Since the pandemic and amid changes to technology and its use, remote and hybrid working have changed how we work. Employers and employees must be more adaptable, recognising the risks of working away from the office and without direct supervision.
Risk Assessments
To manage the changes remote and hybrid working bring, organisations should carry out clear and proactive risk assessments to identify:
- What the risks are, wherever the work is being conducted
- Which risks are most important
- What needs to be protected
Managing Remote Work Stress
HSE requires employers to manage workplace stress. Remote work still involves managing stress, but in different ways. Key areas include:
- Remote demands – managing workload, work environment and expectations
- Remote control – employee choice and flexibility
- Remote management support – guidance and check-ins from managers
- Remote relationships and peer support – positive teamwork and communication, effectively managing conflict if it occurs and promoting support amongst colleagues
- Remote changes – how change is managed, communicated and shared
- Work–home balance – separation of work and personal life
- Monitoring – employee concerns about being watched or tracked
Key Risk Questions
Employers should ask simple questions such as:
- Is workload manageable and not overwhelming?
- Do employees have control over how they work?
- Are managers supportive and available?
- Are team relationships healthy?
- Is communication clear during change?
- Do colleagues support each other?
- Are employees maintaining a good work–life balance?
- Is there is a healthy workstation at home? Has a suitable DSE risk assessment of this been conducted?
- Are workplace monitoring practices causing stress?
Answers to these questions should guide the risk assessment process. Employers should speak with staff, understand and investigate concerns, and work together to create improvements.
Suggested Improvements
The following are suggestions for improvement, which are intended as a starting point and a way to open a discussion. Not all points will be relevant to every organisation.
- Train managers to understand remote working risks and be equipped to support their team
- Hold regular one-to-one meetings and well-being check-ins
- Ensure managers also have time and support to do their role
- Provide mental health support for managers and staff
- Communicate clearly about organisational changes, providing remote workers with access to necessary information and support
- Provide guidance, resources and equipment for safe home workstations, including conducting DSE risk assessments
- Help employees maintain clear boundaries between work and home life
Remote and hybrid working require clear communication, strong support, and ongoing risk assessment to keep employees safe, healthy, and productive. If you need support implementing this in your business, please do not hesitate to contact us.