Independent Premium Comments can be posted by members of our membership scheme, Independent Premium. This page has been updated to take account of working arrangements during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. On 4 January 2021 national lockdowns were announced for England and Scotland. A supermarket closed in Codogno, one the northern Italian towns placed under lockdown, on February 23, 2020. UNISON is working proactively with the UK governments and other bodies to keep you safe at work. When someone is working from home, permanently or temporarily, as an employer you should consider: There will always be greater risks for lone workers with no direct supervision or anyone to help them if things go wrong. A view of the empty entrance to the Università Cattolica (Catholic University) in Milan, northern Italy, on 24 February, 2020. It’s fair to say there have been a lot of twists and turns since then, and a lot of emotional pressures. 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. 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.. The Government has said everyone in the UK should avoid "non-essential" travel and contact with others to help curb the spread of coronavirus as patients continue to multiply in the UK. “There are a lot of potential distractions when we work from home,” says Eyre-White. 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. 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. Coronavirus: 'Work from home if you can' and 10pm nightlife ban as government tries to tackle virus surge. On average, each of these workers will save £44.78 a week by cutting out things like commuting and buying lunch out. Our research found that 60% of the UK’s adult population are currently working from home during the Coronavirus lockdown. 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. The most insightful comments on all subjects will be published daily in dedicated articles. This practical workstation checklist may help them. If you can’t work from home your employer should make sure your workplace is ‘Covid-secure’. Our journalists will try to respond by joining the threads when they can to create a true meeting of independent Premium. 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. Do you need to put control measures in place to protect them? For some equipment (eg keyboards, mouse, riser) this could mean allowing workers to take this equipment home. Beta This is a new way of showing guidance - your feedback will help us improve it. BORIS JOHNSON held a press conference on Thursday to deliver the latest public health advice on the coronavirus outbreak in 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 This document details practical steps and considerations for employers and employees which will allow them to create healthy, sustainable homeworking conditions using the SHARE approach. This article investigates to what extent different people within the labour market work from home, either on a regular or occasional basis. “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. The government has been working with industry and partners to monitor the impact of coronavirus on the UK supply chain of medicines and technology and put in place measures to protect UK patients. Please continue to respect all commenters and create constructive debates. If contact is poor, workers may feel disconnected, isolated or abandoned. Although this can be frustrating, they divide the day up and create natural chunks of time,” explains Eyre-White. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Working from home. 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. No problem! 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). 2. HSE aims to reduce work-related death, injury and ill health. This includes them doing workstation assessments at home. So far, 382 people in the UK … It's also a good idea to wash your hands frequently and wear a face covering. “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. Are you sure you want to mark this comment as inappropriate? Disciplinary and grievance procedures. “This can be an effective way to break the day up and maintain your concentration levels,” she says. According to Money Saving Expert and all-round financial guru, Martin Lewis, anyone who has worked from home since April 6 2020 - even for just one day - can claim tax relief for the entire year – worth £60 or £125. “So proactively manage things which might interrupt your focus.”, She explains: “Keep them limited to short breaks in between chunks of focused work. This can affect stress levels and mental health. 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. 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. 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 Two different vaccines have been approved for use in the UK so far. Working from home UK: Should I be working from home? Want an ad-free experience?Subscribe to Independent Premium. However individuals who have to self-isolate for 14 days when returning to the UK from some countries abroad (continually under review by the UK government ) are not eligible for statutory sick pay if they do not need to self-isolate for any other reason. Overview of homeworking. With the current outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19), most people are expected to work from home where possible. Read our full mailing list consent terms here. 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. , let ’ s mental health to our Community Guidelines in full here workers... £44.78 a week by cutting out things like commuting and buying lunch out socialise anyone... 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