How to Create an Employee Handbook for Remote Teams

Not long ago, we all went to work. Physically. In an office. You’d grab coffee from the kitchen, maybe gossip by the copier. And remote work? That was the outlier. Something your one friend in tech or that cousin who freelanced always talked about.

But now? It’s flipped. More and more companies are trading fluorescent lighting and cubicles for Zoom calls and Slack channels. In the U.S., an estimated 28% of employees in remote-capable jobs are actually working remote, exclusively. And just over half have gone hybrid. That’s a lot of video calls, emails, and messages.

Remote work gives people freedom. You can take your dog for a walk on your lunch break. You can live in Boise and work for a company in New York. For employers, it’s a broader talent pool, lower overhead, and—in theory—more productivity. But that’s the question: How do you keep everyone aligned when your team is spread across time zones, countries, even continents?

The answer? A document. Not exactly a page-turner, but a simple and absolutely essential one: the employee handbook.

If you’ve worked anywhere before, you’ve probably seen one of these. It’s that thing HR gives you on your first day—full of policies, values, benefits, and “what-to-do-if-you-see-a-weird-email” protocols. But in a remote world, the handbook becomes something more. It’s not just a rulebook. It’s the connective tissue of your company. A kind of compass.

Remote teams rely on it to navigate differences in work hours, avoid miscommunication, and protect company data. It sets expectations and, if done well, gives people a sense of the culture—even if they’ve never set foot in the office.

If you’re running a company—or maybe just thinking about how to make your remote team work better—this handbook is vital. And up next, we walk through the 10 things you need to include if you’re going to make one that actually works.

Why remote teams need a tailored employee handbook

If you’re a business or HR policy manager, you know that remote work presents challenges, which can affect productivity, efficiency, and morale, including:

• Timely communication
• Working across time zones
• Equipment allotment and usage
• Data security
• Cultivating positive company culture
• Building trust among team members
• Employee autonomy
• Compliance and cross-border employment laws

A tailored employee handbook for remote work helps you clearly communicate expectations that support employees and the company, so you remain compliant and your teams remain productive. Physical distance doesn’t mean distance from the company’s mission or the team.

What a remote employee handbook should include

For global employers, employee handbooks lay the foundation for company culture and remote work expectations. What you decide to include in the handbook will vary depending on your company’s values and goals. The following criteria will clarify how to create an employee handbook that works for you and your employees:

Company overview and culture

Company culture paints the big picture for your employees, so they know the “what” and “why” behind their work. Beyond daily tasks and KPIs, employees want to know their work is meaningful and worthwhile, so they can feel good about what they’re doing. Points to consider:

• Company mission, values, and vision for the future
• Company history
• A warm welcome from leadership
• Cultural expectations in a virtual environment
• Communication norms for distributed teams

Workforce policies

This is where you’ll define types of employment, address legal considerations, and set expectations for working hours. While individual teams may also set certain guidelines for communication and hours, this section covers overall company policies, including:

• Role definition. Define full- and part-time employees and contractors, and specify how certain roles are classified to mitigate risks associated with misclassification.
• Non-discrimination, anti-harassment, and equal opportunity policies. Cultivate a safe, open working environment where remote employees feel like they belong.
• Local and regional compliance. Outline local labor laws for different locations, so employees know the guidelines and what to expect from their employer.

Remote work guidelines

Cross-border collaboration can challenge distributed teams, so make sure your employee handbook for remote work includes clear policies for when employees should be online and how to communicate.

• Working hours. Clarify when remote employees need to be online based on their time zone, core hours, and any collaboration time.
• Meeting etiquette. Cameras on? Are reactions and comments allowed on video calls? What topics are OK to discuss? Is there a Code of Conduct for meetings? Let your team know how to engage in respectful behavior with co-workers to promote effective collaboration.
• Time-tracking. Explain how employees should track time, what platform to use, and any details or nuances based on their employment classification or location.

Technology and equipment

If you employ remote workers, you must consider several factors to ensure they have the necessary equipment, technology tools, and devices. Outline the following:

• Equipment and software included for their role
• Stipends for office set-up or monthly costs like internet service, if necessary
• Procedures for sending, receiving, and returning equipment if employment ends
• IT support and contact information

Cybersecurity and data protection

Security is especially important to prevent compliance violations and data breaches or cyberattacks that could cost you time, money, and credibility.

