Working from home: hybrid and fully remote working

Information about setting up working from home arrangements, and managing and supporting remote and hybrid workers.

Updated: 1 April 2025

 

This guidance covers:

  • considerations for managers taking decisions on formal and informal requests from employees who wish to work for some or all of their hours from home
  • managing staff who work on hybrid or fully remote working arrangements.

A request to work from home for some or all of an employee’s hours is a type of flexible working request and, as with other flexible working arrangements, it may be requested informally or formally and be requested as a temporary or permanent change. Before reading this guidance, managers should read the guidance on considering informal and formal flexible working requests; this is particularly important if a formal flexible working application is made because there is a statutory timetable to respond to formal requests and the timescales are short.

This guidance is about the issues to be considered when making decisions about requests to work to a hybrid pattern or fully remotely. The procedure for decision-making is on the informal and formal flexible working pages. Hybrid and remote working falls into three typical patterns:

  • Regular hybrid working – a mixture of working from home and working on site, to a regular pattern, for example, 2 days at home and 3 days on site each week.
  • Regular fully remote working – an agreement for an employee to work all of their contracted hours from home. 
  • Occasional/ad hoc home working – for example, working at home whilst a car is serviced or a boiler is repaired, or whilst recovering from an illness/injury which makes attending on-site difficult.

For legal and tax reasons, if an employee is requesting to work from overseas, you must follow the guidance on overseas working before any remote working arrangement is agreed.

Note: Some of this guidance was previously provided under the New Ways of Working Framework. As working from home is now a ‘business as usual’ arrangement for many staff, relevant elements of the New Ways of Working Framework have now been incorporated into this guidance.

 

Introduction

This guidance provides additional support for managers when considering requests from members of staff to work from home. It should be read in conjunction with the guidance on considering informal and formal flexible working requests.

Consideration of requests for some form of hybrid or remote working should take account of the positive benefits which working on site can bring, such as in building strong working relationships and providing mentoring opportunities by working alongside colleagues.

Considerations

Each request for a change in the place or pattern of work should be assessed individually, considering both the operational needs of the role and the individual’s circumstances. It is essential that all requests are fairly considered and discussed with the employee, and it can take time to work out suitable arrangements.

After appropriate consideration, many hybrid working arrangements can be agreed informally, on a temporary or ongoing basis, through discussion between an individual and their line manager. Whilst temporary arrangements will be recorded and agreed, they do not result in a contract amendment and can be reversed at the department’s or employee’s request.

If it is not possible to approve a request, the employee must be given a clear explanation of the operational reasons for rejecting the request, via a conversation if at all possible and followed up in writing.

In some cases, a formal flexible working application will have to be made. This process follows statutory requirements, so departments must follow the process carefully to ensure the university complies with legal requirements. Templates for managing formal requests are available on the formal flexible working page.

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The flexibility to work from home can offer many benefits to both individuals and their departments. It can help staff to manage disabilities and long-term health conditions or caring responsibilities, and it may allow parents and carers to work longer hours than they could if working on-site all the time. This, in turn, can provide not just well-being and work-life balance benefits but can also allow staff to access a greater variety of roles and aid their career development. Offering hybrid or fully remote working can also allow departments to attract job candidates who might otherwise not apply due to disability or caring responsibilities, as well as those from a wider geographical area.

Managers will need to check at the outset whether their department has local policies in place on working from home (for example, some departments have a minimum on-site presence requirement reflecting local needs). They should take advice from their local HR contact if they have any queries or concerns.

Note: if the request is to work remotely from overseas there may be tax, social security and other legal implications, and the Head of Department must approve the request. The overseas working guidance must be consulted before any agreement is reached.

  • How does the employee’s role fit into the team? Does the team’s work mean that some level of on-site coverage is required every day of the week, and if so, would that still be possible if the request was granted? Could the employee adjust their preferred working pattern to ensure the necessary coverage? Or could team members themselves be invited to make suggestions as to how best to ensure the necessary coverage?
  • If the employee's role provides a service to colleagues, can they fulfil that role effectively if working from home for some or all of the time? Can colleagues make contact by e-mail or via MS Teams rather than meeting in person, and is this appropriate? Are there sensitivities or confidentiality issues which may make in-person contact more appropriate? Does the fact of the employee not being on site cause inconvenience or additional workload for colleagues or those to whom they provide a service?
  • Are there particular days when the employee needs to be on site, e.g. to attend particular in-person meetings, for team “anchor days” or some other clear operational reason? Could the employee adjust their preferred working pattern to take those days into account, for example, work on-site on Mondays and Wednesdays rather than Mondays and Tuesdays?
  • Does the nature of the role mean that the employee would have to be flexible about their days on site in order to cover emergencies, colleagues’ annual leave or sick leave, to attend specific events, etc? If so, it is important to get a clear agreement about this from the outset.
  • Does the department have a view on the amount of on-site presence that is required for particular roles? For example, whilst it would be feasible for many staff in admin roles to carry out most of their work remotely, the department may feel that a better service is provided by an on-site presence for a specific number of days per week, or consider that the benefits in terms of mentoring, training new staff and team cohesion require a minimum number of days on site. This is a legitimate reason to reject a request, even if it would be technically possible for the work to be carried out remotely.

