As employees continue to work from home for the foreseeable future, they're paying for office supplies out-of-pocket. Use this template to institute a monthly (or quarterly) stipend.
Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, employees at [Company] have worked from home. For over a year we have transformed our apartments into makeshift offices to continue providing high-quality accounting services to our clients. For many this has required considerable creativity and sacrifice, from using kitchen counters as standing desks to juggling Zoom meetings with childcare duties.
Above all, the home office arrangement has entailed significant added expenses for employees. Since March 2020 we have taken on the burden of paying for indispensable office equipment and services, including printers, printing paper, and internet. In short, we have unfairly subsidized office expenses out of our own pockets.
In the context of the pandemic, many employees are already facing added financial strain as they cover healthcare costs, support unemployed family members, and provide meals for children who are home all day. Paying for our own office supplies represents an additional burden that has increased employees’ financial stress.
Studies show that financial stress contributes to fatigue, sleep deprivation, reduced concentration, and impaired cognitive ability. Moreover, the loss of productivity combined with absenteeism from financial stress costs employers more than $1,900 per year per employee, totaling an annual loss of around $1 million for mid-sized employers.
It is clear that the home office setup is here to stay for the foreseeable future. It is time for [Company] to support employees to the same degree that we have supported the company—by providing a monthly stipend of $100 to cover the cost of home office supplies. Ensuring that we have what we need to offer excellent accounting services to our clients is not only fair; it is also a wise investment in employee well-being and the future of our company.