On 22 September 2020, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that, in England, office workers 'should work from home if they can', aside from in roles where this is not possible. This has been the situation for workers in Scotland and Wales since lockdown was implemented in March and has not changed. Organisations should therefore bear this in mind when making plans to reopen the workplace. We will update guidance and tools as necessary in line with commentry from the government.
As lockdown measures are relaxed in the coming weeks and months, the toolkit below lists all new and existing content to help manage staff who are coming back to work.
There are a number of areas that organisations will need to consider when reopening. This extends not only to social distancing and hygiene measures but also managing staff concerns and being mindful of their mental health.
As organisations start to reopen, we will be regularly reviewing and updating this toolkit.
- England's plans on reopening businesses
- Scotland's plans on reopening businesses
- Wales' plans on reopening businesses
Reopening the workplace guidance
- How to conduct remote interviewing
- How to be a carer friendly employer
- Coronavirus plan for business recovery employment implications
- How to manage reopening the workplace
- How to manage a temporary period of homeworking
- Right to request flexible working
- Disciplinary and grievance procedures
- Holiday entitlement and pay
Tools
- Letter to remind employees to book and take their holiday leave entitlement before the end of the 2020 leave year
- Letter to recall employee to workplace due to easing or lifting of lockdown
- Letter inviting an employee to a consultation meeting to discuss proposal to vary terms and conditions of employment due to COVID-19
- Letter on agreement of variation of contract due to COVID-19
- Placing staff on agile working policy
- Visitor questionnaire
- Model homeworking agreement
- Record of returning to the workplace after lockdown
- Letter to end furlough due to easing or lifting of lockdown
- Letter of eligibility that employee cannot work from home
- Letter to amend start/finish times due to shift staggering
- Letter advising that a temporary period of homeworking is to continue
- Letter confirming carry over of annual leave into the next leave year
- Letter inviting an applicant to an interview with COVID-19 social distancing measures in place
- Letter informing staff that the workplace is to reopen and safety provisions in place
- Letter to staff who refuse to return to work due to COVID-19 concerns
- COVID-19 general workplace safety risk assessment
- Returning to work after lockdown checklist
Staff mental health guidance