Product Overview

Summary: This Remote Work Arrangements Standard Operating Procedure provides a clear, consistent framework for managing employees who work from home or off-site across Australia. It helps organisations balance flexibility with productivity, data security, and WHS obligations, ensuring remote work is safe, compliant, and aligned with business objectives.

Remote and hybrid work are now core features of the Australian workplace, but without a structured approach they can introduce confusion, inconsistent expectations, and unmanaged risk. This Remote Work Arrangements SOP sets out a practical, end‑to‑end framework for approving, managing, and reviewing remote work across your organisation. It clarifies who is eligible, how work-from-home requests are assessed, how WHS risks are managed in home offices, and how performance, communication, and availability are to be handled.

The procedure is designed to support compliance with Australian WHS duties while still giving managers and staff the flexibility they need. It addresses common pain points such as poor communication, blurred work–life boundaries, data security vulnerabilities, and uncertainty about responsibilities when staff are working away from the primary workplace. With clear, documented steps, templates, and responsibilities, this SOP helps your business implement remote work arrangements that are safe, fair, and sustainable, and that stand up to scrutiny from regulators, insurers, and employees alike.

Key Benefits

• Standardise how remote work is requested, assessed, approved, and reviewed across the organisation.
• Ensure WHS duties are considered and documented for employees working from home or other remote locations.
• Clarify expectations around hours of work, availability, communication, and performance for remote staff.
• Strengthen information security and confidentiality controls when work is performed outside the office.
• Support employee wellbeing by addressing isolation, workload management, and work–life boundaries in remote settings.

Who is this for?

• Human Resources Managers
• People and Culture Managers
• WHS Managers
• Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs)
• Operations Managers
• Team Leaders and Supervisors
• IT and Cyber Security Managers
• Business Owners and Directors
• Remote Work Program Coordinators

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Key Terms (including remote work, hybrid work, primary workplace)
• 3.0 Roles and Responsibilities (PCBU, Officers, Managers, Workers, HSRs, IT)
• 4.0 Eligibility Criteria for Remote Work Arrangements
• 5.0 Application and Approval Process for Remote Work
• 6.0 Remote Work Agreements and Documentation Requirements
• 7.0 WHS Risk Assessment for Home and Remote Workspaces
• 8.0 Ergonomic and Workstation Setup Requirements
• 9.0 Hours of Work, Breaks, and Availability Expectations
• 10.0 Communication, Meetings, and Reporting Protocols
• 11.0 Performance Management and Output Monitoring for Remote Workers
• 12.0 Information Security, Privacy, and Use of Company Systems
• 13.0 Incident Reporting, Hazards, and Injury Management for Remote Workers
• 14.0 Wellbeing, Mental Health, and Managing Isolation
• 15.0 Equipment, Technology, and Expense Arrangements
• 16.0 Review, Variation, and Termination of Remote Work Arrangements
• 17.0 Training, Induction, and Consultation Requirements
• 18.0 Recordkeeping and Document Control

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and equivalent state and territory WHS legislation
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 and equivalent state and territory regulations
• Safe Work Australia – Model Code of Practice: Managing the Work Environment and Facilities
• Safe Work Australia – Guidance: Working from home – Work health and safety considerations
• AS/NZS ISO 45001:2018 Occupational health and safety management systems
• Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and Australian Privacy Principles (APPs)
• AS ISO/IEC 27001:2023 Information security, cybersecurity and privacy protection – Information security management systems