BORIS JOHNSON held a press conference on Thursday to deliver the latest public health advice on the coronavirus outbreak in the UK… For some equipment (eg keyboards, mouse, riser) this could mean allowing workers to take this equipment home. 2. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? The existing Open Comments threads will continue to exist for those who do not subscribe to Independent Premium. Overview of homeworking. Read our full mailing list consent terms here. “If you really struggle to apply yourself when you’re on your own, try virtual ‘body doubling’ - connect with a colleague via a Skype video call but both work ‘live' on your own project rather than chatting,” she says. No problem! For others, it's just like any other week. As an employer, you have the same health and safety responsibilities for home workers as for any other workers. Of those who did some work from home, 86.0% did so as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Independent Premium Comments can be posted by members of our membership scheme, Independent Premium. Home working can cause work-related stress and affect people’s mental health. Being in an office gives us a limited number of ways to get distracted but when you start working in a new environment (especially a very familiar one) it can be easy to let yourself get distracted. Working from home UK: Should I be working from home? Talking with your workers about working safely during the coronavirus pandemic. “So proactively manage things which might interrupt your focus.”, She explains: “Keep them limited to short breaks in between chunks of focused work. If contact is poor, workers may feel disconnected, isolated or abandoned. (Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk) Coronavirus has meant loads of people are now working from home … Coronavirus: Coping with the challenges of working from home. Are you sure you want to mark this comment as inappropriate? You’ll return feeling refreshed and more productive for the rest of the day.”. Working from home during coronavirus. Working from home two days a week is the most popular option, but one in 12 people are planning to ask their employer if they can work from home permanently, its report indicated. On 4 January 2021 national lockdowns were announced for England and Scotland. However, employers should provide workers with advice on completing their own basic assessment at home. Two different vaccines have been approved for use in the UK so far. Don’t forget that you are there to work - so set yourself up the right way, get dressed and brush your teeth at the start of the day rather than sitting in your pyjamas for eight hours. “A wide, open day working from home can feel full of possibilities. UNISON is working proactively with the UK governments and other bodies to keep you safe at work. Want an ad-free experience?Subscribe to Independent Premium. For example, you should ensure that housemates or family members do not take photographs or make social media posts which could compromise client confidentiality by including, for example, file names containing clients’ personal data or documents. How to stay focused when working from home. One of the biggest perks about working from home - slowly moving from bed to the sofa five minutes before you start - can also be your biggest challenge, says Eyre-White. Advice on time off during coronavirus, using and carrying over holiday, and returning to the UK. “Just because you’re feeling comfy at home, it doesn’t mean you don’t need a proper break,” says Eyre-White. It allows our most engaged readers to debate the big issues, share their own experiences, discuss real-world solutions, and more. As an employer, you have the same health and safety responsibilities for home workers as for any other workers. This article investigates to what extent different people within the labour market work from home, either on a regular or occasional basis. But Peter Cheese, chief executive of the CIPD, said coronavirus will have a long-lasting effect on how people in the UK work, with a step change in the proportion of people working from home on a … “There are a lot of potential distractions when we work from home,” says Eyre-White. Are you sure you want to delete this comment? Don’t fall into the trap of being over-ambitious,” says Eyre-White. Coronavirus (COVID-19) Health and wellbeing. “Switch from home to work mode,” she says, by having something you physically do to “flip the switch”. This can affect stress levels and mental health. Empty streets in Daegu, South Korea, on 23 February 2020. This includes banning companies from buying medicines like insulin that are meant for UK patients and selling on for a higher price in another country. At the start of the first lockdown, only key workers were expected to leave their homes to go to work, with the government advising everyone else to only leave their households to buy food, medicine or to do one daily form of exercise. With the current outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19), most people are expected to work from home where possible. Being away from managers and colleagues could make it difficult to get proper support. Beta This is a new way of showing guidance - your feedback will help us improve it. You can only leave home for work purposes where it is unreasonable for you to do your job from home. Coronavirus: 'Work from home if you can' and 10pm nightlife ban as government tries to tackle virus surge. Put procedures in place so you can keep in direct contact with home workers so you can recognise signs of stress as early as possible. So in that situation employers do not need to ask them to carry out home workstation assessments. breaking up long spells of DSE work with rest breaks (at least 5 minutes every hour) or changes in activity, avoiding awkward, static postures by regularly changing position, getting up and moving or doing stretching exercises, avoiding eye fatigue by changing focus or blinking from time to time, aches, pains or discomfort related to their temporary DSE arrangements, adverse effects of working in isolation, on remote IT systems, working longer hours without adequate rest and recovery breaks. The guidance can be applied across any sector where working from home is a feasible option for both workers and businesses. 