Return to work must be gradual and meet three key tests, says HR body the CIPD
The CIPD responds to the Prime Minister’s press conference on the return to work
The CIPD responds to the Prime Minister’s press conference on the return to work
“Today’s announcement signalled that the return to work will increasingly be at the employer’s discretion, but consultation with employees is essential to ensure they have a say in how and when they return.
“It’s vital that organisations consider the physical safety and mental wellbeing of their people before returning them to the existing workplace. They should first consider if they can meet three conditions: is it essential for them to be in the workplace to do their job, is it sufficiently safe and is it mutually agreed with workers. Even with those measures in place the return to workplaces must still be gradual so that social distancing can be maintained.
“A return to work doesn’t necessarily mean a return to the old workplace. A recent survey from CIPD shows employers, overall, report home workers are at least as productive as other workers and plan to double the proportion of staff who work from home regularly once the crisis is over compared to pre-pandemic levels. We have a long road ahead to get Britain back to work, but by engaging with staff and taking the time to think through workplace protections, businesses will be in a much better position to bring people back at the right time and in the right way.”
New CIPD research suggests many workers are anxious about returning to their normal place of work. The survey of 1080 employees by YouGov found:
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