Remote Work Policy Examples: Guidelines and Best Practices for Success

Remote work (or a hybrid work model) isn’t just a perk anymore—it’s a permanent fixture in today’s business landscape. Highly skilled workers are often looking for companies that hire remote workers first, which means access to top talent often hinges on your company’s ability to offer flexible working arrangements. 

But, while it opens the door to flexibility and productivity, remote workers also raise big questions for IT managers: How do you secure access to corporate assets? How do you secure remote workers in general? What’s the right balance between freedom and accountability? And how do you make sure policies actually support both employees and business operations?

As a remote-first company, OpenVPN has had to answer all of these questions for ourselves. The solution starts with a clear, well-designed remote work policy. Let’s explore why it matters, how to write one, and how OpenVPN helps IT managers ensure secure and seamless implementation.

What is a remote work policy and why is it important in today’s business landscape?

A remote work policy is a set of guidelines that outline expectations, responsibilities, and processes for remote workers. It ensures everyone—from HR to IT to employees—understands their role in maintaining productivity and security. However, the benefits of a solid remote work policy go beyond just satisfying an HR or IT requirement. It also does the following: 

Contributes to job satisfaction and reduces employee turnover

Clear policies reduce uncertainty. Remote workers know what’s expected of them, and IT managers know how to maintain secure access. This builds trust and satisfaction, lowering turnover and helping organizations retain top talent. 

Establishes clear roles and responsibilities in remote settings

Without in-person cues, ambiguity creeps in quickly (who among us hasn’t experienced an environment where you’re not sure which Slack channel should be used for each project?). A policy that defines communication channels, responsibilities, and escalation paths keeps teams aligned and minimizes IT headaches.

Ensures business operations continuity by mitigating disruptions

From natural disasters to cyber threats, disruptions happen. Remote work policies that include contingency plans help businesses stay operational no matter what and provide an added layer of cyber threat protection. 

Adherence to compliance and legal considerations

IT managers must balance flexibility with compliance. A helpful remote policy ensures adherence to data privacy laws, security frameworks, and industry-specific requirements. That means this is a joint effort between IT, HR, Legal, and any other department heads that can serve as key stakeholders. 

How to write a remote work policy: step-by-step guide & examples

Before you start writing your policy, it’s important to look at remote work policy examples, like the one below. These can help you understand what information should, or shouldn’t, be included. You should also take stock of your current methods for managing remote workers. 

It is also crucial, as we mentioned earlier, to involve all key stakeholders from IT and/or cybersecurity, HR, Legal, and other department heads. Additionally, getting employee feedback can shift this policy from a top-down approach that may be less likely to be followed. Once you have established the key stakeholders, you can begin. 

Define the purpose and scope

The first step is clarifying why the policy exists and who it applies to. This establishes alignment from the beginning and avoids confusion later. A purpose statement connects the policy to business objectives like security, productivity, or employee satisfaction. Scope defines which employees or departments are eligible.

Example:
“This policy applies to all full-time employees who request to work remotely three or more days a week. Contractors and temporary staff are required to use on-site facilities unless explicitly approved.”

Benefit: A clear purpose and scope prevents misunderstandings and ensures that IT managers know exactly which endpoints and users to secure.

Identify remote work requirements

Not every role is suited to remote work, especially when sensitive systems or in-person responsibilities are involved. Identifying requirements upfront avoids friction between employees and management. Consider job function, access to sensitive data, and security obligations — especially when looking to hire remote workers. 

Example:
“Customer-facing roles may be approved for hybrid arrangements, while finance and compliance functions must work within secure office environments unless additional safeguards are implemented.”

Benefit: This prevents risky data exposure and gives IT managers a framework for deciding which roles require stronger access controls.

Set Expectations: work schedule, performance, and communication

A remote policy should clearly define when employees are expected to be available, how performance will be measured, and which communication tools are mandatory. This reduces ambiguity and helps IT track approved collaboration platforms.

Example:
“Secure remote workers are expected to be available from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. EST, check in via Slack at least once daily, and submit weekly project updates in Asana.”

Benefit: By setting these expectations, managers gain clarity on productivity, and IT managers ensure employees don’t turn to shadow IT tools that introduce security risks. 

Specify equipment and technology needs

Employees need secure, reliable equipment to perform effectively. Standardizing devices and technology not only streamlines support but also enhances endpoint security.

Example:
“Company-issued laptops with Access Server pre-configured must be used for all work-related tasks. Personal devices are not permitted for accessing internal systems.”

Benefit: IT managers maintain control over devices, enforce encryption, and reduce the likelihood of breaches caused by insecure personal hardware.

