Being ‘pinged’ is becoming part of everyday language as large numbers of people have been contacted by the NHS Covid-19 app. With employees returning to the office, how can an employer effectively manage staff who are contacted to self-isolate?
There are no doubt pros to working from home for staff – the commute is shorter and cheaper, staff don’t need to worry about parking, and they can have a homemade lunch every day. However, if staff are remote working all the time, is there a risk they could feel disadvantaged and be treated less favourably at home? Could you lose valuable staff who become isolated or feel undervalued at home?
When an employee leaves a business, it’s not always as harmonious as we would like it to be. When it goes wrong, a contentious exit can result in unnecessary cost, stress and high emotions for both parties which can have a damaging effect on the businesses reputation and the remaining team.
We all know how costly employee absence can be but the opposite, presenteeism, can be equally damaging and it’s on the rise, exacerbated by the Covid pandemic.
One thing that has definitely reduced for most businesses during Covid are expense claims. It remains a thorny issue though. The refurbishment of Boris Johnson’s flat at No10 at certainly caused some heated debate about expenses. So, how will things work though when we have a full return to the workplace for some but remote working for others?