The New Way of Working by Kiran Najran - HR Advice Hub

For the past year, whilst working from home has had its advantages it has also brought about challenges whether that is professionally, logistically or personally.

As we navigate our way through the remaining lockdown easing measures, many firms are considering the new way of working going forward, whether that be employees continuing to work from home or a hybrid-style approach (a split between working in the office and from home).

In doing so, employers should consider undertaking a risk analysis of the challenges involved and perhaps consider the following going forward:-

1)     Maintaining a work-life balance / differentiating from home and work.

Working from home can, at times, blur the lines between work and home. This can sometimes lead to employees feeling fatigued or burning themselves out.

Employers could promote remote workers to turn off work mobiles or notification devices once they have completed their working day to enable them to switch off and enjoy their home life.

2)     Ensuring there is an inclusive culture.

Where there is a split between employees working from home and those working within the office, consideration needs to be given to ensure employees are not feeling disconnected or isolated and are kept informed or included in the office interactions.

3)     Employee wellbeing

To ensure you have a productive workforce the health and wellbeing of employees are very important. Employees may be more inclined to sit for long periods when working remotely.

Therefore, it is important for employers to encourage employees to take a break from their daily tasks to enable them to switch off momentarily and then come back to refocus.

4)     Maintaining Productivity

Some remote working employees may find themselves procrastinating or falling into bad habits when working from home.

To ensure employees are engaged it is important for employers to have regular catch up meetings to ensure targets are being met and that there are no underlying concerns. 

5)     Health and Safety Considerations

Whether an employee is working from home or in the office, health and safety is paramount.

Employers should undertake a health and safety risk assessment to ensure the employees have all the equipment required to undertake their role comfortably.

It goes without saying that whether a firm decides to continue to enable employees to work from home or adopt a hybrid-style approach, it needs to allow for flexibility on the part of both employers and employees.

Prior to taking such steps, careful consideration needs to be given to the firm’s current HR policies against those that need to be put into place.

If done right, hybrid or remote working has the potential to be beneficial as it gives employees a sense of autonomy, independence, greater productivity and a better work-life balance.  

How can HR Advice Hub help?

We can provide practical HR support to help guide you through your people issues, such as implementing new employment policies, policy drafting, recruitment, organization restructure, redundancy, dismissals, disciplinaries, grievances and much more to help ensure you keep your workforce engaged and productive, and reduce the risk of costly tribunal claims.

We also offer a wide range of ‘pay as you go’ services (such as employment contract drafting or staff handbooks), meaning that you only pay for us when you need us. 

Why not call us for a no-obligation free chat on 0121 820 9571, drop us an email at [email protected], or visit our website at www.hradvicehub.co.uk to find out how we can help your business.