Guide • Compliance • 16 min read
Hybrid and remote work policy guide (incl. right to disconnect)
Design fair, compliant hybrid and remote policies for Irish, UK and EU teams, covering the right to disconnect and remote-work requests.
At fastsætte grundreglerne
Hybrid and remote working are now permanent features of the European labour market rather than temporary arrangements. A clear written policy prevents confusion and inequity, sets expectations around where and when work happens, and protects both the organisation and its people. Vague, unwritten norms tend to favour the loudest and disadvantage those with caring responsibilities.
En god politik dækker berettigelse, forventede dage på kontoret, hvis der er nogen, centrale samarbejdstider, udstyr og udgifter, datasikkerhed og hvordan performance vil blive vurderet retfærdigt uanset lokation. Forankr den i resultater frem for tilstedeværelse.
The right to request remote work
In Ireland, employees have a statutory right to request remote working, and employers must consider such requests through a defined process with reasons for any refusal, under the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023. There is also a right to request flexible working for those with caring responsibilities. The UK likewise gives employees a statutory right to request flexible working from day one.
Retten er at anmode og få anmodningen behørigt overvejet — det er ikke en automatisk ret til at arbejde eksternt. Opbyg en klar, dokumenteret proces til at håndtere anmodninger konsekvent og inden for de krævede tidsfrister, og dokumentér begrundelsen bag beslutningerne.
The right to disconnect
Ireland has a Code of Practice on the Right to Disconnect, giving employees the right not to routinely work outside normal hours and not to be penalised for switching off. Several other EU countries have introduced similar measures, and the topic is increasingly on the European agenda. Remote work makes this especially important, because the boundary between home and office can dissolve entirely.
Practical measures include agreeing communication norms (for example, no expectation of after-hours replies), respecting time zones and working patterns, and leaders modelling healthy behaviour. A policy that says the right words but is contradicted by senior managers emailing at midnight will not be believed.
Sundhed, sikkerhed og databeskyttelse i hjemmet
Arbejdsgiverens omsorgspligt omfatter hjemmearbejdspladsen. Giv vejledning i at indrette en sikker arbejdsstation, overvej en selvevaluering af display screen equipment, og vær tydelig omkring, hvilket udstyr I stiller til rådighed. Arbejdstidsforpligtelser gælder stadig, så sørg for, at fjernarbejdere kan og tager deres rest pauser.
Remote work also raises data-protection considerations under the GDPR: secure devices, encrypted connections, clear rules about handling personal and confidential data at home, and safe disposal of any printed material. Address these explicitly in the policy so employees know their obligations.
At holde hybridarbejde fair og forbundet
Den største kulturelle risiko ved hybridarbejde er proximity bias — tendensen til at favorisere dem, der er fysisk til stede. Beskyt jer mod det i beslutninger om forfremmelse, udvikling og anerkendelse, og sørg for, at kolleger på afstand har lige adgang til information og muligheder.
Use your HRIS to administer the policy consistently: recording work locations, managing remote-work and flexible-working requests through a documented workflow, and tracking approvals. Consistency is what makes a hybrid policy feel fair and defensible.
