New COVID-19 regulations will be put into place from Monday 13th December that will have an impact on employers and employees. Boris Johnson held a COVID-19 press conference on Wednesday the 8th of December where he advised that people who can work from home should work from home.
Going back to home working again after just having settled back into the office might be hard for some employees. Over the last year, employees have slowly trickled back into the office so it might be a bit of a shock to go back to home working.
Working from home is massively important for reducing the spread of COVID-19 and helps to keep everyone safe. So, if you can work from home, here are some tips on how to work from home successfully.
Working from home
Working from home can be a fun experience, but it can also have an impact on mental health and productivity. If you’re new to working from home, you might not know how to set up a workstation in your house. Not everyone has a home office, but it is important to have a dedicated space in your house in which you can work, such as the kitchen table. We have a YouTube video where Jo (our expert workstation assessor) guides you through setting up a workstation at home.
Working from home tips:
- Dedicate a space for work
- Block out noise
- Avoid distractions
- Have a clear work routine
- Set up workstation correctly
If you’re unsure of how to set up your workstation correctly, you could use our online assessment tool to help figure out whether or not your workstation is set up the way it should be.
For more information and help on working from home, check out our blogpost ‘Working from home: How to set up a home office’
Going to work during COVID-19
Not everyone has the option of working from home. If it’s essential to go to work, follow the COVID guidelines for working safely during COVID-19. Employers must have to follow the safety guidelines and conduct COVID risk assessments for everyone in the workplace.
How to keep safe in the workplace
- Improve ventilation: Keep windows and doors open, when possible, to keep good airflow. If that’s not possible open vents and use fans
- Minimising visitors coming into the office. Try and keep as many people out of the office as possible.
- Have a strict cleaning routine and clean regularly throughout the day. Especially if new people come into the office. Keep surfaces that are frequently touched sanitized such as: kitchen surfaces, door handles light switches.
- Social distancing if possible.
- When travelling to work, avoid public transport. If that’s not an option, choose less busy times to travel to avoid close contact with a lot of people.
- Employers should make it a requirement for all employees to do lateral flow test before coming into work.
- Consider flexible hours or hybrid working. Rotate between working in the office and at home so less people are in the office.
Taking care of your mental health
Taking care of mental health when working remotely is important. Mental health can often be neglected when isolated or when you are not communicating with people. When you work at home it is easy to shut yourself up away from the world, and sometimes you might not notice that you have neglected yourself. Nurturing your mental health is important as eating and showering!
Mental health first aid training could be very useful for employees. It helps employees recognise the signs of mental illness in themselves and in others, so they know when to reach out for help. We have a blog post with more information.
Some helpful mental health resources:
7 simple tips to tackle working from home-NHS
Coronavirus: supporting yourself and your team-Mind
How to look after your mental health while working from home– Mental health UK
For more help or guidance with your home set up, please contact us by phone on 0330 332 0880 or by email on enquiries@posturepeople.co.uk. We will be more than happy to help!
