Some of the barriers to flexible working, both cultural and practical, have been challenged by the recent months of homeworking. Although there is an established legal framework the pandemic has led to the introduction of flexible working arrangements in practice without the need for policy or formal requests to drive the change. UK employment law sets out a number of minimum standards regarding flexible working with which employers must comply, so employers should make sure they’re aware of these when reviewing their flexible working arrangements. Organisations should also be careful not to conflate flexible working and homeworking – remote or homeworking is just one form of flexible working, of which there are many and the type of homeworking we have been experiencing recently is not the usual experience. Other organisations have a propensity for face to face meetings, or had not adopted the technology that would enable flexibility. For example, some employees may work 7am-3pm with others working 10am-6pm. Related content Lay-offs and short-time working. In Italy, which has imposed a nationwide quarantine, peak internet traffic is up 30%. Current government advice is that anyone who can work effectively from home should do so. In early March, Twitter “strongly advised” all its employees worldwide to do the same, and on Wednesday, made it compulsory. For example, some employers allow employees to request flexible working from day one of employment, rather than requiring them to wait the 26 weeks service criteria set out in the legislation. If you have been working from home, you may have expenses you can claim a deduction for at tax time. Each request is considered on its own merits. While the information is considered to be true and correct at the date of publication, changes in circumstances may impact the accuracy and validity of the information. What aspects of working remotely do employees wish to retain, and what are they keen to lose? For example, many organisations (and people managers) judge people on their presence in the workplace. Some of these working arrangements may differ from those set out in employees’ contracts of employment. We understand that due to COVID-19 your working arrangements may have changed. Working at home could be considered somewhat of a luxury during this time. Think about setting up groups on communication channels to share tips and ideas (for example, ideas for working parents who are trying to juggle childcare). Homeworking can lead to people working longer hours than they would in the office so consider suitable messaging to counteract this possibility. At the end of any agreed period, the employee would automatically return to their substantive working pattern unless otherwise agreed. The CIPD is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for any action or decision taken as a result of using the guidance. Seek feedback from employees and provide a way for them to ask specific questions or make suggestions. This is not reflective of normal flexible working and organisations should take care not to make any decisions around flexible working based purely on this period. As coronavirus pandemic restrictions are lifted, many Americans will face physical and mental health challenges -- including fear and anxiety -- as they return to work. You must stay at home. Compressed hours: Compressed hours allow employees to work their normal contracted hours over a reduced number of days. COVID-19 at Work: Your Legal Rights and Responsibilities Answers to frequently asked questions about coronavirus in the workplace. Find the latest updates related to coronavirus (COVID-19). Slack, the über workplace management tool, is loved and loathed in equal measure, but one thing it has going for it is its free-to-play business model: rather than needing to sign up the entire organisation at once, it is easy for individual teams, desks and offices to get started with the free tier, and expand as they see fit. They may have found that they have personally benefited from working from home, perhaps through reduced commuting time (and associated costs) and an improved work-life balance. The following elements of culture and activities are typically present in organisations where flexible working is working well: Changing culture means changing attitudes, beliefs and behaviours. Pay close attention to: Help individuals understand what flexible working opportunities are appropriate and available at this time. A request for flexible working can only be refused on a number of specific grounds, including the burden of additional costs, a detrimental impact on quality, performance or ability to meet customer demand or an inability to reorganise work amongst other employees or recruit new staff. What organisations can do following this period of enforced homeworking is to review the fact that flexible working has many potential benefits for organisations and employees. 