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.
Definire le regole di base
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.
Una buona policy copre l'idoneità, i giorni previsti in ufficio se presenti, le ore centrali di collaborazione, attrezzature e spese, sicurezza dei dati e il modo in cui le performance saranno valutate in modo equo indipendentemente dalla sede. Ancoratela ai risultati piuttosto che alla presenza.
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.
Il diritto è di chiedere e di avere la richiesta considerata correttamente — non è un diritto automatico a lavorare da remoto. Costruite un processo chiaro e documentato per gestire le richieste in modo coerente e entro i tempi richiesti, e registrate la motivazione delle decisioni.
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.
Salute, sicurezza e protezione dei dati a casa
Il dovere di diligenza del datore di lavoro si estende al posto di lavoro domestico. Fornite indicazioni su come allestire una postazione sicura, valutate un'autovalutazione delle display-screen-equipment e siate chiari su quale attrezzatura fornite voi. Gli obblighi sull'orario di lavoro continuano ad applicarsi, quindi assicuratevi che i lavoratori da remoto possano e prendano le loro rest pause.
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.
Mantenere l'hybrid equo e connesso
Il rischio culturale maggiore del lavoro ibrido è il proximity bias — la tendenza a favorire chi è fisicamente presente. Contrastatelo nelle decisioni su promozione, sviluppo e riconoscimento, e assicuratevi che i colleghi da remoto abbiano pari accesso alle informazioni e alle opportunità.
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.
