‘Work from home’ guidance is now back in force in England, after Boris Johnson announced the implementation of ‘Plan B’ restrictions.

As a result, there have been calls to businesses, urging them not to forget the challenges that previous periods of remote working created.

“From Monday you should work from home if you can. Go to work if you must but work from home if you can,” Johnson said.

Mask wearing is now mandatory for staff and customers in most indoor public spaces, including theatres, hairdressers and places of worship. Mask wearing, as of today (15 December), is not compulsory in pubs, restaurants or gyms where this would be deemed impractical. NHS Covid Passes are now needed to attend large events as part of ‘Plan B’. The additional restrictions are on top of the rules last week, including changes to self-isolation, and the re-introduction of mask-wearing on public transport and in shops.

Commenting on the announcement, Peter Cheese, chief executive of the CIPD, said many businesses were well-placed to return to remote working.

“Reducing the number of people in workplaces when they can work from home is the sensible thing to do while infections are climbing and we’re still learning about Omicron, keeping individuals safe and businesses staffed,” he said.

Where home working is not possible, other courses of action include implementing other measures, such as flexible hours and staggered work times to help avoid both overcrowded workplaces and commutes. Another key Businesses should also continue to support employees in getting vaccinated. Some of the most straightforward ways of encouraging vaccination could be through providing flexible working, or paid time off to attend appointments. Talk to us today if your business is affected by any of the issues in this article!

Original article here