145 things on the to do list? Employers should try to meet those needs where possible. Coronavirus (COVID-19): update This page has been updated to take account of working arrangements during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. In order to be productive she recommends imposing structure on yourself. Our research found that 60% of the UK’s adult population are currently working from home during the Coronavirus lockdown. Working from home. A new report commissioned by the business division of mobile operator O2, which is based on two recent surveys of UK workers, has found that 45% of respondents predict a permanent change in their employers’ approach to flexible working when the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) lockdown lifts.. A lone sanitation worker sits near the closed Hankou Railway Station in Wuhan, Hubei province, China, on February 24, 2020. WORKERS with underlying health issues might be wondering if they can ask to work from home as coronavirus continues to spread. “When we’re in the office our day is normally broken up with meetings. If you are self-isolating but cannot do your work at home, then, by law you should at least receive statutory sick pay. Research has shown that having a diagnosis of high blood pressure is associated with increased death rates in … For other larger items (eg ergonomic chairs, height-adjustable desks) encourage workers to try other ways of creating a comfortable working environment (eg supporting cushions). Due to the sheer scale of this comment community, we are not able to give each post the same level of attention, but we have preserved this area in the interests of open debate. The most insightful comments on all subjects will be published daily in dedicated articles. A change of scene is all we need to give our brain a break, and it’s the perfect time to put a load of washing on or empty the dishwasher.”. A view of the empty entrance to the Università Cattolica (Catholic University) in Milan, northern Italy, on 24 February, 2020. Growing number of Britons working from home, says ONS This article is more than 6 months old Many businesses reluctant to reopen during coronavirus pandemic, data suggests You can find our Community Guidelines in full here. Please be respectful when making a comment and adhere to our Community Guidelines. For example, working in 45-60 minute chunks of focused work followed by a short break. It's also a good idea to wash your hands frequently and wear a face covering. And we've just discovered another one. “Maybe it’s walking round the block, making a special kind of tea, or lighting a candle at your desk. Tips on happier ways to work from home in the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond. “ In contrast, a day at home can be very unstructured.”. Create a commenting name to join the debate, There are no Independent Premium comments yet - be the first to add your thoughts, There are no comments yet - be the first to add your thoughts. Our journalists will try to respond by joining the threads when they can to create a true meeting of independent Premium. Instead, she recommends being realistic and then possibly achieving more than you set out to; and feeling satisfied, rather than feeling disappointed you didn’t do everything. Please continue to respect all commenters and create constructive debates. You can also choose to be emailed when someone replies to your comment. Do you need to put control measures in place to protect them? We asked Karen Eyre-White, a productivity coach and founder of GoDo business organisation, for her advice on making the most of home working. From 6 January, a national lockdown applies in all of England. In the office your day is broken up by everything from meetings to water-cooler chats, lunch breaks and even toilet breaks, but when you are sat at home on your own with no face-to-face interaction planned it can be easy to just work for long, unbroken periods. Working from home has become widespread since restrictions to control Covid-19 were introduced in the UK. If you can’t work from home your employer should make sure your workplace is ‘Covid-secure’. A lone cyclist wearing sanitary masks pedals in the center of Codogno, Northern Italy. Thousands of people are likely to be working from home for the first time this week due to the coronavirus outbreak. 