While telecommuting provides many benefits for the business and employees alike, if not managed properly, it can often backfire.

Ad hoc or inconsistent telecommuting rules – namely, allowing certain employees to work remotely, but not others – can breed dissent and distrust. And companies lacking an effective hoteling software platform to accurately track remote employees who work in the home office, can incur additional hardware or operational costs.

Employees, meanwhile, who suddenly find themselves working from the comfort of home may not prove as productive as when they worked in the office. And working remotely from home internet connections can introduce previously unseen network security risks.

Because of these risks, more and more companies are establishing formal telecommuting policies. Created in tandem with HR, compliance, and legal officers, these policies dictate which employees – either by seniority, business function, or performance level – can telecommute, the frequency, as well as the software and hardware required to ensure secure communication remotely.