Navigate the complexities of remote work with confidence. Our consultancy specializes in guiding employers and employees through the Occupational Safety & Health Guidance on Remote Working.
The surge in remote work brings about new challenges in ensuring the safety and well-being of employees both at home and in traditional workplaces. As the landscape of work continues to evolve, employers and employees must prioritize remote working safety.
The responsibility for safety and health at work rests with the employer regardless of whether an employee works remotely or at the employer’s premises. Employers must provide a safe work environment and, in doing so, assess the risks and ensure appropriate controls are in place to safeguard employees at work.
The demand for flexible work arrangements is evident, with 93% of employees expressing a desire for flexible work, according to a Labour Party survey. However, the transition to remote work has revealed a gap in comprehensive safety measures. A study by Mason Hayes & Curran unveiled that 40% of organizations lack a remote working policy, 63% lack a right-to-disconnect policy, and only 38% have conducted remote working risk assessments. (source)
A risk assessment of the home workstation must be carried out by “a competent person”, i.e. someone with adequate training and experience. If potential issues or risks are identified, these should be recorded and corrective measures taken.
Contact Ayrton Group for information about our workplace audits and risk assessment consultations.
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The responsibility for safety and health at work, whether on-site or remote, lies with the employer. The Occupational Safety & Health Guidance on Remote Working provides a three-step assessment process. Employers must ensure proactive completion of assessments by competent individuals, considering changing circumstances.
Psychosocial hazards are factors in the design or management of work that have the potential to cause harm to a person’s psychological wellbeing. Harm to psychological wellbeing means harm to mental health and changes in subsequent behaviour. Psychosocial hazards increase the risk of work-related stress (WRS) and can have other psychological or physical consequences.
In the standard ‘on-site workplace’, examples of psychosocial hazards include conflict, bullying, high demands, low control, role confusion, low support, and improper communication (e.g., shouting, not communicating at all, or mumbling). Exposure to one or more of these hazards on an on-going basis can cause harm. This is why early intervention and communication of issues is crucial.
Navigating the complexities of remote work requires a proactive approach to safety. Ayrton Group stands ready to assist organizations in creating secure remote work environments and ensuring compliance with evolving legislation. Contact us for tailored consultancy services and training solutions.
In the remote setting, there are factors that aggravate OSH psychosocial risks which are separate to those which apply generally. Psychosocial risks associated with remote working are the result, firstly, of the different direct circumstances or systems of work which prevail at the remote work site (e.g., domestic setting or remote working hub). They are also the result of indirect circumstances – the social and psychological environmental factors pertaining. There is a third issue related to lack of familiarity with risk prevention and management systems in place where the workforce is mainly working off site.
For any risk assessment, the physical and psychosocial circumstances must be assessed as well as the access to, and the availability of supports and controls, training, management, professional development and acknowledgement of dignity and respect at work. This must be done in all work situations and locations (e.g., on site and remote working).
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