The Rise of Remote and Hybrid Work
Remote and hybrid working is now firmly part of working life across almost every sector and business size. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), in January 2026, 38% of workers in the UK were working remotely or in some kind of hybrid pattern – 25% hybrid and 13% fully remote.
Yet despite this shift, many employers still aren’t aware that their health and safety duties apply exactly the same at home as in the workplace. That’s the reminder from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in its latest guidance
Employers Responsibilities Don’t Change
HSE is clear: employers have the same legal responsibilities to look after home workers as they do for office‑based staff. This isn’t optional guidance. It’s the law.
HSE highlight three key areas where employers should focus:
- Stress and mental health – Checking in regularly, talking about workload and capacity and ensuring employees aren’t feeling pressure to work outside normal hours.
- Display screen equipment (DSE) – Helping employees avoid poor posture, eye strain or unsuitable workstation setups.
- The working environment – This includes accidents, emergencies and lone working, making sure staff know what to do and that their home setup is free from obvious risks like damaged equipment or trailing wires.
HSE emphasises that in most cases, keeping people safe at home is straightforward. Employers usually don’t need to visit employees’ homes to carry out these duties.
Practical Steps Employers Can Take
Barbara Hockey, from HSE’s Engagement and Policy Division, explains that while home working brings benefits for both employers and employees, it needs the right foundations in place.
In practice, this means:
- Regular, human conversations – Keeping in touch, asking how people are doing and discussing workload and training needs.
- Supporting healthy boundaries – Ensuring no one feels compelled to work extensive hours just because they’re at home.
- Encouraging simple workstation checks – Things like confirming equipment isn’t damaged and clearing obstructions to avoid trips and falls.
- Clear guidance for emergencies – Everyone should know what steps to take if something goes wrong while working alone at home.
It’s a reminder that good health and safety management isn’t about creating red tape; it’s about staying connected, supportive and practical.
Free HSE Guidance
HSE provides free, practical resources to help organisations of all sizes carry out home‑working risk assessments and understand their legal obligations. These can be found at hse.gov.uk.
If you’d like help reviewing your home‑working policies, assessing risks or supporting employee wellbeing, we’re here to help. Please email tcms@thomas-carroll.co.uk and our specialists will be happy to help.
