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rebeccachurchman  
#1 Posted : 05 December 2023 09:58:41(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
rebeccachurchman

Hi, 

I know what I need to provide for contracted home workers and office workers, however I am struggling with hybrid workers.

Our office is very well equippped with large electronic sit-stand desks and 2 screens for every employee.  However, employees are starting to insist on having the exact same set up at home, each complaining of back pains and medical issues, in request for these.   

The employees are contracted to the office, however are allowed to work from home 3 days a week.  

Then if we purchase electronic sit-stand desks, how would we maintain them under PUWER. 

Holliday42333  
#2 Posted : 05 December 2023 11:09:29(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Holliday42333

Just to play Devils Advocate here; which legal duty compels you to have 'Large electronic sit-stand desks and 2 screens for every employee.'?

If you have defined these as a reasonably practicable control for the identified risk in your DSE Risk Assessment then you MAY be in a position of having to supply to hybrid workers.  Your DSE Risk assessment may conclude however it is not reasonably practicable to provide such controls to hybrid workers as there is a 'gross dispraportion' between the risk and the cost of supply and maintenance outside the office

This isn't really a legal duty issue, although I suspect that is the angle your bosses have aked you to consider..

For most employees the risk from modern DSE is very low and the reasonably practicable controls very simple in reality. 

What you seem to have is a very real expectation issue rather than legal duty of care issue.  This can only be resolved with a policy decision from inside your business.

I am a great advocate for hybrid working (and am currently doing just that) but my response would be that if an office contracted person could not create a suitable working environment at home then they should use your very well appointed office facilities.

thanks 1 user thanked Holliday42333 for this useful post.
peter gotch on 05/12/2023(UTC)
firesafety101  
#3 Posted : 05 December 2023 11:20:56(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
firesafety101

I ask if the twin screens were provided as Reasonable Adjustments for individuald under DSE and Equality Act?

If for individuals does everyoe get the same just because that can have it.

How would it be if you were to review your risk assessments and apply any new findings on an individual basis.

rebeccachurchman  
#4 Posted : 05 December 2023 11:38:12(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
rebeccachurchman

The large office sit-stand desks and twin screens were set up long before I started at the company. 

Originally Posted by: Holliday42333 Go to Quoted Post

Just to play Devils Advocate here; which legal duty compels you to have 'Large electronic sit-stand desks and 2 screens for every employee.'?

If you have defined these as a reasonably practicable control for the identified risk in your DSE Risk Assessment then you MAY be in a position of having to supply to hybrid workers.  Your DSE Risk assessment may conclude however it is not reasonably practicable to provide such controls to hybrid workers as there is a 'gross dispraportion' between the risk and the cost of supply and maintenance outside the office

This isn't really a legal duty issue, although I suspect that is the angle your bosses have aked you to consider..

For most employees the risk from modern DSE is very low and the reasonably practicable controls very simple in reality. 

What you seem to have is a very real expectation issue rather than legal duty of care issue.  This can only be resolved with a policy decision from inside your business.

I am a great advocate for hybrid working (and am currently doing just that) but my response would be that if an office contracted person could not create a suitable working environment at home then they should use your very well appointed office facilities.

achrn  
#5 Posted : 05 December 2023 12:16:12(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
achrn

Our policy is that all staff are permitted to work from home by default (we reserve the right to refuse permission), but it is the employee's choice to do so, and if they choose to do so they are responsible for supplying appropriate furniture, space, light, heat, power, internet connectivity and welfare facilities.  We do specify minimum requirements for the working space, furniture, connectivity (essentially they need to 'pass' the company workstation assessment).  If they are unwilling or unable to supply all of that, it's all ready and waiting for them in the office.  We have some recently started work staff living in shared houses / flats who don't have the space or furnuiture and work in the office 5 days a week. (FWIW, I wouldn't have been able to meet the requiremnts in the place I was living when I first started work.)

If someone wants to work from home, but their house isn't big enough to accomodate a suitable working environment, for example, we aren't going to supply a new house.  Where you draw the line is a matter for the business to decide, I think.  We have chosen not to provide furniture or internet connectivity - but you could decide otherwise. 

We do have some staff with sit/standing desks in the office (where a medical professional has recommended it), but those staff make their own arrnagements if they choose to work from home.

This only applies for staff who have a defined working place in the office.  If the business is requiring the person to work at home, they may reach a different conclusion about where their responsibility lies.  For a very few (I think two, currently) their official place of work (defined in their contract) is at home, and they potentially have a different arrangement - we have previously supplied a desk to someone in that situation. We also have odd special cases - there's one where we do pay for the internet connectivity (they didn't have it, we thought it worthwhile they could work from home).

We do supply the home IT equipment (which includes two 24" screens, or one larger screen - employee's choice, dock, keyboard, mouse, one multi-plug extension lead) and any user who has a non-standard one of these items for medical reasons (we have some non-standard mice, for example) gets the same for home as in the office.

thanks 2 users thanked achrn for this useful post.
peter gotch on 05/12/2023(UTC), melrogers on 07/12/2023(UTC)
Roundtuit  
#6 Posted : 05 December 2023 13:02:43(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Roundtuit

Personally I would take the opportunity for those with office contracts reporting these "DSE" envy pains they need to be in the office at all times so the employer can fully control the work station and equipment as it obviously requires additional supervision missing in their domestic environment.

Roundtuit  
#7 Posted : 05 December 2023 13:02:43(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Roundtuit

Personally I would take the opportunity for those with office contracts reporting these "DSE" envy pains they need to be in the office at all times so the employer can fully control the work station and equipment as it obviously requires additional supervision missing in their domestic environment.

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