"I've just hired a new remote employee who is absolutely wonderful. He's organized, driven, talented and self-starting. I feel like I've won the jackpot - with a catch. His internet is really, really bad. It's almost impossible to have him share his screen with me (or vice versa) or to carry on a conversation without a very noticeable lag. Because of this, he will often call into virtual meetings from his personal phone."
"Can your company pay for upgrading this employee's internet? Even if you don't typically cover people's home internet, there's an argument for doing it here because his internet service presumably has been sufficient (to him) for his personal needs, but needs to be upgraded for work needs. That's a business expense your company should reasonably cover. Ideally you'd say, "Can you look into options A and B for upgrading your internet and let me know the cost?""
A newly hired remote employee performs excellently but suffers from very poor home internet that disrupts screen sharing and synchronous conversation. Managers should approach the issue sensitively without assuming personal circumstances. The company can reasonably treat an upgraded internet connection as a business expense and offer to cover it when personal service meets personal needs but fails to meet work requirements. Managers can ask the employee to research specific upgrade options and costs and indicate possible reimbursement or payment. If needed, offer temporary alternatives such as hotspots, office space, or adjusted meeting formats while the upgrade is arranged.
Read at Inc
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