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.
Setting the ground rules
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.
A good policy covers eligibility, expected in-office days if any, core collaboration hours, equipment and expenses, data security, and how performance will be judged fairly regardless of location. Anchor it in outcomes rather than presence.
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.
The right is to request and to have the request properly considered — it is not an automatic entitlement to work remotely. Build a clear, documented process for handling requests consistently and within the required timescales, and record the reasoning behind decisions.
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.
Health, safety and data protection at home
An employer's duty of care extends to the home workplace. Provide guidance on setting up a safe workstation, consider a display-screen-equipment self-assessment, and be clear about what equipment you supply. Working-time obligations still apply, so ensure that remote workers can and do take their rest breaks.
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.
Keeping hybrid fair and connected
The biggest cultural risk of hybrid working is proximity bias — the tendency to favour those who are physically present. Guard against it in promotion, development and recognition decisions, and make sure remote colleagues have equal access to information and opportunity.
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.
