It may seem like everyone can work from home these days, but that really is not the case. There are still a significant number of employers that are resisting this trend, but there is growing pressure in most businesses for a work-from-home policy. This pressure isn't coming only from Millenials. Anyone with a long commute or a job that can be done solely online is already thinking - why can't I just work from home? If your company doesn't adapt, you will lose good employees who can get that benefit elsewhere. In a tight labor market, this is a serious concern.
The best work-from-home policy starts from the top. Management needs to shift its focus from hours-spent to tasks-completed. This is more difficult than it sounds, but it is imperative to re-define how you benchmark employee performance before you institute a work-from-home policy. A beneficial part of this process is that it functions as a strategic planning session that requires your management team to define both company objectives and employees' roles in reaching company goals.
When you are ready to adopt a plan: document, document, document. The best decision you can make will be implementing a work-from-home plan; the worst decision you can make will be a poorly-written policy that creates confusion and possible legal action. The time is now for a well-developed and well-documented work-from-home policy to recruit and retain strong employees.