Working from home vs office: is the pendulum swinging back?

Here at Charlie Waller Workplace, we’ve noticed an increase in discussion about where and how people work – particularly for those people who work in office-type roles*.

Is the pendulum swinging back towards more time in the office?

This blog post isn’t saying that one type of working is “better” than the other.  

There are plenty of discussions, opinions (and even some evidence-based research!) doing the rounds at the moment about important things such as attrition, productivity, personal development, teamwork, promotion.

What we want to do is simply fly the flag for considering people’s mental health and wellbeing when decisions are made, when risks are analysed and when legal requirements are assessed relating to where people are “asked” to work (or “told” as is happening in some cases now).

Here are some things to consider:

1. People with (and without) mental health conditions can thrive in different work locations. We are really wary of generalising here, and think that people must be considered as individuals. However, it is important to recognise that some people living with anxiety or depression (as example mental health conditions) will have thrived as a result of the control that a home work environment gives them. An alternative standpoint is that social isolation and the stress of not being able to get a quick answer to a question can negatively affect some people living with anxiety or depression.  How will you know how your people are affected? That’s an easier one to comment on...
2. Conversations about people’s mental health and wellbeing are needed. Here at Charlie Waller Workplace, the line managers we work with tell us that one of the biggest barriers to having a conversation about someone’s mental health is the fear of “saying the wrong thing”.  Whilst perfectly understandable, they can be trained and supported to have positive conversations
3. Not many people appreciate being told what do to – and it can cause stress. “Control” is one of the 6 Health and Safety Executive stress management standards.  People are less likely to experience stress when they have a say in the way they do their work. We recommend helping people have a sense of control over the decisions that will directly affect them – even if the decision is not ultimately something they agree with.
4. Young people joining the workforce may need extra support. The generation of people now entering the workforce has had its school, college or university time disrupted by the pandemic. Whatever working patterns and locations you choose, supporting the transition from education or training into the workplace is fundamental to giving the best start in their working lives.  We recommend that organisations have a specific strategy and plan to support the mental health and wellbeing of this group of people.
5. Don’t forget about the Equality Act (2010). Mental health is one of the protected characteristics covered by this act – it is there to support employees as well as employers. Someone doesn’t have to have a diagnosis of a mental health condition to be protected by the Act. A poorly thought-out plan, imposed on employees with mental health conditions runs the risk of contravening the act.

We’d like to think that you will carry out risk assessments for the big decisions your organisation takes. Your key assets are your people.

They generate your income, make your products or deliver your service (and are expensive to replace).

So why run the risk of harming their mental health and wellbeing or run the risk of them leaving, when you are making your decisions on where and how they work?

* We think it is important and interesting to note that the debate about where people work seems to be dominated by those who work in typically 'white collar'[ professions. The June statistics from the Office for National Statistics tell us that only 14% of people work entirely from home, 41% don’t work from home and travel to work, and 26% both worked from home and travelled to work. We strongly believe promoting and supporting positive mental health is not just the preserve of white collar professions! Perhaps we are guilty of adding to this bias with this blog post?

Charlie Waller Workplace supports organisations of all sizes and from all sectors to value the mental health of its employees. We do this through our whole organisation approach – working with leaders, line managers and all employees.