How to Determine Remote Work Eligibility Using Real Data from Insightful

In this article, we’re going to discuss:

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• Why guessing hybrid eligibility leads to unfair and inconsistent policies.
• How Insightful data replaces assumptions with clear, role-based decisions.
• The step-by-step process to decide who works where and how often.
• How to keep policies current by tracking trends by role, team, and department.

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Hybrid work can be a huge advantage, or a huge headache. The difference often comes down to how you decide who can work remotely.

When HR leaders or People Ops teams make those calls based on old job descriptions, a manager’s opinion, or informal agreements, the outcome is pretty predictable: inconsistent rules, perceptions of favoritism, and a slow drift into policy chaos.

These unstructured decisions usually have little to do with how work actually gets done. A role might be considered office-based even though it performs best remotely. Another might be assumed to be fully flexible even though it relies on secure, in-office systems.

Without a clear view of location trends, productivity patterns, and tool usage, policies quickly fall out of sync with reality. 

Insightful’s workforce intelligence platform shows you exactly where people work, how they perform in different environments, and what tools they use. In this article, we’ll walk through how to use that data to build a structured, role-based eligibility policy—one that’s consistent, transparent, and built to last as your business needs evolve.

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Why Hybrid Eligibility Fails Without Data

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When decisions about who can work remotely are based on old job descriptions or a manager’s personal view, things get inconsistent fast. Gartner found that 61% of hybrid employees think flexibility is applied unfairly—and that’s exactly what happens when there’s no shared, objective way to decide eligibility.

Without solid information on where people work, how they perform in different settings, and what tools they use, leaders are left guessing which roles can succeed remotely.

Here’s what happens when eligibility is decided without data:

• Inconsistent rules: Different departments make different calls, creating confusion and frustration.
  
  
• Role-to-requirement mismatch: Some jobs are kept in-office even though they’d do fine remotely, while others get flexibility that puts security or performance at risk.
  
  
• Compliance gaps: Sensitive workflows or regulated data end up outside secure environments.
  
  
• Policy drift: Rules get out of sync with how work is actually getting done.

To make confident eligibility decisions, you need a single source of truth with reliable, role-level data on location, productivity, and tool usage.

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How to Determine Remote Eligibility Using Insightful

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When eligibility is powered by Insightful’s real work data, the process flips from opinion-driven to evidence-based.

Location Insights show exactly where employees work and how often, Productivity Trends reveal how roles perform in different environments, and App & Website Usage highlights compliance-sensitive workflows that may limit flexibility.

With this information, you can define eligibility based on role realities, pilot test arrangements for uncertain roles, and track performance during those pilots to see if policies need adjusting. 

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Step 1: Identify & Group Roles

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Before you can figure out which roles are best for remote, hybrid, or on-site work, you need a clear picture of what roles you actually have.

Start by making a list of every job function or role family, like Software Developer, Sales Executive, or Executive Assistant, and group them in a way that matches your org chart. This makes it easier to compare similar roles side by side when you start deciding eligibility.

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Step 2: Decide Which Roles Can Work Remote or Hybrid

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Once you’ve grouped your roles, the next step is figuring out which ones can be fully remote, which should be hybrid, and which need to stay on-site. The easiest way to do this is by asking a few simple questions:

• Is most of the work computer-based, with no in-person client meetings and no sensitive data that has to be handled on-site? → That’s a good candidate for fully remote.
  
  
• Does the job involve a mix of independent work and collaboration, with some in-person needs? → That’s usually hybrid.
  
  
• Does it require constant physical presence, secure in-office systems, or daily face-to-face interaction? → That’s an on-site role.

If a role is already working remotely or in a hybrid setup, Insightful can tell you how well that’s going. Location Insights show how often they’re actually remote vs. in the office, Productivity Trends highlight whether they perform just as well off-site, and App & Website Usage flags any tools that could be a security or compliance concern.

For fully in-office roles, you’ll get the most out of Insightful later when you run pilot tests to see if remote or hybrid could work without causing problems for performance, security, or collaboration.

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Step 3: Set Office Frequency

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Once you know which roles are hybrid, fully remote, or on-site, the next step is deciding how often employees in hybrid roles should be in the office. This isn’t about picking a number at random—it’s about matching office time to the role’s real needs.

Ask yourself:

• Does this role require regular in-person collaboration to be effective?
  
