How should social landlords continue to manage remote working after lockdown?

Some housing associations may have been ahead of the curve in this respect. Halton Housing, for example, ensured employees had laptops and mobile phones, rather than dedicated desks, even before lockdown was implemented.

However, it now seems that the pandemic has accelerated a shift to agile working across the sector and in other sectors as well. It has taken the decision out of the hands of those employers and employees who were previously reluctant to embrace this flexibility.

The benefits of home working are palpable for employers and employees. They include:

• Reduced office costs (including office space and equipment)
• Environmental benefits (as less commuting amounts to less pollution)
• A wider talent pool
• Enhanced employer brand
• Higher morale
• Improved staff retention

Employers which are willing to be flexible in order to accommodate employees’ outside commitments will encourage loyalty from existing staff and it could help to attract future talent.

A knock-on effect of a more flexible approach may also occur in relation to gender equality. Lockdown has resulted in a large proportion of the workforce balancing childcare alongside normal working commitments. Employers have therefore had to be flexible in allowing, for example, staff to work early mornings and evenings in place of the traditional ‘9am to 5pm’.

If this attitude is carried forward into life after the coronavirus pandemic, we may see fewer women sacrificing their career prospects in favour of starting a family.

Given the success of agile working, many employees may now be reluctant to give it up and will want flexible working to continue in a post-lockdown world. This may be welcome news for housing associations, whose progressive attitude towards flexible working in the past may mean they are better placed than employers in other sectors to adapt to this change going forward.

A forward-thinking approach to remote working is not without its challenges. Employers and employees should consider:

• Any technical barriers to effective working
• The need for supervision to ensure development
• The risk of a no clear divide between home life and work life
• The impact on workflow and the ability to work as a team

Some quick fixes may be available to mitigate some of these challenges, such as ensuring that IT is up to date and having regular supervision and team meetings with those working remotely.

However, the most problematic may be the lack of adequate separation between work and home. This could disproportionately affect the most conscientious employees and risk burnout, as a result of failing to take breaks and working too many hours.

To manage this, employers may wish to encourage a ‘normal’ amount of daily hours, even if these are not taken at a traditional time. They should also be mindful of workloads and managers should ask for regular updates and feedback.

Following lockdown it is likely that many employers will be faced with new requests for flexible working. It is worth remembering that employers should not take a blanket approach but rather consider the circumstances of each case.

However, in light of the past six weeks, many employers may find it more difficult to refuse these requests going forward. This may be a particular issue where flexible working was previously refused on the basis that the job cannot be done remotely, which the current situation has proved otherwise.

Housing associations should have remote working policies and guidance in place which addresses a number of the questions that might arise in relation to home working. This includes:

• How employees can make a formal flexible working request
• How health and safety requirements are being met
• Guidance on the access, handling and disposal of personal data
• Maintaining client confidentiality

Siobhan Fitzgerald, employment partner, TLT