Working from home has become an expected perk for many employees; but this flexibility has brought with it the challenges of ensuring the wellbeing of remote staff.

With this marked change in working practises, we have conducted research into the health benefits and drawbacks that stem from home working, to ensure that businesses have the information they need to support their staff.

Staff members are 10 per cent more likely to sustain injuries when working from home than those working in a more ‘traditional’ environment. The most common issues experienced by home-workers were backache and neck pain, probably due to improper working set ups.  

Those working from home confessed to many health and safety crimes that would be prohibited within the workplace, such as hunching over while working (50%) and working from their sofa or bed (40%). These bad habits increase the risk of musculoskeletal injury and can cause damage to posture, along with neck or back pain. 

Despite these drawbacks, our study found that working from home also comes with a range of health benefits. The flexibility of home working means that three in five (58%) are able to build exercise into their day, and the same proportion say they eat more healthily. Two thirds (66%) say they are able to table regular breaks of their work area, which is good for both mental and physical health.

Employers are generally supportive of home working, and want to ensure their staff is able to work safely and efficiently. Without direct access to their employees, how can employers ensure workers are looking after their wellbeing?

Two in five (38%) say their employer has helped them to ensure they have a suitable home-based workspace, but we, at Bupa, have also created a checklist to support employers and their remote employees:

• Work in a room with adequate light so you don’t have to strain your eyes

• Sit in a chair where your feet can reach the floor, or are supported by a footrest

• Ensure your monitor is at least an arm’s length away from you and the top of the monitor is at eye level

• Try to use a hands-free phone line and avoid typing/writing with a phone between your ear and shoulder, as this can lead to neck problems

• Try to break more regularly than you would in an office as your posture is likely to be worse at home, ideally every 20 – 30 minutes

• Make time to stretch out to avoid stiffness, particularly if you spend a long period of time in the same position