HR’s role in settling the remote versus in person debate

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to highlight the limited directional research on the impact of remote work and provide a framework that assists HR leaders in how to develop a remote work policy that meets employee satisfaction needs and skeptical managers needs on performance and organizational culture. Design/methodology/approach This paper was developed based on the author’s 30 years of HR leadership and review of the current research on the organizational impact of remote work strategies. Findings The key findings include the unresolved need for a comprehensive remote work policy. Additional topics include how to develop a policy that takes into consideration organizations that have required in-person roles, including manufacturing, service and distribution roles, as well as management, administrative and sales positions. While the review of the current literature adds insight, it does not give a clear direction on how or even whether organizations should expand or retract their post-COVID strategies on remote work. Originality/value This paper helps HR professionals place in context the research of remote work and validates the concerns of a strained organizational culture in the post-COVID era. It also gives a framework for HR leaders to consider as they develop and customize their remote work policy to meet the individual needs of their organization.