Technology and the Reduction of Hybrid Working Risks
July 19, 2023
Managing hybrid working effectively is a relatively new aspect of risk management for employers. It is important to get this right as employers, if you are to avoid employment tribunals. This has not been lost on creators of video conferencing solutions that delivers ways of collaborative working between those employees who work from home and those who are in the office.
Hybrid working seems to be a permanent way of working now with more than a third of working adults in Great Britain spending at least part of their time working from home this year.[1]
Whilst employers experience difficulties with aspects of hybrid working such as communication between team members, enabling them to acquire knowledge and training through physical contact with the workplace, they cannot ignore the implications of denying employees the right to work from home. The number of employment tribunal decisions relating to flexible working went up 52% in the year to 30 September 2021.[2] Experts question if this is the beginning of a tranche of claims against employers who do not handle requests to work from home in a ‘reasonable manner’.
Taking advantage of various technologies that make all employees feel valued and fairly treated, can play a big part in reducing the risks employers face when it comes to legal battles with employees. Whilst compensation for an employee who successfully proves that a refusal of their request to work from home was unfair is capped at eight weeks’ pay at a maximum of £544 a week, compensation on the grounds of discrimination, or indirect discrimination, is not.
If a request to work from home is to be turned down, there should be very good reason for that decision and having an appeals process in place would be advisable.
Another, aspect of risk management lies in ensuring that the right insurances are in place, to cover both legal costs that could emerge if an employee brings a case and the personal losses you could encounter, as a director or officer of the company.
Virtual workforce insurances should not be underestimated. How you would manage the risks in the workplace should be mirrored in your remote working strategy. To talk to us about how best to control your risks, in light of this new legislation, please Get in touch.
Sources:
[2] https://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/content/news/flexible-working-tribunal-claims-rise-sharply
