Safety for Hybrid or Remote Workforce
Although remote and hybrid work existed prior to 2020, it was relatively uncommon. This all changed during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic when many industries quickly embraced remote work so they could continue their operations during lockdown. After the pandemic, some organizations chose to remain fully remote while others have returned to the office or have embraced a hybrid working model.
Whether an organization’s work policy allows for fully remote capabilities or a hybrid model, employee safety and business continuity need to remain a top priority. As risk professionals reassess their policies or build new ones, three special safety and insurance considerations should be at the base of their decision-making:
The physical remote work environment
Disaster preparedness
Cybersecurity
With these considerations in mind, companies can protect themselves and their employees from various damage and workers’ compensation claims.
Safety At Home
Companies typically have a duty to provide a safe work environment under federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rules. Many states also have OSHA laws concerning workplace safety. Businesses need to refer to their state or jurisdiction’s law to determine whether workers’ compensation insurance will be required based on their number of employees and the type of work involved.
A work-from-home or remote work agreement will also be useful for all employees involved in any element of hybrid work. These agreements should outline safety requirements for the workspace.
If a home office was not originally built or installed prior to the out-of-office transition, it is reasonable to assume a home-based worker will set up their computer or station in a bedroom, living room, or kitchen/dining room table.
If remote workers were working in an office, they wouldn’t be expected to do their jobs in cluttered spaces, near mold, or exposed wiring in a company’s office. This is why companies should take the time to ensure that their employees have proper working environments.
Contending with the Elements
The trend in the insurance industry is for carriers to raise premiums, impose coverage limitations, or even withdraw entirely from regions with elevated risks of weather-related incidents.
With deadly natural disasters increasing and intensifying in the US, staying in business can become more costly. For example, the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) noted that 40,683 wildfires were reported from January 1 to September 8, 2023, affecting more than 2.1 million acres. In the same time period in 2022, about 23,114 fires were reported. What had been a “season” now resembles more of a lingering, year-long hazard.
If an employee’s home is the base of operations and in the path of a weather event, then a part of the organization is also at risk.
Employers must have business continuity plans in place to help their operations withstand weather catastrophes when they strike in areas from which their employees work. In addition, they should provide employees with safety and preparedness plans for various weather-related events that could impact them. Ahead of a severe weather event – like a hurricane or wildfire – remind employees of the company’s emergency action plan (EAP). Mandated by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH), an EAP should address employment protections for workers in areas where mandatory evacuations are issued ahead of catastrophic weather.
If you don’t have an EAP, consult OSHA or a state agency to create one, and be sure to communicate it to employees. Variations of your EAP may be necessary to protect on-site and remote workers in various states.
Increased Cybersecurity
Technology has enabled flexible working conditions that have kept many organizations resilient and profitable. Unfortunately, it has also opened more barriers to entry for malicious cyber actors.
Homes may not have the same secured Wi-Fi networks as offices, commercial, or government buildings, which can expose the unwitting employee – and thus the organization – to an attack or breach.
Cyberattacks, like business email compromise (BEC), phishing, malware, and ransomware, are as prevalent as ever. The use of a virtual private network (VPN) is the best first defense against an attack, as it ensures secure browsing and data protection from hackers.
It is also good practice for a technology officer to institute periodic tests and tabletop exercises for employees to ensure they are aware of malware trends like BEC and spoofing – where an executive’s name is used in a conspicuous request for a “favor” – and new cyber breach tactics.
Cybersecurity should already be toward the top of any organization’s risk profile, as 91% of business and cyber leaders believe a far-reaching, catastrophic cyber event is somewhat likely in the next two years, according to The World Economic Forum’s 2023 Global Cybersecurity Outlook. If risk leaders take their cybersecurity seriously when establishing remote and hybrid policies, they can prevent their organization from becoming victims of such a catastrophe.
Risk managers who learn from recent remote and hybrid trends can implement processes that improve organizational productivity and safety.
LineSlip can help companies be protected if they choose to have a remote or hybrid working model by ensuring they have the necessary amount of insurance to protect themselves from cybersecurity and weather-related risks.