‘Based-at-home’ working –mixing working from home and working in the field
Working from home is on the rise. The UK reached a peak of homeworking in 2020, due to the COVID pandemic and a national lockdown, with 43% of workers carrying out the majority of their job at home. What’s more, with nearly 70% of new homeworkers reporting that they were more productive or just as productive as in the office, many companies are embracing home working as a long term solution.
But what about those who are using their home as a base, but who often have to work outside of the office? Estate agents, property managers, health and social care workers, agricultural professionals and many other workers may combine lone working in the field (such as making a house visit) with working from home (such as admin work and taking video calls). What new challenges face these ‘based-at-home’ workers?
The risks of working without an office
As of 2018 (according to PropertyNotify), 2.66 million people “work in different places but with their home as a base” (a rise of 200,000 compared to ten years earlier). Post-pandemic, we can assume this number to be much higher.
This type of home-based working may pose different risks than similar roles based around a central office. Why? Well, for many lone workers, returning to an office can offer an informal ‘checking in’ opportunity. Bosses and coworkers usually notice if a staff member doesn’t return from an out-of-office trip but if something were to happen whilst a home-based worker was in the field, it may take longer for their absence to be noted.
Take, for instance, the tragic case of estate agent Suzy Lamplugh –who famously disappeared (and has since been presumed murdered) whilst making a routine house visit. Suzy Lamplugh’s disappearance was first flagged when she failed to return to the office after her scheduled appointment. If Suzy had of been working at home alone, how long would it have taken for someone to notice her absence? These risks are something employers must consider.
What can be done to keep based-at-home workers safe?
Based-at-home workers can experience all the risks of typical lone workers, without the visibility of being based in an office or central hub. Here are some things employers can do to mitigate these risk:
1. Keep in contact with your staff
Isolation can be a big issue for home-workers and lone workers alike. Make time for regular check-in calls and utilise technology that allows staff to keep in touch on the go. This will help their physical and mental wellbeing.
2. Create a risk assessment
All companies need risk assessments and should update them regularly. Staff who are working alone or working with clients should be given particular attention as they are commonly associated with worker injury.
3. Treat the ‘home office’ like ‘the office’
According to the Health and Safety Executive, matters such as comfortable and safe working environments are just as important at home, as they are in the office.
4. Know where your staff are and whether they’re safe
If your staff were to be injured in the field, how would you know? If they failed to come back to their home office, who would notice? Consider using a staff protection and organisation solution, such as Safepoint. With Safepoint, staff use an app on their phone to make tasks ‘such as driving to site’ or ‘client meeting’, which can be monitored by their supervisors. The tasks are timed and, if the staff member is unable to check-in as safe in that time, an alert is sent out. Solutions like these can make keeping track of your based-at-home stuff much easier.
In conclusion
We can safely assume that remote working will continue to be popular, long after the pandemic is no longer a threat. What this means for those based-at-home workers, who have to juggle the home office and face-to-face commitments is still to be seen.
Whatever happens, it’s important that employers think about their staff’s long term wellbeing. Without a central office to report back to, many remote workers may face higher risks –but improved communication, connection, and organisation can help.
Want to see how you can keep your team protected and organised while they’re on the move?