• Provide VPN and secure access requirements
• Define rules for handling sensitive company and customer data, and any software necessary for security measures
• Ensure employees follow data security measures to comply with privacy laws (for example, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)
• Specify which devices employees are approved to use and if personal devices are OK

Communication tools and protocols

Keep employees on task and enhance efficiency by setting policies for response times and communication methods. Consider these questions when creating your employee handbook for remote work:

• Do employees need to respond within a certain amount of time?
• What approved platforms are used for chats, calls, and file sharing?
• Do employees need to provide a daily agenda to leadership?
• What procedures do employees follow for urgent matters, and are there separate communication channels for emergencies?
• Is it OK to use a personal phone line or email for work purposes?
• What’s the protocol in case of an emergency, like a power outage or natural disaster?

Performance management

Part of building a great workplace culture is establishing a safe, open environment to give and receive feedback and discuss performance. Performance reviews and regular check-ins are common ways to connect with employees, build trust, and discuss growth opportunities, so make sure they know what to expect during onboarding.

• Goal setting and tracking. Outline how goals are set, with whom, and where to track them.
• Regular check-ins and performance reviews. Set the cadence for check-ins and performance reviews, and discuss who will conduct these meetings.
• Professional growth opportunities. Support your employees by offering learning and development opportunities to build skillsets and improve performance.

Health, safety, and well-being

Employee retention is key to reaching company goals and staying on budget, but employee churn can negatively impact teams and cost you money. One way to help retain employees and cultivate a great workplace culture is to provide information and resources that promote employee well-being. Policies may include:

• Information about ergonomic best practices and stipends for home office furniture and supplies
• Mental health resources and wellness programs for employees
• Remote-specific occupational health considerations

Benefits and perks

As a global employer, you want to attract and retain top talent. Comprehensive benefits and employee perks can be useful in improving retention and should be detailed in the employee handbook. Benefits you may want to include are:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance policies
• Paid time off, sick leave, holidays, and other leave policies (statutory and company-specific)
• Flexible work benefits (coworking space stipends, internet reimbursement)
• Health and wellness perks like gym memberships or health savings accounts (HSAs)
• Bonus compensation structure
• Equity compensation

Compliance and legal considerations

Managing distributed teams means companies must be extra mindful of local regulations and laws to avoid penalties and provide fair compensation and benefits to employees. Make sure to outline:

• Location-specific tax laws
• Guidelines about payroll and benefits
• Jurisdiction-specific labor rights and protections

Make sure that each employee acknowledges receipt of the handbook with a signature and has an opportunity to ask questions about the policies. Inform them of where to find the most current version of the handbook and provide updates to all employees when changes are made.

Keep your employee handbook relevant

A handbook for remote employees? Check! Now you need to create a process for keeping it current, especially with remote teams in other countries. Laws and regulations may change, and you’ll eventually need to update policies to align with your business goals and employee needs. Here are a few tips to keep the handbook fresh:

• Set a schedule for handbook reviews. Depending on your company’s needs and where your employees are located, you may need to schedule more frequent reviews. An annual or bi-annual review will ensure you’re always up-to-date and compliant.
• Be aware of changes in laws and regulations. If local laws change or regulations are updated before your next scheduled review, you need to update the handbook immediately to comply and educate new and existing employees. Be sure to inform employees and have them acknowledge receipt.
• Update when you implement new tools. If you change payroll platforms, project management software, or other tools, you need to update the handbook accordingly so employees know what tools to use and how.
• Gather feedback from remote employees. Feedback goes both ways, so encourage remote employees to offer feedback about company policies. Consider updating the handbook if you receive repeated feedback, so employees feel heard and supported.

Help your remote teams thrive with an employee handbook

So you’re setting off on a journey—not a metaphorical one, but a real global expansion. You’re hiring people in different countries, different time zones. The question is: how do you even start? Because you wouldn’t head out into unfamiliar terrain without a map, right?

Same thing here. Only, in this case, the map is your employee handbook. It lays out the path—job expectations, policies, how the company works, what’s okay, and what’s not. With it, remote teams know how to function. They work better. They trust each other more.

And that employee handbook for your remote teams? It’s not just for culture and communication. It protects you legally, makes sure your company—and your people—are playing by the rules in whatever country they’re in.

Suddenly, the employee handbook might sound daunting. But this is where Pebl comes in.

Pebl lets you hire and employ people in over 185 countries. We handle the legal stuff. Payroll, HR, compliance. You still manage your team, day to day; we just take care of the parts that make your head spin. And it all flows into the employee handbook.

We help your team feel supported, aligned, and close to home—even if geographically distant. You? Just be sure to capture the details in your employee handbook.

Curious about how to build the best employee handbook for your company? Reach out to our global HR experts today.

This information does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal or tax advice and is for general informational purposes only. The intent of this document is solely to provide general and preliminary information for private use. Do not rely on it as an alternative to legal, financial, taxation, or accountancy advice from an appropriately qualified professional. The content in this guide is provided “as is,” and no representations are made that the content is error-free.

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