  • Is the employee’s proposed home working space suitable? A Display Screen Equipment assessment must be undertaken in all cases to make sure their workstation meets health and safety requirements.
  • Are there any concerns, for example, around keeping confidential information secure, screens being overlooked or meetings being overheard by family members, or about distractions in the proposed workspace.
  • Does the employee have caring responsibilities for an adult or child that could be easier to manage with some remote working, whether temporary or longer term? Employees must not be caring for dependants during their working hours and are expected to be able to focus on their work undisturbed for their full contracted hours.
  • Does the employee have a particularly long or difficult commute, so that some remote working would be more efficient?
  • Are there or could there be effective means for the employee to communicate and stay in touch with their manager and colleagues when working from home?

Examples of roles which require attendance on-site might include receptionists, some estates staff, technicians, lab-based researchers, or student/customer-facing roles. If an employee in such a role wishes to have more flexibility, it may be appropriate for the department to support them in seeking an alternative role in the department or within the University (subject at all times to the local arrangements in place).

Does the employee have a disability where working from home for some, most, or all of the time might be considered a reasonable adjustment to enable them to perform in their role? Guidance on supporting disabled members of staff working from home is available below and there is comprehensive guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission on supporting disabled workers with hybrid working.

 

  • Are there any performance concerns or queries around staying motivated, time-management, or self-discipline while working away from colleagues and their line manager? Are there any measures that could be made to mitigate these, or relevant training courses that the employee could attend to develop these skills?
  • If the employee is new in the role, for example, would they be able to develop their skills as quickly or effectively if they are not working with others in the office?
  • For an existing member of staff, are they able to support others in the team more effectively (perhaps for a time-limited period) if they are working in the office more often?
  • An individual may have a preference to work to either a hybrid or fully remote pattern, but a line manager may have legitimate reasons to consider that they are not suited to working without direct supervision for at least some of their working week.

There are additional issues that must be considered if individuals wish to work overseas, including tax and social security implications. Line managers must read the guidance on overseas working and seek further advice before agreeing to a request. All overseas working must be approved by the head of department.

Care should be taken to manage any perceived unfairness. For example, one member of a team may be given permission to work from home more often than other team members due to a disability, but colleagues may be unaware of the disability. Whilst it would not be appropriate to disclose details of health or disability issues, managers can reasonably explain that there are legitimate reasons why one request has been granted but others have not.

Members of staff may choose to accompany their request with examples of where they believe other people in the University in similar roles have a flexible working arrangement. Each request should be judged on its own merits and, where necessary, support should be sought from local HR and HAFs.

Managing staff with flexible working arrangements

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Depending on the operational needs of the role a reasonable trial period for a new requested hybrid or fully-remote working pattern may be set and this should be for a period of time that allows an assessment of whether the arrangement is working well. You should build in a mid-way review point. If working from home/hybrid working has been requested by the staff member under the informal flexible working policy, agreement is voluntary and usually reversible at the employer's or employee's request. Any agreement should make clear the procedure for terminating or modifying the arrangements. Departments should seek advice from their HR Business Partner if in any doubt.

Employees have the same statutory rights when working from home as office-based employees.

They should have the same workload and performance standards as office-based employees and should receive the same information, support and news as comparable office-based colleagues.

They should also have the same access to training and career development opportunities as comparable office-based colleagues. The employee and their manager should consider whether the employee would benefit from any training related to working from home, for example, around using IT such as Microsoft Teams for video calls and remote/hybrid meetings. See the training and resources section below.

Departments should consider each case individually, and should agree all matters concerning equipment, liability and costs before the arrangement starts.

Where regular and frequent working from home is required for the role, then it is reasonable that the employer should provide and maintain equipment including a workstation if needed.

However, for most staff hybrid working is a personal preference rather than an operational requirement. Therefore, whilst the University should provide any IT equipment needed to work remotely and securely, the employee should be expected to be able to demonstrate that they have an appropriate work space meeting DSE requirements (see Health and Safety section below) for working from home, ie a desk space and chair. If equipment is needed on medical advice or because of a disability, or for a Health and Safety reason, the department should purchase it, following normal purchasing arrangements. If the equipment is to be used more than occasionally for domestic use, the department should seek advice from the tax team to make sure there are no tax implications.

