Health, safety and hybrid working

Health, safety and hybrid working

Working from home.

The Office for National Statistics tells us that in May 2022 24% of workers were practicing hybrid working. Is the idea of going to work becoming something that only old fossils like me cling to?

Increasingly people seem to see working from home as desirable perk. The short commute from bedroom to home office, via the kitchen for essential Kenco decaf and Weetabix beats the increasingly stressful drive or miserable, expensive and unreliable public transport.

Costs for the commute are cheaper too, slippers being much more affordable than tyres, with lower service costs too. Expensive childcare becomes less of an issue due to the flexible nature of hybrid working, especially during the school holidays.

It would seem that there are plenty of positives. However, there are clouds engulfing these silver linings.

Energy costs have risen sharply with heating, lighting and cooking eroding the financial benefits of working from home. Home insurers, mortgage providers and landlords might feel that working from home increases risk, and wear and tear, resulting in cost penalties.

Some people simply don’t have the space to have a chair, desk, computer and associated gubbins, retreating to the dining table or leather recliner. Once in a while this is not a problem, however in the long term will lead to poor posture and Musculo-skeletal Disorders.

Distractions like children, relatives, pets and friends can reduce productivity and increase stress. Not all partners recognise the person hunched over the keyboard is at work – can you just? have you a minute? doesn’t help either.

Hybrid workers often work outside normal office hours, blurring the line between work and home, and impacting ‘work/life balance’, relationships and wellbeing. Before the advent of the internet  this was referred to as ‘on call’ and formally recognized with time limits and financial recompense or time off in lieu.

Often workers are expected to ‘hot-desk’ when returning to the office. The majority of people cannot be bothered to adjust a workstation and sit jockey-like over a laptop with stiff necks, aching backs and sore wrists.

Most people know someone who works from home and has become hermit like, ordering online, discouraging visitors and rarely venturing out into the world. Perhaps Abraham Maslow had something when he theorized that not fulfilling basic human needs is bad for you?

Like most things, hybrid working is more complicated than it seems…..

By Glen Musgrove