Work From Home: A New Area of Emphasis for Risk Assessments

The period for mass isolation has only just begun. Covid-19 employers may well be asking huge numbers of employees to work from home, even though businesses are opening up once more. Employers do have to be mindful that if they want to reduce the risk of infection, then they should not be trying to expose their employees to other risks.

Occupational Stress

Stress can affect those who work from home as well as those who still go into the office. It’s important to know that even though your team are working from home, it’s still possible for them to become injured and this could lead to them filing an accident at work claim. There are things that you can do to reduce the chances of an injury occurring, and it all starts with you trying to reduce work-related stress as much as possible. 

You need to make sure that you are giving your team just as much support, even if you know that they are generally not coming into the office. Flexible working hours so that they can accommodate childcare or even flexible support when it comes to video conferencing should really be available at all times.

Work-Related Disorders

Many team members who work from home will know how to set up a workspace and they will also have some equipment that has been provided to them by the company. That being said, many employers may not be able to provide everything that a team member needs. It may be that the employee is simply not able to have a dedicated workspace at home and that they are simply not able to work as they should be able to. This can lead to various work-related disorders, so you have to make sure that you keep this in mind if you want to truly take care of your team.

Enough Lighting

Employers may want to ask their employees to see if they can submit a risk assessment form. This will help you to make sure that your HR team can provide your team with the right support. Priority should be given to those who have a recognised medical condition, or who require support or assistance. Employers may well be asking employees to work from home if they have a specific duty of care to give them a safe place to work during this time. 

That being said, you have to make sure that your team understands how to create a good working environment and this often starts with having enough light and a good desk. Although it may not be possible for you to provide light to your team while they work, you have to remember that you need to give them the help they need to stay healthy as well.

Of course, looking after your team is so important and you do have to put in the work to make sure that they are being fully supported at all times, even if they are working from home. If you can do this, everyone will surely benefit.