A new LSE report explores the behavioural biases that might impact inclusivity in hybrid working. It is intended to help organisations prepare for the post-COVID “new normal” where some workers will work on site and others from home. For some firms this will mean sequential attendance of employees on-site. For others, it will be decided who works on-site full-time depending on their job. Either way, a move towards hybrid working, where some employees communicate face to face and others online poses challenges for inclusivity.

The report, Hybrid Working: A Dictionary of Behavioural Biases, is published by The Inclusion Initiative, a new LSE research centre using behavioural science insights to advance our understanding of the factors that enhance inclusion at work.

Dr Grace Lordan said: “As director of The Inclusion Initiative I am very interested in hearing from firms who are having these discussions, and in particular to learn of any safeguards to the biases raised in this document that are already being put in place. Overall, I view this dictionary as an excellent step in opening such conversations, and I hope it inspires some readers to monitor the issues that we raise so that hybrid working does not have winners and losers, but rather makes possible the equalisation of opportunities.”

Read it here: https://www.lse.ac.uk/PBS/Research/tii/assets/documents/Hybrid-Working-report.pdf

According to a report published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), an estimated 555,000 workers sustained non-fatal injuries in 2018.

Workplace health and safety hazards can be costly – to lives and the bottom line – but the good news is that they are largely preventable if you take the right precautions.

There is a long list of things to think about and it all starts with a risk assessment and review.

Download your free Risk Assessment Toolkit today to ensure you meet and surpass your health & safety legal requirements. Click here to download.

The HSE home working guidance is for anyone who employs home workers, including those who split their time between their workplace and home (also known as hybrid working).

It has been redesigned and expanded to provide more detail on straightforward actions to manage home workers’ health and safety and includes the risks of stress and poor mental health as well as working with display screen equipment (DSE).

 

A concrete supplier is fined after and agency worker contracted to work at its site suffered fatal injuries following a Tyre explosion. 

The contractor suffered fatal injuries when using an air hose/compressed air to inflate the tyre of an articulated wheel loader.

For further information about health & safety during Tyre inflation read the HSE free (PDF) leaflet.

Work-related stress is now the number one cause of employee sickness absence, with major factors including workload pressures – tight deadlines, too much responsibility and a lack of managerial support.

Working Minds is aimed specifically at supporting small businesses by providing employers and workers with advice that is easy to implement, including simple steps to introduce the principles of the stress management standards.

Find out more about the Working Minds campaign.

HSE issue safety notice following nine fatal vehicle-pedestrian collisions in the past four years involving wheeled loading shovels.

Six of the incidents were in the waste and recycling sector while the remainder involved wood chip.

Some were due to poor forward visibility, while others resulted from reversing. Larger capacity buckets had been fitted to some machines, further reducing forward visibility.

Before using wheeled loaders (or making changes to them), you should review your workplace transport risk assessments to ensure they will be safe to use in your environment and in the way that you intend to use them.

View the safety notice for full details.

Do you know the definition of a confined space?

A confined space is a place which is substantially enclosed (though not always entirely), and where serious injury can occur from hazardous substances or conditions within the space or nearby.

A number of people are killed or seriously injured in the UK each year in confined spaces.

Download a free copy of our ‘Safe work in confined spaces‘ publication, which explains the definition, gives examples and helps you put precautions in place for work to be carried out safely.