Some of our offices are in city centre locations, so staff will use public transport.  This would be their usual commute, but how far would our resposibilities extend if staff don't wish to travel using this method when our offices reopen?  We can't ensure their commute is safe.  What if this increases concerns about their mental health? 

Jill as a member you can read the posts in the member to member section where this has already been discussed.

Basic synopsis how they get to and from the work place as a commute is not your problem except where the employer provides the transport (car, van, crew bus etc.).

How they feel about their journey is not a work problem - they could walk, cycle, travel by taxi, get a lift from a family member.

I have been using public transport not get to work for a few weeks now. I wear a snazzy face mask and so do most of my fellow travellers but you do see people who are mask-less.

The main source of trauma is the attitude of the people brought in to manage the one way system at Leeds they are not familiar with.  The station is fairly empty and as I have to change trains there I am sometimes directed in completely the wrong direction by these helpful souls, but you just have to suck it up I suppose.

Some people do get very nervous about the idea of infection (of any sort) and in some it borders on a phobia. This is a mental health issue and should be dealt with (hopefully sympathetically) under your organisations mental health policies.

Hopeful, can you post a link to the Scottish guidance you mention please?  I haven't found much at all directed at businesses in Scotland.  It seems to be mostly just "Stay at home"!

For many people any sort of infection is a health disaster, so not so much a phobia, more self-preservation.

And public transport is right at the top of the table for places you are likely to become infected in/on.

"First of all, boroughs that do no contain any underground station seem to have incidence rates lower than than average 9.73 (per 100,000). The average ILI incidence in boroughs without underground is 7.61, while it is 10.24 in boroughs with underground station" https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih...pmc/articles/PMC6280530/

Originally Posted by: A Kurdziel

I have been using public transport not get to work for a few weeks now. I wear a snazzy face mask and so do most of my fellow travellers but you do see people who are mask-less.

The main source of trauma is the attitude of the people brought in to manage the one way system at Leeds they are not familiar with.  The station is fairly empty and as I have to change trains there I am sometimes directed in completely the wrong direction by these helpful souls, but you just have to suck it up I suppose.

Some people do get very nervous about the idea of infection (of any sort) and in some it borders on a phobia. This is a mental health issue and should be dealt with (hopefully sympathetically) under your organisations mental health policies.

Thanks for that link Hopeful - I have now learned my lesson that if guidance for my sector isn't available, look at the guidance that is available for something else!  Clearly a lot of the stuff applicable to manufacturing will also apply to other workplaces, commuting being a prime example.