Answered by Mental Health Consultant Johan Pastarus:
Remote work and home offices have become an integral part of the modern world of work, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. While a home office offers flexibility for employees, it also presents certain challenges for both employees and employers. A home office is a working environment where it is very difficult for the employer to assess risk factors and ensure the safety of the employee. Allowing work in a home office and ensuring a safe and secure environment there is an agreement between the employer and the employee, which requires mutual trust.
A home office may seem like a simple and convenient solution at first glance, but it also carries certain risks. On the employer’s premises, the employer is able to ensure the safety of employees in the office and establish a working environment that complies with current occupational health legislation. This is not possible in a home office. The employer does not see the employee’s working environment, so it is difficult to check the working conditions.
First of all, it should be emphasised that the term ‘home office’ combines two contrasting notions – ‘home’ and ‘office’ –, which should already alert us to certain risks. In the case of a home office, it must be taken into account that work penetrates the private space of the employee, which can affect their private life and mental health. As humans, we react to our environment, and if the bedroom becomes a meeting room, this can inevitably affect sleep if the employee cannot get work out of their mind.
On the other hand, we need to consider the employer. Workspaces on the employer’s premises can be regulated by the employer and their representatives, making sure that the working environment meets the requirements of the Occupational Health and Safety Act. In the case of a home office, however, the employer does not see where the work is actually carried out. Such a blind corner can pose a risk both for the employee and the employer, who is responsible for ensuring that the workspace meets regulatory standards. Thus, working in a home office is inevitably built on trust.
There are many ways to maintain trust, which should be done both technically and socially. In case of a home office arrangement, a request for remote work should be made in advance, and this request should be confirmed by both parties. The employee should confirm the ergonomics, safety and security of the workplace, as well as availability during working hours. The role of the employer is to provide the employee working from home with the knowledge about how to work ergonomically and safely and who can be contacted in case of concerns.
A new psychosocial risk in the home office is working alone for long periods of time, which can lead to social isolation. This, in turn, can affect the employee’s perception of their work and employment relationships. The employer should take measures to involve the employee working from home more actively in social interactions. Online meetings may offer some sort of a solution, but contact often remains superficial. To avoid conflict and misunderstandings, it is important to keep interpersonal relationships alive – communication only through emails and text messages can lead to communication problems due to the lack of body language and emotional context in the interpretation of messages. In summary, conflicts can arise with a person working alone due to misunderstandings caused by a lack of communication.
Maintaining trust in a home office arrangement requires the cooperation of the employee and the employer. The employer's role is to ensure that the employee knows how to protect their health during working hours, and also to provide support in creating suitable working conditions at home. The employee’s task is to follow the employer’s instructions, maintain professional communication and, if necessary, come to the physical working environment to resolve misunderstandings. In this way, conflicts can be avoided and trust can be maintained also in case of remote work.
