Providing equipment for remote workers in a distributed world

According to Forbes, about 16 percent of global companies in 2024 are fully remote, up 8 percent from 2021.

While hiring remote workers offers several benefits like reduced costs and access to better talent, providing equipment for remote team members is more complex than any company imagined. 

Compliance issues, high costs for sending equipment across international borders, and supply chain problems hinder their growth and new employee onboarding times.

To handle this logistics gap, GroWrk has developed a solution that makes providing equipment for your globally distributed team easy, safe, and efficient. 

This article will discuss ways to reduce compliance risk and ensure your employees can access the tools they need to work remotely.

How to avoid any compliance issues

Since 2020, 25 percent of businesses have covered a portion of the cost of home office equipment for their remote employees. Our research into remote companies also revealed that only 38% provided a WFH stipend or purchased laptops for their employees.

However, in 2024 it is becoming standard for companies to equip their remote workers at least with a laptop when they work with or have access to customer data. 

The highest information security standards (SOC2, ISO 27001) prefer companies to own the equipment used by their employees so that they can control the data that lives in those devices.

It makes sense for remote employees to have a unique work device in case their personal device is compromised.   

Understand what your employees need

The first step is to make a checklist of essential equipment your employees need to perform their jobs remotely. Things like a fast laptop, a laptop stand, and a widescreen monitor should be standard. 

Employers have three options to provide the equipment: Purchasing new devices for employees, using current inventory, or offering a WFH stipend to cover associated expenses. 

The most sustainable option is to use a third-party service like GroWrk to give company equipment to remote employees so you do not take time away from their onboarding. Then, when they leave, they collect the equipment and give it to the next employee at no additional cost.

To make onboarding as fast as possible, send over an equipment survey to determine what an employee is missing and compare that to your work-from-home equipment checklist. All work-from-home equipment must meet a set of standards your company creates, which can be outlined in an IT onboarding checklist.

Go through local provisioning requirements

The next step is to include anything their location legally requires. 

Since employment laws usually vary by jurisdiction, it is crucial that you fully understand the laws that apply in their case. If two or more laws apply to the worker, your company should follow the one that's most generous to the remote worker. 

Globally, many states are adopting detailed policies. For example, Spain and Turkey require employers to equip remote workers with the necessary equipment. New laws also require formal remote working arrangements between companies and their workers.

It’s becoming compulsory to provide equipment for working from home, reimburse additional expenses, and ensure a safe and healthy environment.
 

10 US states require employers to reimburse WFH employees for certain work-related expenses. California is the strictest, where anything the employee deems “necessary” has to be covered. 

Continuing this trend, Croatia and Russia require businesses to compensate remote workers for all remote work expenses, including phone bills, utilities, and home equipment. Mexico also drafted a similar telework law for remote employees.

Ensure equipment meets health and safety regulations

The employer's responsibility is to ensure that the tools provided to their remote worker and their workplace meet the required standards and safety regulations. Again, these vary from region to region. 

According to OSHA, employers are not required to inspect workplaces.

Employers must ensure safety because they can be held liable for any accidents caused by equipment, processes, or materials employees use while working from home.

It is probably best if an employee receives any heavy furniture to set up, such as a desk or chair, that they have a service set up for them. The last thing a company needs is for someone to throw out their back before even starting the job.

Also, consider that under UK H&S requirements, employers must provide adjustable monitors. Fire safety standards in the EU are very strict, and you need to use specific fabrics and foams.

Have a plan to maintain the equipment

Just like our health, equipment needs to be taken care of, or it risks breaking down. The company’s responsibility is to create an agreement that requires scheduled maintenance and trains employees to use equipment properly. 

The best way to do that is by having your remote worker sign an employee equipment agreement. This way, each party’s responsibilities and what to do if there are issues with any of the company-provided tools are clearly established.

For example, how to replace a device, file a complaint, etc.

Create a Work From Home policy

This remote work policy isn’t just about how many days employees can work from home; it also helps you avoid compliance issues and ensures stable employee performance. 

Your policy should answer questions such as:

• Equipment needed to work from home
• How often to upgrade or replace tools
• How to use tools

The working-from-home policy should be published in your company knowledge database so any employee can readily access it. This can be in a shared drive like Google or Dropbox or a virtual HQ like Notion. 

Why is providing remote workers' equipment so expensive? 

Providing equipment for remote workers involves more than ordering products. It involves tedious processes, including approvals and delivery. 

Here are some of the main reasons why it is so expensive:

• It can take workers hours to study local laws and ensure compliance. In some cases, you may have to hire the services of a foreign lawyer. Tools bought for employees are taxed, and stipends are considered an expense. You may need the help of a professional to take care of tax implications and ensure you don’t pay more than your fair share.
• Several departments are involved in the process. HR must handle the logistics issues, while the IT department must ensure that the network infrastructure supports growing needs. Then, the supervisor or purchasing department must find vendors, crack deals, and order the required goods.
• The costs that affect international employees include customs duties and supply chain delays. Shipping costs can run into the thousands based on the destination and the weight or nature of the product.
• Quality remote working equipment isn’t cheap. As a business, you must invest in a good laptop, Wi-Fi routers, and furniture. There are many remote work equipment sellers, and finding the best deal can be arduous.

In addition to all this, there are times when things don’t go as planned, and you have a remote employee returning equipment due to a faulty piece or contract running out. You will have to cover these expenses. 

Work at home equipment solutions

The best way to address these challenges is to partner with a company that eases these pressures and helps you save time and money. GroWrk has a team that understands the needs of remote employees and the dynamic realities of a distributed company.

It doesn’t matter where or how many remote workers you have; GroWrk can deliver laptops and other devices to over 150 countries. We offer an intuitive dashboard that can onboard or offboard employees in minutes. 

Our global network of vendors and warehouses bypasses customs taxes or shipping fees, so you can purchase from our catalog or store your inventory without worrying about additional costs. 

With our end-to-end wfh inventory management, you will never lose track of your hardware. Receive real-time notifications when devices need maintenance, are being shipped, or have been delivered.

Get a customized quote for your company and keep growing your distributed team, regardless of whether you want to procure equipment for new hires in Latin America, Europe, Africa, or Asia.

What equipment should you provide for remote workers?

Again, it depends on the country’s legal requirements where they are working, but every worker should at least have the following:

1. Laptop-find out how to set up laptops for remote workers here.
2. monitor
3. desk
4. ergonomic chair