  
• Are there tools, equipment, or secure systems that can only be accessed on-site?
  
  
• How often does face-to-face interaction with clients, customers, or other teams matter?

Here are some common patterns and when they make sense:

• 2–3 times a week: For roles that benefit from regular in-person collaboration, team alignment, or access to on-site resources.
  
  
• 1–2 times a month: For roles that are mostly independent but still need occasional on-site time for team meetings, strategy sessions, or client interactions.
  
  
• Office Optional: For fully remote roles where all tools, communication, and performance needs are met off-site.
  
  
• Full-time: For roles that require constant access to in-office tools, secure systems, or physical presence to serve customers or collaborate.

If you’re already running hybrid schedules, Insightful’s Location Insights can help you validate whether your current frequency is actually being followed—and whether it’s supporting productivity and collaboration. If the data shows a role is thriving with less office time than expected, or struggling with more, you can adjust the schedule accordingly.

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Step 4: Clarify Approval Requirements

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Even with clear eligibility and office frequency, there will be times when someone asks for an exception—like working remotely more often than usual or switching to a different schedule for a period of time. This step is about deciding who needs to sign off on those requests.

Here’s how to think about it:

• No approval needed: If eligibility is straightforward and low-risk, employees can follow the set schedule without asking for extra permission.
  
  
• Manager approval: If the role involves sensitive work or special client needs, the manager should review any exceptions to make sure they won’t cause problems.
  
  
• IT + Manager approval: If the role handles sensitive data, secure systems, or regulated processes, both the manager and IT should sign off before flexibility is granted.
  
  
• Not applicable (N/A): For fully in-office roles where flexibility isn’t an option.

If you’re already working in a hybrid model, Insightful’s App & Website Usage data can help here by showing exactly which tools and systems a role relies on. If that data shows heavy use of sensitive or in-office-only tools, it’s a clear signal that tighter approval rules are needed.

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Step 5: Document & Apply Your Decisions

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Once you’ve decided on eligibility, office frequency, and approval requirements for each role, get it all documented in one place. This becomes your go-to reference for keeping hybrid and remote policies consistent across the organization.

Here’s how different teams can use it:

• HR & People Ops – Include it in offer letters, onboarding, and hybrid agreements. Keep it part of your role documentation and internal mobility guidelines.
  
  
• Managers – Refer to it when setting team schedules, approving flexibility requests, or planning hiring and headcount.
  
  
• IT & Security – Use it to identify which roles need secure setups, remote access permissions, or in-office equipment.
  
  
• Compliance & Legal – Check that eligibility aligns with tax, labor, and regulatory requirements — especially for sensitive or cross-border roles.
  
  
• Employees – Give teams clarity on expectations and transparency into how flexibility is determined.

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Step 6: Track & Refine With Insightful

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Eligibility decisions aren’t set in stone. Over time, roles evolve, new tools are introduced, and business priorities change—all of which can affect whether a role should stay remote, shift to hybrid, or move fully on-site. If you want your hybrid policy to remain fair and effective, you have to keep checking that it’s still working as intended.

Insightful gives you a clear, ongoing picture of how well your decisions are holding up in the real world:

• Location Insights: See whether hybrid and remote roles are sticking to their agreed schedules, like 2–3 days in-office or once-a-month team days. This can highlight patterns of non-compliance or reveal teams finding alternative rhythms that still work.
  
  
• Productivity Trends: Compare performance for individuals, teams, or role groups across different work settings. If output is the same or better when remote, it’s a sign the role may be suited for more flexibility. If performance dips significantly, it may indicate a need for more in-person time.
  
  
• App & Website Usage: Identify new tools or workflows that either increase flexibility (e.g., cloud-based tools replacing on-prem systems) or reduce it (e.g., compliance-sensitive apps that require secure on-site access).

By combining these insights, you can make targeted adjustments:

• Loosen requirements for roles or teams that are thriving with more flexibility than originally allowed.
  
  
• Tighten restrictions where performance, collaboration, or compliance risks are emerging.

This continuous feedback loop keeps your hybrid policy structured, relevant, and rooted in real evidence rather than assumptions.

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Put Your Hybrid Rules to Work

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Building a fair, structured hybrid policy doesn’t have to be guesswork. When you start with a clear list of roles, decide who can work where based on real requirements, set the right office frequency, and track results with Insightful, you end up with a policy that works in the real world—not just on paper.

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