Some employers may struggle to interpret the updated guidelines around working from home. ‘Effectively’ could be deemed ambiguous so it’s important that, where possible, they seek legal advice if they are unsure whether to keep employees working from the business premises. This is often included as part of an insurance policy with legal expenses attached.

The UK Government advice states that:

This is to be taken subjectively, in respect of having access to the right equipment, working from home circumstances and mental health, rather than things like collaboration, motivation and productivity. The latter are the responsibility of the employer.

Employers should be mindful that the guidelines also state that ‘extra consideration should be given to those people at higher risk.’³ So employers who aren’t sure should most likely allow their employees to work from home.

We’ve put together a list of ideas, some of which have been used internally at Allianz, for helping to improve wellbeing in a working from home environment:

• Open dialogue about wellbeing and mental health
• Regular video calls for informal catch-ups
• Fun activities to maintain team spirit, such as:
  - Virtual pub quizzes
  - Virtual book club
  - Virtual lunch and learn sessions
  - Virtual desk yoga and other wellbeing activities
• Working from home care packages or hampers
• Regular updates from senior management
• Dedicated Covid-19 related business updates
• Mind, Allianz’s corporate charity, has a host of useful materials on its website that can provide further support and ideas, including virtual fundraising.

With uncertainty around how long some of us will be working from home for, ensuring a continued focus on employee’s wellbeing and maintaining engagement should be a priority for employers as we navigate this time. If you’d like further information, check out our Coronavirus resource hub.