With Work From Home Here to Stay, Employers Face New Challenges

When the coronavirus pandemic began and many offices were closed, most people expected that the crisis would last just two or three months. Clearly, that is not the case. As the virus drags on—and even once it does come to an end, whenever that may be—employers face the reality that a larger portion of their workforce will likely function remotely from now on.

In a recent article for Governing, author Aldo Svaldi examines two main challenges that employers now face in light of the long-term work from home reality.

1. The need for strong new guidelines

At the onset of the crisis, employers rapidly shifted their teams to remote work. This meant the creation of slap-dash policies. In light of the extended timeframe of work from home, employers should take the time to craft well thought out guidelines for their remote workers. They should be sure to cover areas such as attendance policy enforcement, incorporation of new members into company culture, and detection of employee burnout.

2. An expansion in liability

When it comes to liability and workman’s compensation, things get murky with employees working from home. The unfortunate reality for employers is that they are likely liable for injuries that happen during work hours, despite having little control over their employees’ work environments. Svaldi suggests that employers address safety issues by requiring that employees work from a dedicated, safe workplace in their home and issuing home office equipment that provides ergonomic support.

For further details, click here to read the article in full at Governing.