Is Working From Home Here to Stay? The Hybrid Working Solution
Businesses across the world were forced to adapt their working regimes in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic when isolation and social distancing regulations came into place. For many companies, industries, and essential workers, home working was not an option; and for those who could utilise home working in their business, there was a lot of unknowns and uncertainties to consider and manage.
Now almost three years on since Covid-19 restrictions were lifted, the UK, and many other countries, have continued to implement home working and we have become more and more familiar with the concept of ‘hybrid working’. HomeSafe360 has been designed with home/hybrid working employees in mind, keeping them safe and compliant throughout their working journey.
Working from home doesn’t work for everyone
Of course, with big changes come challenges and concerns for those individuals who had to adapt their working routines. While many individuals reported an improved work-life balance, including 78% of people surveyed in February 2022 (Office for National Statistics), some people have struggled with blurred work-life boundaries. For many, their home is a sanctuary and an escape from work, so using it as a workplace can cause struggles with separating time between work and personal life. These blurred boundaries can create a range of different issues for home working employees including:
- Working hours outwith their usual timeframe
- Feeling trapped inside their own home
- Continuing to work outside of their designated hours e.g. checking emails throughout the day, doing nonessential tasks when they have some spare time
- Feeling a lack of downtime
- Poor motivation
- Interruptions from family
Another major concern brought to attention by employees is inadequate work/desk equipment at home. Many employers consider hardware and software like laptops, computers, and monitors as the only essential equipment employees need to fulfil their roles.
However, there may be a lack of appreciation for other important factors like working environment and the workspace itself. Not every individual will readily have access to an appropriate desk chair, desk space, a quiet space, for example. These are equally important and if ignored can result in injuries for home working employees if they lack ergonomic support in their workspace. There can also be implications for those with young children, pets, or even family members in the house. This can simply be from distractions, interruptions during calls, but can also increase tension.
Hybrid working, where workers split their time between working from home and from their designated workplace, is now considered the solution to these mixed opinions amongst the workforce.
Why is home/hybrid working set to continue?
There was, and still is, a mixed reaction to the prospect of working from home in the UK. However, many companies have transitioned into ‘hybrid working’, a way to:
- Support those individuals who found they had a better work-life balance when working from home
- Encourage employees to still attend the workplace, allowing face-to-face interaction and social connection
- Save commuting time and travel costs for employees
- Increase employee wellbeing
- Support inclusion and diversity
- Improved productivity
Of course, there will never be a solution that suits everyone. It is now increasingly important to find ways to support each individual who falls under the home/hybrid working category. That is why we’ve created our application HomeSafe360.
How does HomeSafe360 support hybrid and home workers?
HomeSafe360 has been designed to support employers who utilise hybrid and/or home working within their company. The application provides users with access to different assessments, including an ergonomic assessment for home working. Based on the responses to these assessments, employees are provided with training and support tools to enhance their home working experience. You can read more details about our application here and here!