AUGUST 2021 21
FMJ.CO.UK
lockdown, 70 per cent of remote workers said they were
experiencing more aches and pains in their back, neck,
shoulders, legs and joints, more eye strain and more
headaches than usual when working from home.
Managers are advised to draw up robust new
preventative strategies that promote good posture,
healthy working practices, and safe working procedures
when working at home.
Display Screen Equipment (DSE) assessments should
also be carried out for employees working both at
home and in the oƒ ice. Ensure all staƒ receive clear
guidance about taking time to set up their workstations
before they use them, whether at home or in the oƒ ice.
We should all be thinking long-term now, rather than
kneejerk reactions, and there is opportunity here for a
healthy and productive working environment for all.
The IOSH Managing Occupational Health and
Wellbeing course, by International Workplace, is
designed to provide managers and supervisors in all
sectors with the tools and techniques they need to
improve health and wellbeing in their organisation.
WORKPLACE DESIGN PROVIDER’S VIEW
ALICIA RIES, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AT
STEELCASE EMEA
The vast
majority of
organisations are
reporting plans
to implement
hybrid working
as returning
to the oƒ ice
becomes a viable
option, and this
will undoubtedly
provide plenty
of benefits.
For many, the
mix of home and oƒ ice working will improve work/
life balance, while on a business level it may help to
attract and retain talent. However, hybrid work will also
entail a dispersed and unpredictable workforce, now
navigating both issues of remote work and old concerns
of being in the oƒ ice. To help the workforce through
this, organisations need to prioritise employees’
wellbeing – both physical and mental – to ensure that
hybrid working models don’t undermine productivity
and culture.
At first thought, it may seem that the best way to
action this would be to give employees free choice
about where they work and when, allowing them to
make their own decisions on what is best for their
wellbeing. Unfortunately, it isn’t as simple as this, as
businesses must also ensure that customer needs are
being met. It is unlikely that everyone will be able to
make choices in the same way about when, where, and
how they work.
Questions of equity then come into the mix, and these
must not be ignored, as a sense of fairness is critical
in employees’ motivation and commitment – both
of which are significant in emotional wellbeing. Not
all work can be done remotely, or is best when done
remotely, and organisations need to be as transparent
as possible about this. Communicate clear expectations
about attendance in the oƒ ice, which types of work
should continue to be done remotely, and the roles that
will require greater or lesser presence in the workplace.
Of course, if these expectations are delivered from
the top down, they may be out of touch with the
experiences of employees, potentially even putting
their wellbeing at risk. To avoid this, decision-makers
must truly understand the work being done across
their organisation. Pre-pandemic, plenty of businesses
believed that most work had to be done in the oƒ ice,
but they were largely proven wrong. Some activities,
especially those which are individual and less complex,
are best performed remotely. But other types of
work – especially problem-solving, co-creation, and
collaboration – are delivered more eƒ iciently and
more successfully in the physical workplace. When we
try to perform more social work modes from home, it
can take a toll on wellbeing as employees suƒ er from
Zoom fatigue and the frustrations of internet-based
interactions. Genuinely understanding where and
how work is delivered best is not just important for an
organisation’s productivity, but also for its employees’
wellbeing.
That is not to say that once informed decisions have
been made, they should remain fixed. Splitting work
between home and the oƒ ice is an evolving process,
and diƒ erent or new concerns around wellbeing may
appear at various stages. Workplace managers should
be willing to experiment to find out what works best
for their teams – and this may diƒ er from one month to
the next. Individuals, too, need the space to experiment
for their own wellbeing needs, and organisations must
support them in this, or they may risk losing talent.
A general feeling of openness in approaching hybrid
work will contribute to reciprocity – employees will
feel like the company is supporting them and they will
want to give back and put in greater eƒ ort. Bringing the
workforce together and prioritising transparency will
help workplace managers deliver coherent wellbeing
strategies and will also ensure that individuals feel
comfortable communicating their own wellbeing needs
for the post-COVID workplace.”
WORKFORCE MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS
PROVIDER’S VIEW
JULIE LOCK, COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR AT
MITREFINCH
In the coming weeks, companies will be tested as they
attempt to find the right balance between welcoming
employees back to the oƒ ice and supporting those who
continue to work remotely from home. This divide in
FM CLINIC
Alicia Ries
ADVICE & OPINION
/www.fsifm.com
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