Guest blog: Introducing the virtual model workplace - By Susan Clews - Chief Executive - Acas
/In any other time, we might celebrate the fact that homeworking is on the rise. New figures from the ONS show that 49.2% of employees are now working from home (up from 45.8% in just one week). But the definition of flexible working is about employees having a choice about where and when they work. Enforced homeworking, as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown, doesn’t seem to quite fit this bill.
Homeworking in the current environment
What else do we know about homeworking in the lockdown? Well we know that:
· many employees feel that as soon as work returns to anything approaching business as usual, employers will row back on homeworking, whatever the perceived benefits
· homeworking is a privilege, of sorts, only afforded to professional occupations, with lower-paid workers in precarious work less able to work from home
· working from home is more widespread in some sectors than others. A new YouGov poll for Acas shows that it’s easier for those in IT/ telecoms (90% work from home all or most of the time due to Coronavirus) and finance/accounting (84%), but not so easy for those in retail (22%) and hospitality/leisure (26%)
· homeworking is double-edged, bringing both rewards, with a sense of empowerment for some, as well as no dreaded commuting; and difficulties – in an IES survey, over half of respondents reported new pains, especially in the neck, shoulders and back; and the Acas survey reported workers missing informal/social interaction (71%) and feeling ‘out of the loop’ (51%).
Making a virtue out of a necessity
Can we make working life better for homeworkers? I’d argue that we could and should; and that this will help change hearts and minds about the virtues of flexible working once the lockdown is over.
I believe that a ‘virtual model workplace’ should be based upon the following seven values:
1. understanding. It may sound flippant to say that you should feel comfortable talking to your boss with the kids playing in the background, but it reflects the new reality of work-life balance in lockdown. Many of us are home educating children for the first time, or have caring responsibilities; and nearly all of us will be getting used to new co-workers – human or otherwise!
2. kindness. I’ve been contacted out of the blue by people I don’t know very well, checking how I am. And I have done the same for people as they come to mind. We all have our own personal coping strategies, but reaching out to others, especially the most vulnerable is good for everyone’s wellbeing.
3. innovation. Before we simply replace hours of face-to-face meetings with hours of virtual meetings, let’s stop and think about doing things differently. New technology and the need to respond quickly to customer needs, internally and externally, means that flatter hierarchies and quicker decision-making should be the order of the day.
4. common sense. New circumstances may require us to use a bit of common sense in how we interpret employment law. For example, if someone wants to work from home but doesn’t have a proper desk or suitable chair, do you say yes or no? the answer might be a compromise: get them to take more breaks until you can provide suitable equipment.
5. clarity. Calls to the Acas helpline have reached peak levels in recent weeks – with thousands of calls a day. Most callers need advice and information on rights around furlough, redundancies, wellbeing and working from home. It’s an uncertain time for everyone, so keep up-to-date with the latest government advice and be as open and transparent as possible.
6. a good memory for what matters. The corona crisis means that it’s not just festivals, football matches and visiting loved ones that have been put on hold. For example, the government suspended gender pay reporting for 2019/20. We must not lose sight of equality and diversity issues; or be afraid to embrace changes to our working lives, like homeworking, that remind us how we can work more flexibly.
7. voice for all. The greatest imperative is building a bridge to the future where everyone is safe and secure, both financially and emotionally. But we have choices to make about what kind of work we value most and how this should be rewarded. Today’s heroes – from key workers in the NHS and social care to supermarket cashiers and delivery drivers, must not be forgotten.
Many people will have been introduced to homeworking in a way that no one could have predicted. But we can make a virtue out of necessity and embrace the benefits of working differently.
