|------------|---------|
| **Team size** | "How many people will this policy cover?" | 1-5 |
| **Work arrangement** | "Fully remote, hybrid, or remote-optional?" | Fully remote |
| **Time zones** | "Are team members in the same time zone or distributed?" | Same time zone |
| **Current tools** | "What communication and project tools do you use?" | Slack, Zoom, Google Workspace |
| **Pain points** | "What remote work issues have you experienced?" | Communication gaps, unclear availability |
| **Industry** | "Any industry-specific requirements (data security, compliance)?" | General business |

**GATE: Confirm context before drafting the policy.**

---

## Phase 2: Draft Policy

Write the complete remote work policy document.

### Policy Structure

```
# [Business Name] Remote Work Policy

**Effective date:** [Date]
**Applies to:** [All team members / Specific roles]
**Last updated:** [Date]

---

## 1. Work Hours and Availability

**Core hours:** [e.g., 10 AM - 3 PM ET] — all team members must be available
**Flexible hours:** Remaining hours can be scheduled at the individual's discretion
**Total expected hours:** [X hours per week]
**Calendar management:** Block your calendar for focused work, appointments, and unavailable times
**Status updates:** Set your status in [tool] when away, in a meeting, or in deep work mode

## 2. Communication Standards

**Primary channels:**
- **Urgent (response within 1 hour):** [Phone/Text/Slack DM]
- **Standard (response within 4 hours):** [Slack channels]
- **Non-urgent (response within 24 hours):** [Email]

**Meeting norms:**
- Camera on for team meetings and client calls
- Camera optional for internal 1:1s
- All meetings require an agenda sent 24 hours in advance
- Default meeting length: 25 minutes (not 30) to allow buffer

**Async defaults:**
- Default to async communication unless real-time discussion is needed
- Use threads in Slack, not channel messages, for detailed discussions
- Record decisions in [project tool], not chat

## 3. Tools and Technology

| Purpose | Required Tool | Backup |
|---------|-------------|--------|
| Messaging | [Tool] | [Backup] |
| Video calls | [Tool] | [Backup] |
| Project management | [Tool] | — |
| File storage | [Tool] | — |
| Time tracking (if applicable) | [Tool] | — |

**Equipment:** [Company-provided / BYOD / Stipend amount]
**Internet:** Reliable internet connection required. Minimum [X] Mbps recommended.

## 4. Performance and Accountability

**How performance is measured:** [Output-based, not hours-based]
**Check-in cadence:** [Weekly 1:1s, daily standups, etc.]
**Deliverable tracking:** All tasks tracked in [project tool]
**Response to missed deadlines:** [Process]

## 5. Security and Data

- Use company-approved tools only for business data
- Enable 2FA on all business accounts
- Do not use public Wi-Fi for sensitive work without VPN
- Report lost/stolen devices immediately to [contact]

## 6. Time Off and Boundaries

- Notify the team [X days] in advance for planned time off
- Set an out-of-office auto-reply for absences longer than 1 day
- No expectation to respond outside of core hours unless pre-arranged
- Respect time zone differences — do not schedule meetings outside someone's working hours

---

**Acknowledgment:**
I have read and understand this remote work policy.

Name: _______________
Date: _______________
```

**GATE: Present the draft policy for review and customization.**

---

## Phase 3: Customize

Refine the policy based on user feedback and add supplementary materials.

### Onboarding Addendum

Create a "Remote Work Quick Start" one-pager for new team members:
- Tool setup checklist
- Communication channel guide
- First-week expectations
- Who to contact for what

### Manager Guide (if applicable)

Provide guidelines for managing remote workers:
- How to run effective remote 1:1s
- Signs of disengagement to watch for
- How to build trust without micromanaging

---

## Phase 4: Implementation

Help the user roll out the policy.

### Rollout Plan

1. Share draft with team for feedback (1 week)
2. Incorporate feedback and finalize
3. Distribute final policy with acknowledgment form
4. Schedule a team meeting to walk through key points and answer questions
5. Review and update the policy every 6 months

### Policy Review Triggers

Update the policy when:
- Team grows by 50% or more
- New tools are adopted
- Time zone distribution changes significantly
- Recurring issues indicate a gap in the policy

---

## Anti-Patterns

- **Surveillance over trust** — tracking mouse movements and screenshots destroys morale. Measure output instead.
- **No core hours** — full flexibility sounds good but makes collaboration impossible. Define overlap hours.
- **Policy without enforcement** — a policy no one follows is worse than no policy. Model the behavior you expect.
- **Copying a big company's policy** — a 50-person startup's policy will not work for a 3-person team. Scale appropriately.
- **Ignoring async work** — defaulting to meetings for everything wastes remote work's biggest advantage: async productivity.

---

## Recovery

- **Team resists the policy:** Frame it as protection, not restriction. "This ensures no one is expected to respond at midnight."
- **Policy is too rigid:** Add explicit flexibility language: "These are defaults, not mandates. Discuss exceptions with your manager."
- **Communication is still broken after policy:** The policy may be fine but not followed. Audit actual behavior against the policy and address gaps.
- **User has only contractors, not employees:** Adjust language — contractors set their own hours. Focus on deliverable expectations, communication norms, and tool requirements.
- **Team is in wildly different time zones:** Reduce core hours to the minimum overlap (even 2 hours). Lean heavily on async communication with clear documentation standards.