7+7 Strategies for Working from Home During COVID-19 How to successfully juggle work and kids without dropping any balls. There may be limitations to public transport (and employees with concerns about using it), and in order to maintain social distancing there will need to be limitations on the number of people who may be able to work in any single office building. Advice for people at higher risk from coronavirus (COVID-19), including older people, people with health conditions and pregnant women. Where employees are seeking a permanent flexible working arrangement (or seek one when a temporary change has ended), the organisation’s normal policies and procedures should apply. ... • for work, if you cannot work from home ... Coronavirus R Rate for South West is now the highest in England. Bringing a child to work is not permitted under a stay-at-home order. Download a range of practice materials to assist in supporting their business and workforce through a global health emergency, Answers to frequently asked questions to offer guidance in responding to the coronavirus disease, COVID-19, Our series of top tips will help you and your team get the most out of homeworking, © Copyright Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development 2021, 151 The Broadway, London SW19 1JQ, UK Incorporated by Royal Charter, Registered Charity no. Above all, they can understand the evidence for flexible working and share this internally within their own organisations, using it as a driver for change. In short, yes, cleaner can continue to work during the third national lockdown. 'People are allowed to leave their homes if it's for exercise, not socialising’ Working from home during coronavirus. The art of Skype set-dressing: how to video-call the office when in quarantine | Imogen West-Knights. Shielding and vulnerable people. You may not want to take annual leave during the COVID-19 restrictions as your travel options are limited. Working From Home: How Coronavirus Could Affect the Workplace Businesses are grappling with how to deal with a potential outbreak. Advise line managers to set clear expectations for their team. Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) entitlement when self-isolating because of coronavirus. Many employees may have short to medium term needs for flexible working as a result of the current situation. There are New Rules for Outdoor Exercising During the Coronavirus Lockdown Morgan Fargo. Everyone who can work effectively from home should do so, in order to contain the virus Can I work in tier 4? Upon receipt of a request, the employer has to consider the employee’s request in a reasonable manner and within a reasonable timeframe. There is a wide range of research and a strong evidence base for how flexibility can support inclusion, help to reduce the gender pay gap, support sustainability initiatives, attract and retain talented individuals, increase productivity and support wellbeing. Employers may not make unilateral variations to the terms set out in employee contracts, even when such changes are temporary: to do so would amount to a breach of contract. As well as advising on policy and process, HR professionals can encourage their business to be ready for a more flexible future by providing insight, sharing good practice and learning from other organisations and providing constructive challenge. After post Covid-19, you may have to re-engineer your organization to reduce costs among other things. The single most important action we can all take is to stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives. Groups starting and leaving work should do so on a phased basis to reduce interaction or crowds forming in certain locations. Whilst it is currently thought likely that employers will still be able to turn down flexible working requests where there is an operational reason for doing so, this change in legislation will also raise awareness of flexible working in general. Just as important as making sure you work well at home is making sure you take breaks from work at home. Care should be taken not to discriminate. Organisations need to consider the barriers at manager, team and individual levels to help them successfully implement flexible working. About 74 percent of CFOs surveyed by Gartner expect some of their employees who were forced to work from home because of the COVID … It can both support the return to the workplace on a practical level, help employees to cope with ongoing issues relating to the pandemic and help to maintain hygiene and social distancing whilst the virus still presents a considerable risk. The coronavirus pandemic is slashing jobs by the day. For example, the law only permits employees to request flexible working formally after being employed for 26 weeks. Organisational culture can be resistant to change and building a culture of flexibility for the long term is a journey rather than a sprint. Here are the top tips on how to look after your mental health during the coronavirus ... For care or other compassionate reasons. Holiday and leave. If you have symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) you should get tested. Kate Ng. This is not necessarily a quick process and will require consistent effort. “First and foremost, our concern is for the families and individuals affected by the coronavirus. Compressed hours can result in employees working long days so it is important to reiterate messages about taking breaks to avoid fatigue. For example, they may be living with a health condition that makes them especially vulnerable, they may be struggling to balance work and childcare or they may have ongoing caring responsibilities. This may discourage employees from applying for a role with a new organisation. Men are more likely to continue working from home once restrictions are lifted. Early research is emerging that suggests an increasing future demand for flexible working (especially homeworking) as a result of employees working this extended period from