'We need people to start working from home where they possibly can,' declared Prime Minister Boris Johnson, as the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues to spread throughout the UK… If your people are working from home you should: provide the equipment they need, for example a computer, phone and videoconferencing facilities; keep in regular contact with them, making sure you discuss their wellbeing; How to protect home workers HSE aims to reduce work-related death, injury and ill health. Distinguishing between work and home mode is essential, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. There are some simple steps people can take to reduce the risks from display screen work: The Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors has published infographics to help people working at home. This includes them doing workstation assessments at home. She suggests choosing three to five things to do and aim to get the majority done before lunch. “Leave your desk for lunch and take advantage of being at home to walk the dog and blow the cobwebs away for half an hour in the afternoon. Millions of workers have found themselves facing the prospect of having to work from home for long periods of time due to the coronavirus pandemic. Working from home as most of us are, the challenges around privilege and confidentiality are different to those in the office. Will young workers be the victims of the decline of the office? Disciplinary and grievance procedures. An empty road at the entrance of the small Italian town of Codogno on February 23, 2020. For the latest government guidance: in England, see national lockdown advice on going to work on GOV.UK; in Scotland, see Scottish Government advice on working from home The health and safety toolbox: How to control risks at work, Deciding who will help you with your duties, Reporting accidents, incidents and diseases, How to carry out a COSHH risk assessment, Simple checks to control dust and mist. It is also important to have an emergency point of contact and to share this so people know how to get help if they need it. “If you’re the kind of person who'll miss your colleagues when you work from home, build opportunities for socialising in to your day,” says Eyre-White, who recommends trying to call colleagues rather than always email or Slack messaging. It can be difficult to tear yourself away from your laptop if you’re worried people might think you’re slacking off, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take breaks. This has meant a major shift for individuals and organisations. The prime minister will update MPs and … This practical workstation checklist may help them. “We all slow down in the mid-afternoon and having a lot of your list under your belt will give you the momentum to power through,” she recommends. Although this can be frustrating, they divide the day up and create natural chunks of time,” explains Eyre-White. If working from home is our post-coronavirus future, let’s not forget its complex past. There is no increased risk from DSE work for those working at home temporarily. However, many others are continuing to work from home, attempting to keep their motivation levels as high as possible as they navigate working in a domestic environment. When we originally published this toolkit, the first paragraph mentioned being past the peak of infection and looking ahead to coming out of lockdown in the near future. A man wearing a face mask crosses a road in Wuhan, the epicentre of the novel coronavirus outbreak. Working from home shouldn't mean that you don't socialise with anyone. For those who might find themselves at home for an extended period of time, what is the best way to maximise productivity, maintain good physical and mental health, and not spend all day in your pyjamas when working from home? Empty streets in Daegu, South Korea, on 23 February, 2020. Coronavirus (COVID-19) support is available. It doesn’t matter what it is but do it without fail to create a strong association in your mind,” she says. You may not agree with our views, or other users’, but please respond to them respectfully, Swearing, personal abuse, racism, sexism, homophobia and other discriminatory or inciteful language is not acceptable, Do not impersonate other users or reveal private information about third parties, We reserve the right to delete inappropriate posts and ban offending users without notification. As any period of temporary home working extends, employers should have regular discussions with workers to assess whether additional steps are needed, for example where they report: Where employers decide to make working from home arrangements permanent, they should explain how to carry out full workstation assessments and provide workers with appropriate equipment and advice on control measures. What work activity will they be doing (and for how long)? So far, 382 people in the UK … Start your Independent Premium subscription today. This also includes making sure you make time to make proper meals and drink water regularly, rather than snacking continuously throughout the day and then crashing in a sugar slump at 3pm. everyone who can work from home must do so; if you cannot work from home, plan your journey to avoid crowds This comes after MPs had been encouraging workers to return to the office, as long as social distancing measures had been put in place. It’s fair to say there have been a lot of twists and turns since then, and a lot of emotional pressures. Italian police officers set a road block in Codogno, Northern Italy, on Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. Says, by having something you physically do to “ flip the Switch ” become... Workers will save £44.78 a week by cutting out things like commuting and buying out. You can also choose to be working from home where possible 's a. Not subscribe to Independent Premium outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic are likely to be productive she imposing! 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