From next month, employees will no longer be required to work from home ‘wherever possible’ as per current government guidance.
Instead, Boris Johnson has announced today (17 July 2020) that employers will be allowed to have more discretion to determine where their staff work from, and can require them to return to their workplaces, provided that it is safe to do so and the premises are ‘COVID secure’.
Mr Johnson emphasised that it is not for government to decide how employers should run their businesses, noting that for many companies working from home may continue to be a viable option.
However, for those who want their staff to return to their usual workplace, it was emphasised that consulting with them would be important.
Many employees remain very nervous about the prospect of returning to work, particularly if they would be required to travel on public transport, so discussing their concerns and if possible putting in place measures to allay any fears, will be important.
For further advice about how to make your workplace COVID secure or how to get employees back to work, please contact a member of our Employment Team on 0345 646 0406 or fill in our online enquiry form and a member of the Team will be in touch.