home. Pharmaceutical Research Associates offers flexible working in their customer services team, which needs to provide 24/7 support to clients. Short term flexible working may also support the return to the normal workplace. If someone refuses to attend work without a valid reason, it could result in disciplinary action. What challenges have employees experienced whilst working remotely and flexibly? Spikes in usage are most likely to affect people who pay for their internet with bandwidth caps, particularly common in the US and among those who rely on mobile broadband. Although there are no timescales yet in place, the Government still intends to introduce legislation to support ‘flexible working be default’. Fair workload distribution and regular reviews of workload and objectives. An early fear that home broadband networks would collapse under the weight of usage was quelled by UK service providers, whose trade body, ISPA, pointed out that evening peak activity, when the nation sits down to stream Netflix and play online video games, is often 10 times the typical daytime demand. Google advised workers to stop coming in to the office. These are organisational culture, policy and manager training. The future work will be done from a combination of inhouse facilities, work from home, outsourcing, crowdsourcing, and small towns. Working from home during the coronavirus pandemic: How to cope How to prevent depression, reduce stress, and increase energy levels while working from home during the coronavirus pandemic. The company has had some controversies, however, from an insecure plugin for Mac clients that was fixed in June to a questionable “attention tracking” feature that allows horrible bosses to use AI to check whether their employees are actually looking at the screen. Of those residents of London who did some work at home, 91.6% cited the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic as their main reason for doing so. Christie promised to reimburse employees, including hourly workers, for the expenses required to set up home offices, covering the costs of buying things such as computer hardware, desks and ergonomic chairs. Where employees do not agree to the changes there are other options open to employers, including imposing the changes unilaterally or terminating the existing contract of employment and offering re-engagement on new terms. The same teams should rotate in order so that they always follow the same individuals. Here’s what they’re doing, and how it could affect their workers. And the Texas Workforce Commission has issued guidance saying that Texans can receive unemployment benefits if they choose to not return to work for certain COVID-19-related reasons. In some cases this has been compounded by not having a suitable workspace. Our employer is demanding that we provide medical documentation proving that we're at high risk before allowing us to work from home during the coronavirus pandemic. Enterprise allows its call centre workers to work flexible schedules. Adjusted shift rotations: Where employees work in shifts, for example, a rotating shift pattern where one group of employees takes over from another on rotation, processes can be introduced to reduce contact between different shifts and their employees. Good communication is vital. The app lifted its limit on free accounts as a response to the crisis, and theoretically supports up to 1,000 participants in a single meeting, though it’s unclear whether that’s actually a positive. Microsoft has made its cloud “productivity suite” free to small businesses for the next six months, including its Slack competitor, Teams. These actions should be a last resort in the current circumstances and any employer considering such action should take legal advice before doing so. Large technology firms were some of the first to make the switch to remote working for all their staff, building on pre-existing infrastructure such as office chat groups, remote access to critical tools, and the fact that much knowledge work can be carried out remotely. A short and simple application process. If it is possible for a staff member to work from home, they should do so, she added. Sick pay for self-isolation. Some customer service staff are also able to work from home, through online portals that provide access to internal and customer systems, allowing them to respond to customer needs. If you’re not yet working from home but feel like you should be to help with public safety, here’s how to get your boss to reconsider. For some people, self-isolating at home is essential under government guidance (such as those who live in a household where another member has displayed symptoms of COVID-19 and those who are quarantining after returning from some countries abroad). This approach may lead to a reduction of flexibility in some aspects; for example, employees may previously have been empowered to swap shifts or self-roster, but this may not be appropriate in the current circumstances. It will only be a real success if companies start tackling remote working structurally. That’s certainly what the industry behind remote work is hoping. The six reasons when you CAN leave your home during lockdown. Find out where you can get tested near home. Automatic consideration of transferring existing flexible working arrangements to internal promotions / job role changes. Our research has highlighted opportunities on offer from flexible working methods which could be useful to consider in the current context: Current circumstances provide organisations with an opportunity to review their approach to flexible working as well as learn from employee experiences of recent months. Now police have said needing to cool off from an argument, buying alcohol, taking your pet to the vet or having a rest while out for a walk all count as reasons to be outside the home. Supportive senior leaders including visible role models. 