There may be other exceptional circumstances in which a department considers it is appropriate to purchase home-working equipment. In such circumstances, it is important that any local policy is applied consistently.

In the very rare circumstances where the value of equipment purchased by the individual would be sufficient to bring their overall monthly income below the National Minimum Wage, please seek advice from the Reward Team before agreeing to the purchase.

Departments should keep a record of any equipment, files, and other work-related materials staff have taken home. Staff must be advised that all University-owned equipment and materials must be stored in a clearly identifiable way so that it can be easily returned. Files, documents, data, etc, must be stored securely and only accessed by the employee themselves. The staff member must take good care of equipment owned by the University and not use it unlawfully and return it to the University at the end of their employment.

Departments must establish whether the University’s contents insurance policy in place at the time will cover University equipment whilst it is being used for work in an employee's home. Defunct University-owned equipment should be replaced as it would be if the employee was working within a University office or building.

Items of equipment which are loaned to the employee to work at home must be kept safe and secure at all times.

The employee should check whether their home insurance covers working from home and the use of any personal equipment that will be used for work. Home-working employees are usually covered by the University's liability policies for accident or injury where it can be established that the University is legally liable for the damages arising from such accident or injury but departments should check the insurance terms in place at the time.

There is no entitlement to keep University equipment, no matter what age or condition, on leaving employment.

Working from home is likely to present different data protection and information security concerns to working on-site, including secure storage and disposal of data. Anyone working from home for any period of time must ensure that they are familiar with the IT Services’ guidance on working remotely and that they are up to date with the University’s mandatory Information Security and Data Protection training course.

The employer's health and safety obligations (and the duties of employees) extend to those who work from home. The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 imposes an overall duty on the University to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the health and safety of all its employees, and these obligations apply irrespective of the employee’s working base.

The employee should complete a Display Screen Equipment (DSE) self-assessment for each location they regularly work in, which includes their home set-up.

If it is clear that equipment needs to be purchased to enable the staff member to work from home safely, the manager should arrange for this. Departments must record the actions they take in response to these requirements, including any equipment which is loaned or bought for individuals, noting that these items will ultimately belong to the University. Employees must, therefore, take reasonable care of any specialist equipment purchased by the University and return it upon the conclusion of any period of home-working or the end of their employment.

Employees who work from home should understand that they might need to give access to their home so that compliance with health and safety obligations can be ensured.

Specific care may have to be taken in relation to the health and safety of family members, neighbours and visitors to the employee’s home.

Employees who work from home must report to the employer all equipment faults which may be a health hazard. Further advice is available from the Safety Office policy UPS S8/09.

University staff should make use of the University IT system to communicate with colleagues via MS Teams etc. Any costs incurred for making calls and reclaiming expenses outside of MS Teams must be checked with the line manager in advance. Further details of the expense process can be found on the University's Finance Division website, which explains how to claim expenses.

Other costs associated with homeworking (such as broadband, utility bills, etc) should not be claimed. In some cases, employees may be able to claim tax relief for these costs; details can be found on the HMRC website.

If equipment is needed for a staff member working from home, this should not be purchased by the member of staff directly. Full guidance is available from the Finance website. The Occupational Health Service website also provides advice about equipment needed for health/disability-related reasons.

Expenses must not be claimed for commuting to the employee’s on-site place of work. If in doubt, managers should consult with their local HR contact, who may need to seek tax advice.

Once a homeworking arrangement has been agreed, there are practical and management issues to consider. If you line-manage hybrid or fully remote workers, this guidance will help you to manage and support your team.

IT Services additionally provides resources on remote working with an IT focus, such as using a VPN to access the university’s systems.

Staff who are new to the University or new to a team may benefit from increased time on site while they are new to their role to facilitate a successful induction process. This may mean that the individual’s line manager, and potentially other colleagues, will also need to come into the department more frequently than they normally would during the new starter’s first few weeks or months in post to develop effective working relationships. This will be dependent on the individual and their circumstances and should be discussed with team members in advance of the individual starting.

Arrangements for reporting to line managers should be set up and agreed in advance of the approval of any new hybrid or fully-remote working arrangement.

You will need to check in with your direct reports on a regular basis whilst they are working at home – so you may need a deputy or deputies if you have responsibility for a large team.

Employees should be contactable by email, phone or MS Teams within their agreed working hours whilst working from home. You may wish to have a regular morning 'check in' to be sure you know who is working that day, particularly if you have remote workers who live alone, to make sure that unexplained absence is noted and followed up. As a manager, you retain a duty of care for your team, so if they do not ‘sign in,’ you should follow up promptly. The guidance on unauthorised absence applies to those working from home in the same way as those working on-site.

Agree core hours of work with staff who are working to either hybrid or fully remote working patterns. These are the hours when you and their colleagues or service users can expect them to be ‘at work’ and available via whatever route your team use (e.g. phone, MS Teams or email).

