Employers must protect homeworkers, says union
Employers have a responsibility to ensure people are working from home safely, the UK's largest union has said.
The coronavirus pandemic has a resulted in an explosion in working from home and the Government's push for workers to return to the office was abruptly halted last month when tighter restrictions included working from home if possible.
The Unite union has warned increased working from home could lead to "more work for sane pay", while concerns have also been raised about stress and depression, as well as the safety of the environment staff are working in.
The number of people working from home is expected to double following the coronavirus pandemic, new research suggests, potentially bringing new implications for health and safety for employers to consider.
A survey carried out by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) found that employers believe 37 per cent of staff will regularly avoid the journey into the office following Covid-19, up from 18 per cent before the pandemic.
The number of people expected to make their work-from-home arrangement permanent stands at 22 per cent, up from nine per cent pre-lockdown.
Unite executive officer Sharon Graham said: "Covid-19 is leading to an explosion in homeworking. There are dangers as well as opportunities for workers and it is in everyone's interest to ensure homeworking is introduced properly and fairly.
"Unite has produced a set of minimum standards that we expect all employers to adhere to as part of negotiations.
"It is important to remember that homeworking done badly can lead to more work for the same pay. It can also lead to stress and depression, as well as health and safety risks from working in an unsuitable environment.
"It is vital that employers now recognise that homeworking is an issue for negotiation not imposition and that we will be demanding adequate protection for our members.”