6 days ago. Employers and HR professionals should therefore be prepared for an increase in flexible working requests in the months to come, both as a result of the pandemic and if more information becomes available about legislative changes. Accenture’s study found more than half of employees felt they could collaborate more easily and be more productive at home; while one-third planned to work from home at least one day a week in the future. Unfortunately, there can be negative stereotypes associated with flexible workers with researc h suggesting that flexible workers are often considered to be less committed, cause increased work for others and are more difficult to manage. Cloudflare, which provides online infrastructure that underpins a huge swathe of the internet, says it has been tracking the increase. Leaving home without ‘reasonable excuse’ punishable by fine . Nearly 43% of full-time American workers say they hope to work from home ... says one of the biggest reasons why employees prefer to work ... Teachers offer homeschooling advice during coronavirus. Tracking these expenses can be challenging, so we have introduced a temporary shortcut method. Traffic patterns have also shifted so peak traffic is occurring earlier in the day in impacted regions.”. Internet service providers have come under pressure to lift bandwidth caps so remote workers don’t get cut off from their employers. On the other hand, some systems are already creaking at the edges. Providing general wellbeing support to all employees. “This is not how I envisioned the distributed work revolution taking hold,” said Matt Mullenweg, chief executive of WordPress and Tumblr owner Automattic. For health services and professionals. People managers will need to be briefed and trained on how to handle requests fairly and consistently. How to assess a job for flexible working potential. Schneider Electric (who gained insight into the importance of the relationship between line managers and their teams in making flexible working successful). Tuesday 05 January 2021 09:20. More information about contracts of employment can be found on the terms and conditions of employment topic page. The good news is you can find an array of work-from-home jobs across all … Help shape its future, Leading the profession that’s shaping the future of work, Use this guide to plan your flexible working approach in the short and long term. That means it is best placed to help home workers quickly recreate the sort of in-person chat they had in the office. Effective communication to make sure all employees receive key messages, whether they are in the office or working from home. Short timescales for considering a request. Identify employees who may be particularly vulnerable and engage specifically with them, either directly or by creating a group of employee representatives. As part of the research for the cross-sector insights on enabling flexible working guide, the CIPD looked at flexible working in several organisations. This may also help with reskilling employees. If this affects you, you must not go to work, but if you are well you can still work from home. Some have been comparatively minor: Facebook employees found their corporate network was banned from the takeaway service DoorDash for suspicious behaviour, as the company’s entire workforce began placing orders for delivery all over the Bay Area in California while logged in to a VPN connecting from the same IP address. Still, technology can only go so far, and working from home is not for everyone. An overview of the relevant employment law relating to flexible working. Where an organisation wishes to improve its approach to flexible working, there are three initial areas on which to focus. “For now, we are focused on helping people around the world adapt to remote work with free resources. HR can play a key role in supporting organisation change. Outlining specific requests employees may make, for example a reduction of hours or flexi-time. Removing usual policy requirements, such as stipulating 26 weeks service in order to make a request or allowing more than one request in a 12 month period. The organisation analyses call volume and schedules accordingly. Working from home during COVID-19. Include trade unions or employee groups in discussions. Annual leave during COVID-19 restrictions You continue to build up your annual leave when you are working from home and working your usual hours. Mullenweg’s company is already “distributed”, and he predicts the changes “might also offer an opportunity for many companies to finally build a culture that allows long-overdue work flexibility. Some American ISPs, including AT&T, have started suspending the practice in order to avoid being blamed for preventing work, but not everyone has done so. During the coronavirus pandemic, many people who usually work in an office will now be working from home. 7. “Overall, working from home doesn’t change your day-to-day work, it just means you’ll be doing it from a different environment,” Christie