Lockdown Guidance for Employers – Physical Health

On 6th January 2021, England officially entered a third full-scale lockdown, alongside similar measures in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. As with the previous two lockdowns, employees should only attend the workplace if they are unable to work from home. For much of the working population, this therefore means that employees should return to their work from home set up. Schools will also be closed during this period for all except the children of Keyworkers, meaning working parents will also face the responsibility of caring for and educating their children during the day.

Many employees may be feeling a sense of pressure, confusion or despair and it is therefore important to make adjustments in order to not only help employees but allow them room to express these concerns. Due to the closure of schools, any employees who are parents may need special adjustments to be made to their working hours to allow for childcare.

Now, more than ever, employees’ physical and emotional wellbeing should be of the highest priority as it will ensure that employees remain capable of performing their roles and responsibilities effectively. The most effective way to safeguard employees’ wellbeing is by regular communication.

It is difficult to predict how different employees will react to the change of circumstances - for some, there may be no change and they will thrive with working from home, for others, it may take some extra support for them to become comfortable with the adjustment. Being adaptive and innovating new ways to prioritise employee wellbeing will help to secure brand longevity and keep employees motivated during this challenging time. This should provide a roadmap for a smooth transition back to the office once lockdown restrictions are lifted.

It is likely that some employees will become unwell during lockdown, especially as exposure to Coronavirus has increased given the rise in cases and the new, more infectious, strain of the virus. Employees may be unwell with other illnesses too, which should not be overlooked.

Some employees may feel reluctant to inform their managers if they feel unwell, particularly given that employees will not need to leave the house to attend the office. It may therefore appear easier to work from home when ill and not take time off for illness. This practice should be discouraged because unwell employees will not work efficiently, and full rest is the best way to overcome illness and get employees back to work more quickly.

Employers may consider whether their current staff sickness policy is reflective of the times and can decide on a case by case basis whether to pay employees for any sickness absence, in line with their sickness absence policy. Please note that you may not furlough staff because they are ill. The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme may only be used for those for whom there is no work, and not for those who would be off work anyway. For more information on statutory sick pay, please see the following link: https://www.gov.uk/statutory-sick-pay.

Working from home may also present other physical maladies such as repetitive strain injury (RSI). Employees should be encouraged to make the space they choose to work in is as ergonomic as possible. This can be done using the following guidelines:

1. Posture – One of the most important methods of avoiding neck shoulder and back strain is by creating a work environment that supports good posture. Employees should choose to work in a chair which allows their feet to be flat on the floor (i.e. not swinging in the air), with plenty of room between knees and the bottom of the desk and the back of the chair should be upright. A firm cushion can also be placed on the seat or behind the small of the back; The keyboard of the computer or laptop should be placed on a desk or a table top where the employee does not need to hunch over it in order to work. A separate keyboard can be purchased to facilitate a more ergonomic set up; c. The screen of the computer or laptop should be at eye-level, which can be achieved using a sturdy box with the appropriate height, a stack of books, or a laptop stand. Most computer monitors should come with an adjustable stand so that the screen height can be moved to suit.

2. Eye Breaks – For every 20 minutes spent looking at a screen, 20 seconds should be spent looking at something further away, to balance between long and short distant vision. There are also anti-glare screens which can be purchased to place over laptop screens to filter blue light and glare from laptop and computer screens.

3. Movement – Regular breaks from a sitting position are essential to ergonomic working, so getting up and walking around for a short time every so often should also be encouraged.

Managers should make a written record of any and all health complaints made by employees and take these complaints very seriously. Employees should be reminded of the support available to them, not only from their own doctors but from employee occupational health programmes which employers have put in place.

Putting measures in place to ensure employees don’t become unwell should be a priority for employers both during the pandemic and beyond. Supporting employees through physical illness is a perquisite to ensuring employees will thrive long-term.

If you have questions regarding further support for employees, please contact us via our contact page.