Remote Work Checklist for Managers

Review expectations and collect remote work agreements from employees working remotely.
Discuss equipment needs. Develop a plan to provide equipment and document University property issued to each employee. Review the Equipment Removal Guidance for examples.
Discuss as a team what tools you will use to work together and stay in contact.
Plan for remote work in advance by ensuring that employees have access to systems remotely and any essential equipment.
Use a smoothed remote work schedule to ensure staff members are evenly spread across the workweek and not bunched on Mondays or Fridays.
Complete a business continuity plan to prepare your office for remote operations and to continue working in the event of other disruptions such as any outages or staff unavailability.
Ensure any relevant agreements and contracts are signed by the relevant parties, and that any HR polices are abided by.

Establish expectations at the outset (e.g., work schedules, time tracking methods for non-exempt employees, protocol for requesting schedule changes or time off).
Set clear performance, attendance and conduct expectations (e.g., deadlines, assignment prioritization, the importance of maintaining professionalism even while working remotely).
Practice ongoing performance development. Employ a “coaching” management style with regular goal setting, frequent conversations, and real-time feedback to foster employee growth and engagement.
Don’t forget to express gratitude and praise employees when they perform well.

Prioritize consistent communication with your staff to strengthen:
- Business continuity
- Employee performance
- Staff engagement
- Cohesive team culture
Schedule regular team meetings and 1-1 check-ins:
- Determine the most effective frequency for meetings
Remain accessible via email and phone.

Clear expectations of deliverables are important to employee and team success. A firm understanding of what is expected will enable employees to focus their efforts. Be specific with tasks and timelines.
Encourage staff to continue to further develop their skills through online training.
Focus on the following instead of worrying about how staff manage their time:
- Set goals and priorities
- Check in daily
- Set and honor boundaries

Place a higher priority on work output rather than on strict adherence to work schedules (as appropriate).
Honor employee work schedules. Try to avoid sending emails outside of scheduled work hours. Save emails in your drafts folder and send them the next business day, or use the delay delivery function in Outlook.

Employees are responsible for maintaining a safe and secure work environment, including maintaining their off-site workspace in an ergonomically sound manner.
Employees who report physical discomfort related to their remote work area should contact UCLA Ergonomics for a remote evaluation.
Follow Workers’ Compensation Injury Reporting Procedures if an employee reports a work related injury at their remote work area.

If any staff are having performance, attendance or conduct issues, contact your Employee Relations Consultant as soon as possible.
If you are experiencing problems of a nature that may be amenable to assistance by the UCLA Staff & Faculty Counseling Center, contact them at (310) 794-0245. Services are provided on a confidential basis.