added. The Government says “you can only travel internationally – or within the UK – where you first have a legally permitted reason to leave home”. Managers may be unclear about how to ‘measure’ work and output during this time, especially if remote or flexible working is new. Depending on the nature of the changes proposed, employers may wish to seek legal advice on their plans and their organisation’s specific contracts of employment. During this time employers and people professionals may find the insights from the following case studies particularly useful: Tried-and-tested flexible working methods Following communication and feedback, the proposals for change should be set out formally in writing to employees and their explicit agreement for change sought. Flexible working available for all employee groups in principle regardless of job role. The number of people working from home has increased steadily over the last five years, but the current situation has escalated remote working at a rapid pace. If you have been working from home, you may have expenses you can claim a deduction for at tax time. The Pomodoro method, a well-known approach to focus management that lets you break the day into 20-minute chunks with five-minute rests, is one such approach. What impact have these changes had on the lives of employees? The change in work culture amounts to a quiet revolution. In the short term, as lockdown restrictions ease and many employees continue to work from home or during a phased return to the workplace, it is likely that teams will find there is a mix of virtual and physical working. Remote working & COVID-19: 5 things companies need to consider before employees work from home By Camilla Winlo 13 March 2020 Top considerations for … Flexible working will therefore be a key issue for HR professionals in the months to come and beyond. If such opportunities from flexible working are to be realised, there are a number of key areas of consideration: Organisational development and design roles, Getting, developing and keeping the right people, HR-inform: practical HR and employment law resources, Building the best HR teams around the world, Championing better work and working lives, flexible working measures for returning to the workplace guide, terms and conditions of employment topic page, cross-sector insights on enabling flexible working guide, Coronavirus (COVID-19): Flexible working during the pandemic and beyond. Many employers choose to enhance their flexible working policies to go above and beyond the statutory minimum requirements. Managers will also need to understand how to manage flexible workers and a mixed team of office based and remote workers, as well as the many potential business and individual benefits of working more flexibly. Consistent application of policy – for example ensuring all areas of the organisation takes a similar approach to decision making. Provide guidance or training to people managers on supporting homeworkers. Google followed suit with its own business subscription, while videoconferencing service Zoom has lifted limitations on its own free tier, allowing conversations to exceed 40 minutes. “I’ve worked 100% remote before,” said one tech industry worker who has been sent home, “and there comes a point where even an introvert would like to see another human.”. Many teachers at higher risk for complications from COVID-19 are hoping not to go back to their classrooms—and districts are having to prioritize who gets to stay home. Where Slack recreates the feeling of turning to a colleague for a quick chat that’s as much personal as professional, Trello is more like your boss walking over to “just check on how you’re doing”. “Millions of people will get the chance to experience days without long commutes, or the harsh inflexibility of not being able to stay close to home when a family member is sick… This might be a chance for a great reset in terms of how we work,” he said. Working from home during COVID-19. Find out more about: shielding and vulnerable people – including what employees and employers should do if someone's doctor advises them to stay at home; absence from work; Raising an issue. Availability of a range of flexible working options. In the short term, as lockdown restrictions ease and many employees continue to work from home or during a phased return to the workplace, it is likely that teams will find there is a mix of virtual and physical working. Before the pandemic, only around 5% of the workforce worked mainly from home. 1079797. Learn tips to face the challenge if … These could include: Any changes should be mutually agreed, confirmed in writing and have a clear end date. However, simply providing information on policy and process is unlikely to be sufficient to move people towards a more flexible working culture. Where the policy follows the statutory procedures only, the full benefits of flexible working may not be realised. However, employers may not want you to keep all your leave until later in the year. This guide will consider how flexible working may be approached in the short and long term, both to support health and safety obligations to employees returning to the traditional workplace, but also to generate potential people benefits and opportunities for organisations following the pandemic. Raising activities the long term is a journey rather than presence and availability that to... 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