Data security and privacy protocols

Data security should be non-negotiable. Remote work policies must detail encryption requirements, approved VPNs, authentication methods, and secure file-sharing protocols. Additionally, implementing Zero Trust best practices is a must — which means relying on the idea of “never trust, always verify.” 

Example:
“All employees must connect through CloudConnexa to access internal applications. MFA is required for all logins, and confidential data must be shared via approved platforms only.”

Benefit: IT managers gain visibility into access points, reduce compliance risks, and safeguard sensitive business data.

Establish the approval process

An approval process formalizes how employees request remote access and how IT validates their eligibility. This keeps access tightly controlled.

Example:
“Employees must submit a formal request through HR. Once approved, IT will provision secure access credentials through Access Server.”

Benefit: IT managers enforce least-privilege access and maintain continuous monitoring, preventing unauthorized users from slipping through.

Support employee health and well-being

Remote work isn’t just about laptops and VPNs—it’s about ensuring employees can thrive outside the office. Encouraging wellness promotes productivity and retention.

Example:
“Employees are encouraged to set up ergonomic home workstations. The company provides stipends for chairs and monitors. Breaks are required every 2 hours.”

Benefit: Healthy, supported employees are more engaged, which reduces IT support tickets caused by burnout or disengagement-related errors.

Expand on training and ongoing support

Technology is only as strong as the people using it. Ongoing training ensures employees understand both the policy and the tools they must use.

Example:
“All employees must complete quarterly security awareness training, including simulated phishing exercises and OpenVPN usage best practices.”

Benefit: IT managers can rest easier knowing the workforce is equipped to recognize threats and use company-approved systems correctly.

Regular policy reviews and updates

Remote work evolves quickly. A review cycle ensures policies stay relevant as technology, regulations, and business needs change.

Example:
“The HR and IT departments will review and update this policy every six months or following major compliance updates.”

Benefit: This keeps IT managers ahead of emerging threats and reduces gaps that attackers could exploit.

Detail termination of remote work arrangements

It’s just as important to define how and why remote privileges may end. Clear guidelines maintain accountability and protect the business.

Example:
“Remote access will be revoked if employees fail to meet security, compliance, or performance standards. Upon termination, IT will disable access credentials immediately.”

Benefit: Ensures IT managers can swiftly de-provision access, reducing the risk of insider threats or data leaks.

Download our editable remote work policy template to make this process faster, more secure, and tailored for IT managers.

OpenVPN solutions for secure remote work

A successful remote or hybrid work environment goes beyond remote work policy examples. It requires solutions that are accessible and easy to use. OpenVPN can help. 

Benefits of using OpenVPN for secure remote access

Remote access software is vital in securing your remote workforce. This software should create secure tunnels between a remote worker and critical applications, including SaaS apps, that limits sensitive data exposure. Through Access Server and CloudConnexa, companies with a remote or hybrid workforce can unlock: 

• Strong encryption: Protects sensitive data from interception.
  
  
• Scalability: From startups to enterprises, easily support hybrid or fully remote teams.
  
  
• Centralized management: IT managers gain full visibility and control.
  
  

Implementation strategies for OpenVPN

There are a few steps you can take to implement a successful remote work strategy that go beyond the playbook we walked through above. For example: 

• Deploy Access Server for centralized secure remote access. This self-hosted solution gives IT teams full control, whether you choose to deploy on a physical or virtual machine. 
• Use CloudConnexa for global, secure connectivity without complex configuration — all with features like content filtering to help boost productivity and prevent malicious attacks no matter where your team is located. 
• Use Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) to enforce continuous verification — especially when you are relying on a SASE security strategy.
  
  

Best practices for maintaining security with OpenVPN

Once you’ve deployed OpenVPN, there are a few best practices to follow for your remote workforce. 

• Enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA). MFA is a security measure that requires users to provide two or more verification factors to gain access to a system. It adds an extra layer of security beyond just a password, reducing the risk of unauthorized access.
• Regularly audit access logs. Auditing access logs can help you catch potentially suspicious activity early, before the bad actor has a chance to infiltrate your corporate assets and resources.
• Update policies to reflect new threats and compliance mandates. Threats change every day (if you need proof, just check out the OpenVPN blog where we discuss recent news). Staying ahead of bad actors means that you have to remain in compliance while also keeping one step ahead of the threats. A policy that doesn’t take this into account will not last long. 

Remote work policy examples that IT managers can apply

A comprehensive remote work policy empowers employees while protecting the business. IT managers gain peace of mind knowing secure access is enforced through solutions like OpenVPN.

Ready to get started? Download our editable remote work policy examples template today to save time and strengthen your security posture.