As part of their flexible working request (informal or formal), individuals may request flexible work hours, for example, starting early or finishing late or taking a longer break or breaks during the day, for example,e to be able to collect children from school or deal with other caring responsibilities. These requests should be considered carefully as set out in the flexible working guidance.

Encourage all staff, regardless of work location to have breaks during the day away from their screen, as you would in the office, and to take time for lunch.

It is important to discuss and agree boundaries so that everyone knows when it is acceptable to contact colleagues. If your team are working to different timetables, clarify expectations that responses aren’t expected outside an individual's agreed working hours.

Looking after your employees remotely

The same principles apply to homeworkers as to those working in University buildings such as: having regular one-to-ones; having clear objectives and a sense of purpose and communicating these well; giving time for people to talk about challenges and how best to meet these in both one-to-ones and team meetings.

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  • Use MS Teams or a similar tool to keep in touch
  • Discuss and agree with your team how frequently they want to be in touch with each other. Many teams with hybrid workers have found that anchor days are useful (ie a specific day or days per week where all members of the team are on site to help with team building, etc)
  • Keep your schedule visible and updated, and let your team know when you are available to respond to any questions or concerns they may have.
  • Use voice/video calls as well as email to maintain positive lines of communication with colleagues as written communication can be more open to misinterpretation than a discussion where you can more readily get a feeling for how an individual is feeling
  • If you organise social events, make sure that you include your hybrid and full-remote workers in the invitation. You may need to consider which day is likely to work best to accommodate those who are not in the office or see whether employees are able to come in on a day they would normally work from home.

  • You may need to check in more regularly with staff who are working from home as it may be harder to identify wellbeing or performance concerns than it might be on-site.
  • Provide opportunities for your team to talk to you one-on-one so they can raise any issues that are worrying them.
  • Ensure that you provide opportunities for personal development and career opportunities to all members of the team, regardless of where they work.
  • Colleagues working on-site, either due to personal preference or operational requirements, may experience feelings of isolation or resentment if other colleagues are working from home for some or all of the time. This may require further conversations and group dialogue to minimise tensions and conflict that could develop within and across teams.

  • Hold regular 1:1 meetings with all your direct reports to check in with their work and with how they are more generally. You can use these to ask how they are finding their hybrid or fully remote working arrangement. If they are struggling, remind them that this can be reviewed – for example, if a member of staff is feeling isolated at home, they could increase the number of days they spend on site.
  • If you are holding a sensitive conversation, confirm with the colleague that you are in an appropriate environment for them to speak to you and check that they are also in an appropriate place and that neither you nor they will be overheard by anyone, including family members or housemates.

  • IT Services have guidance on running remote meetings.
  • Setting up a regular virtual team meeting may help if finding a day when all team members are on site proves difficult. Staff will benefit from maintaining lines of communication which are not purely ‘transactional’ but retain an element of social interaction, and this can be valuable in ensuring that positive working relationships continue.

The University has a legal obligation to put in place ‘reasonable adjustments’ to support disabled staff to carry out their role effectively. HRBP support may be needed to be sought when responding to requests for home working for reasons of disability.

Working remotely for some or all of the time may be considered a reasonable adjustment in the case of disability. Reasonable adjustments must be prioritised where it is operationally possible to do so. For some roles, it may not be possible to make this adjustment, in which case it may be suitable for the department to seek redeployment for the employee to an alternative role which can accommodate their flexible working request – this may make the employee eligible for priority candidate status and should be discussed further with your local HR contact. An Occupational Health referral should be made to discuss the employee’s needs if they have not already spoken with Occupational Health.

If staff who are starting a new hybrid or fully remote working pattern have previously disclosed a disability, discuss whether any changes are needed to existing workplace adjustments which are already in place or whether new workplace adjustments need to be put in place to support them to work from home. For further advice, see the Support for Disabled staff website. Do not make assumptions about an employee’s requirements. A disabled employee may also require adaptive equipment both at home and in the office; the University is expected to provide this.

All leave should continue to be recorded in the normal way using the processes your department has in place; this includes informing your HR contact if the employee is expecting to go on any type of leave to ensure that the correct processes are followed. Note that the fact of working from home does not alter the rules around work during family leave which is only allowed through the arrangements for Keeping in Touch days under the relevant schemes.

The normal rules about certification and record-keeping apply to remote and hybrid workers. See the sickness absence guidance for further information.

Irrespective of their place of work, employees should not carry out work when they are too unwell to do so.

Managers should monitor periods of ill health and, depending on the nature of the illness, agree on what contact will be maintained throughout. Managers should not disclose any personal details to the wider team but should offer support where needed. In the case of prolonged absence, consideration should be given to how the role of the individual will be covered/managed.

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