DANIEL GORRY: Tips on returning to the workplace after working from home in the Highlands and Islands

As more businesses attempt to bring staff back into the workplace, resistance from employees is becoming a widespread challenge.

Mental health and work are intertwined, and improved mental health is a commonly cited benefit of working from home. While some are eager to return to the office for a sense of routine, better work/life separation and social interaction, others have found that working from home has been productive for their overall wellness. This has allowed for better balance, reducing stress and giving them more control over their working day. The latter camp may be disinclined to give this up.

Mental health is an important topic and one which should be taken seriously. An employee in this situation should be invited to a meeting to discuss the nature of their mental health issue (if any), the perceived benefit of working from home and conversely, the perceived or anticipated negative impact of returning to the workplace. The employee should be encouraged to speak openly and honestly, and as the employer, you should primarily ask questions instead of giving opinions.

You can use the opportunity to discuss your organisation’s mental health strategy with the employee to help demonstrate that you take your obligations in this regard seriously. Do you have mental health first aiders? Are there any policies dealing specifically with mental health? Do you offer an employee assistance programme? These options should be available to the employee if so. It is likely to be far more constructive to encourage the employee back to the workplace rather than forcing their hand: the more appealing you can make the workplace seem, the easier it will be to achieve the employee’s buy-in.

Fundamentally, however, the employee’s contractual place of work is for the employer to determine. It would be difficult for an employee to argue, for example, that they had acquired a permanent contractual right to work from home through custom and practice – just because they have done so continuously throughout the pandemic – especially if the employer always maintained that this was a temporary reactional measure in line with government advice. Keep in mind that if you’re dealing with an employee who has a genuine mental health condition – as opposed to an employee who feels their general wellbeing has improved because of a better work-life balance. Monitoring the situation is vital.

You should also ensure the individual is well supported and doesn’t start to feel isolated. An assertion that their mental health is better at home may actually be born from an anxiety around or difficulty in going out. This is a complex subject matter that cannot be taken lightly. Again, if a condition exists, occupational health will be a real support in assessing the situation and determining what’s best for both the individual and the organisation.

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