What does the UK workplace look like in the COVID era? Check out these thoughts from our partners at JobLookup.
As the UK public settle themselves into a post-pandemic new normal, it’s clear that we still have much to consider about how COVID has changed the way we live. Key to this is the effect that the pandemic has had on the world of work.
After over two years of lockdowns, back and forth changes in legal restrictions, and uncertainty, employers now want to move ahead with a clear picture of how they should run their business in the COVID era. So what does that picture look like?
Still listening to COVID guidance
The coronavirus restrictions put in place by the UK government have largely been dropped, but that doesn’t mean that employers are out of the COVID woods yet. Each UK country has its own set of government guidance that employers are advised to follow:
Legislation has, in effect, been replaced by health and safety compliance. The responsibility to handle the threat of COVID in the workplace has been placed squarely on the shoulders of employers.
Future proofed health and safety
Every employer has a duty of care to ensure that their employees are protected from harm; that includes providing a safe workplace. The pandemic instigated a new set of considerations when it came to health and safety, for instance:
- cleaning the workplace
- improving ventilation
- the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and masks
- COVID testing
- reduced contact for employees
Key to these increased precautions is the individual constraints and needs of each business, such as the physical layout of the workplace or the industry that the employer operates in. Government guidelines provided a starting point, as did best practice guidance from bodies such as the HSE, CIPD, and Acas.
It became necessary to update company health and safety procedures to include COVID safeguards with the hope that they would protect the business in the case of future pandemics too. These updates provide clarity not only for the employer and management, but also for all employees.
Provision of health and safety protection was extended to include all workers in the May 2021 alteration to the Employment Rights Act 1996 (Protection from Detriment in Health and Safety Cases). This does not include the self-employed.
Open to flexible working
For many employees, the workplace changed from an office or other worksite to their own home for at least part of the week. Instigated by the requirement to work remotely during lockdown and the use of hybrid working as UK workers gradually returned to the office or factory, the case for flexible working has been proven through practical application.
A 2021 survey by Acas discovered that half of UK employers expected an increase in requests for flexible working post-pandemic. Around the same number of employers expected an increased number of employees working from home, whether for part or all of the week.
All UK employees have a legal right to ask their employer for flexible working once they have been employed by the company for 26 weeks. This doesn’t mean that they have the right to be granted flexible working, but the employer must investigate the request in a thorough, timely, and reasonable manner. The right to request flexible working from the first day of employment is being considered as part of the Employment Bill. Whether this will extend to making flexible working a right in the UK is up for debate.
In light of the Great Resignation and the resulting drive for employers to find new ways to recruit and retain skilled talent, flexible working is high on the list of candidate and employee demands.
In workplaces where a hefty proportion of employees work remotely or on a hybrid basis, this may provide the opportunity for employers to downsize their worksite or instigate desk-share or four-day week working practices.
Increased online communication
For many employers, online communication through email and video-conferencing was key to staying in touch with their workers and running their business during the pandemic. For companies with a workforce continuing to be split between office and home, this form of communication is here to stay.
With a range of video conferencing options available, for instance:
- Zoom
- Microsoft Teams
- Google Meet
- Webex
- Skype
and the need to use file-sharing apps and software too, employers have sought to unify teams who are split between remote and on-site working by encouraging them to use the same software, be that Microsoft Teams or Google Drive.
As with any business practice, the increasing use of video-conferencing has made it necessary to create written procedures for holding virtual meetings and provide training for employees.
While there is no legal requirement for employers to provide equipment for their remote workers, this is an area that companies may wish to consider when looking for new ways to attract job seekers.
Final Thoughts
There is no escaping the fact that the pandemic has had a lasting impact on the UK workplace, from increasing the number of employees working remotely to the drive to future proof the health and safety of the workforce and the business itself. Changes instigated as a reaction to lockdowns and restrictions are now key elements of our working practices. The good news is that these changes are largely in line with the sentiment of UK jobseekers who seek to work for employers who treat them well.
