On January 5 2021, a third national lockdown was announced and the message that we have all come to know so well, ‘stay at home’, was reintroduced.

Whilst individuals are allowed to travel to go to work, they should only do so if they cannot reasonably work from home. This means that a large proportion of employees is working from home, in some cases exclusively, and the benefits of homeworking are clear for many to see. They might include:

More flexible working

Employees are no longer tied to a workspace and travelling to and from work. This is resulting in greater flexibility towards working hours for the benefit of both employees and employers. 

This could be, for example, helping with childcare, a better work-life balance or longer or adjusted hours that better suit service delivery. Whatever the reason, embracing flexibility is, in turn, increasing the likelihood of retention of employees. This, in the short and longer term, is likely to be more attractive to potential new recruits.

Productivity

Working from home, with fewer interruptions. Working in a relaxed and familiar setting, that might suit individuals better as well as converting commuting time into working time. This will lead to employees feeling more productive and motivated. 

The commute could be stressful at the start and the end of the working day. Removing that, resulting in extra time at home which might be used, for example, to spend with family or to exercise, can help improve employee wellbeing. 

Removing the commute is having several benefits for those who were travelling distances ranging from reduced expenditure to a wider positive environmental impact.

Technology and communication

Working from home has resulted in improved technology and, for some, improved connectivity, and communication within the business and with third parties.

It is hard to imagine, just12 months from the first lockdown, how much the world of work has shifted. We appreciate every workplace, every job, every individual is different and one of the well-known quotes of the pandemic, ‘same storm, different boat’, absolutely applies. The so-called benefits outlined above might not be seen as benefits to some.

Prior to the pandemic, only employees with 26 weeks’ service were at liberty to request flexible working arrangements. With working remotely more widespread and, in most cases, effective and beneficial at least for some of the time, it is very likely that this shift will continue. It is equally likely, for some businesses at least, there will be a desire to revert back to pre-Covid working practices. 

If you are an employer and would like advice on your employees working from home, contact our specialist BLHR and Employment lawyers.

I can be contacted on 01245 453812 or rianna.billington@birkettlong.co.uk.