Lawyers warn of working from home pitfalls

Before unchaining staff from office desks and sending them off to work from home (WFH) there are a variety of potential pitfalls and precautions employers need to be aware of, lawyers have warned.

The practicalities of connecting to the office can be a problem - as silicon.com discovered during its recent WFH experiment - and employers need to work out how any computer equipment will be maintained, according to law firm Bristows.

Bosses should also enforce a trial period to see if the homeworking set-up is a success, with a 'right to revert' clause put in the employee's contract.

Jennifer Armstrong, associate with law firm Bristows, said if a company decides to bring an employee back into the office - whether for a meeting or permanently - then that employee must be consulted to explain the reasons why and given sufficient notice to prepare to return to the workplace.

How could you improve your homeworking set-up?

Read silicon.com's top 10 tips for working from home here.

The employee's contract also needs to be changed to reflect the homeworking set-up - with factors such as different work hours or changes to salary or benefits to be considered.

Armstrong, speaking at a seminar entitled 'Life at Work: Some Areas of Conflict', added company benefits should remain the same whether homeworking or not - for example, if an employee cannot use the office gym because they are now working from home then compensation should be awarded if possible.

Companies should also provide WFH workers with additional security on their computers and shredders so important paper documents do not fall into the wrong hands, either maliciously or accidentally through friends and family picking up a highly confidential company report by mistake.

Regular contact and appraisals with homeworkers are also important to make sure the employee does not feel abandoned and is reminded of the company's culture.

Armstrong said: "Once [WFH workers] are out of sight they can be out of mind too which can be isolating and lead to stress and depression."

The health and safety of a homeworking employee is still a company's responsibility too and Bristows recommends a full risk assessment of a person's working environment with a provision for accident reporting and first aid in the employee's home.

She added: "Do not assume the employee will understand the difference between a live wire and a non live wire."

And, finally, make sure there is a 'right to enter' clause in case the relationship between employer and employee goes sour. Armstrong said: "A company may not be able to get back into an employee's home to get their equipment without one."