Home Working

This guidance is for staff who have agreed with their line manager that occasional/temporary home working can be undertaken for short periods to complete specific agreed pieces of work or following an agreement to work dynamically.

Home working would normally be undertaken for specific reasons, such as:
• to support a disability or temporary medical condition
• during adverse periods of weather
• temporary caring duties

Home working means performing your normal University work for the agreed hours from your home rather than your normal workplace.

Workstation

The University campus remains your main work base, therefore, the University will not normally provide you with additional IT equipment, phone, broadband connection or furniture to work from home. Remember, as an employee you still have the same health and safety responsibilities as you do at work. This means you must still ensure the equipment you are using is fit for purpose, is safe and suitable, you are taking reasonable care of your own health and safety, and are able to achieve a comfortable, sustainable posture while working with DSE.

Setting up your workstation correctly at home is equally as important as when you are in the office, and the same principles apply. If you are working from home you need to complete a Display Screen Self-Assessment, and should refamiliarise yourself with the principles to ensure you have the best setup you can manage with what you have. You might find yourself without an adjustable chair, maybe you can create a better standing desk on the kitchen worksurface or use everyday household items to create a better position, such as cushions as a foot rest, a rolled-up towel as a lumbar support or some books to raise your screen.

Remember: A poor workstation can result in physical musculoskeletal disorders, visual tiredness and fatigue and mental stress. Recheck your workstation by following these videos:

    HSE Workstation set up at home and in the office - good posture

    Laptop Ergonomics - Basic Tips - Laptop Use at Home

Additional Items to Note

Electrical equipment - Staff are required to undertake frequent visual user checks of electrical equipment, extension leads, plugs and sockets used for home working.

Slips and trips - Just as on-site make sure you keep your working area clear of obstructions and trailing cables etc.

Incidents - If you have an incident at home due to the work activity you are undertaking or with the equipment you've been provided with, please remember to fill out an Incident Form.

IT Guidance on Working from Home

For staff who do not require access to secure data there should be no significant technical obstacle to working from home. IT Services have provided a list of tasks you can perform off campus and some great advice on accessing programs and even poor internet connection help.

The Working Day

1. Try to set up a dedicated ‘work area’, clear of clutter and ready distractions.
2. If you can, work by natural light and set up away from bright artificial light.
3. Get up and dress as if going to work (even if comfy clothes) - it separates work from home.
4. It is easy to become engrossed in work without realising you have not moved for a while. Move around often. The more ‘makeshift’ your set-up, the more important it is for you to move.
5. If you have a good set-up, take a break for 5-10 minutes every hour. If you do not, take more regular breaks every 20-30 minutes.
6. Avoid eye fatigue by changing focus or blinking from time to time. Check out the 10 hacks for fighting digital eye strain.
7. Get up and do some stretching exercises, such as these - Workstation Exercises.
8. Set lunch and tea break times. Stick to these and take them away from your ‘work area’.

Keeping in Touch

Even though working from home has its perks, you also need to stay in regular contact with your Manager and your colleagues whilst working from home. Use the technology available to stay in touch with colleagues and your manager e.g. emails, phone calls, FaceTime, WhatsApp.

Further Information