Head of Employment Helen Crossland and Associate Fiona Mendel discuss navigating the new way of working and policy considerations as the world emerges from the Covid-19 pandemic in WealthBriefing.
Helen comments that “contracts were not drafted with the current pandemic in mind, yet restrictions on how people work could continue for years.” She adds that “if employees are working at home, even temporarily, employers should issue a temporary homeworking policy dealing with information security, data protection and health and safety.”
“As firms press ahead with phased returns, their return policy should cover health and safety issues, the vaccination programme, and lateral flow testing,”
Fiona explains that most businesses accept that the purpose of the workplace has changed, and workers will be disappointed if agile working does not become the norm once lockdowns ease. “The function of the office will likely shift from ‘head-down’ work, which can mostly be done at home, to a more collaborative space where teams can meet, share ideas and have human contact. However, organisations will want to set a benchmark for how frequently employees are expected to be present.”
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