Hybrid and home working are now a permanent feature of the UK labour market rather than a temporary pandemic arrangement. According to the Office for National Statistics, around 44% of UK workers had worked from home at some point in 2022, with 16% working exclusively from home and 28% in a hybrid pattern. For women-led businesses and female founders, offering remote or flexible roles can improve recruitment, retention and work-life balance. Yet employers still have a legal and moral duty of care to keep home workers healthy. These practical steps will help you protect your team’s physical and mental wellbeing.
Understand your legal responsibilities as a UK employer
Health and safety law applies to homeworkers just as it does to office-based staff. Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, employers must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of all employees, including those working from home. The Display Screen Equipment Regulations 1992, as amended, also require you to assess workstation risks and provide suitable equipment where needed.
Since April 2024, employees have had the right to request flexible working from their first day in a job under the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act 2023. While this is not an automatic right to work from home, it does mean women-led SMEs need clear, fair policies. The Health and Safety Executive and ACAS provide free guidance on homeworking risk assessments and flexible working requests.
Encourage regular movement
Office life naturally includes short bursts of movement: walking to a meeting room, nipping out for lunch or chatting with a colleague. At home, it is easy to remain seated for hours, which is linked to poor posture, back pain and a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
Encourage your team to build movement into the working day. Walking meetings, standing while on calls, or using a Pomodoro timer to prompt a five-minute stretch every 25 minutes can all help. The NHS recommends adults aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, so even a brisk 10-minute walk at lunch counts.
Set up an ergonomic workstation
Musculoskeletal problems remain one of the leading causes of work-related ill health in the UK. The Health and Safety Executive estimates that 473,000 workers suffered from a work-related musculoskeletal disorder in 2022/23, resulting in around 6.6 million working days lost. Back, neck and shoulder pain are common among people using laptops on kitchen tables or sofas.
Carry out a Display Screen Equipment assessment for each home worker and provide guidance on setting up a safe workstation. Key points include: positioning the top of the screen at eye level, keeping the keyboard and mouse close to the body, supporting the lower back with an adjustable chair, and using a footrest if feet do not rest flat on the floor. Where budgets allow, offer a contribution towards a proper desk, monitor, keyboard or ergonomic chair. The HSE publishes a useful DSE workstation checklist.
Help staff create a dedicated workspace
Not everyone has a spare room, but creating a defined work zone is important for both focus and mental health. Encourage employees to set up in a quiet corner, use headphones to signal “do not disturb” and pack away equipment at the end of the day. This is especially valuable for women juggling work with caring responsibilities, where the boundaries between professional and domestic life can blur quickly.
A dedicated workspace also helps with “switching off”. Without the commute to mark the end of the day, a simple ritual such as closing the laptop, tidying the desk or taking a short walk can signal that work has finished.
Prioritise communication and connection
Physical health is only part of the picture. The HSE reports that 875,000 workers experienced work-related stress, depression or anxiety in 2022/23, leading to 17.1 million working days lost. Remote workers can feel isolated, miss informal team chats and struggle to raise concerns.
Make communication a deliberate part of your culture. Schedule regular one-to-ones, use video calls for team meetings and create space for non-work conversation. Many women-led businesses find that small peer groups or virtual coffee breaks help team members feel connected. Train managers to spot signs of burnout and signpost support such as an Employee Assistance Programme, occupational health or charities like Mind.
Promote wellbeing beyond the desk
Healthy homeworking habits go beyond ergonomics. Remind staff to take screen breaks every 20 minutes, stay hydrated and eat away from their desks. Encourage sensible working hours and respect out-of-hours boundaries: presenteeism is as harmful in a home office as it is in a corporate tower.
Women-led employers can also support female-specific health needs. Menopause symptoms, menstrual pain, pregnancy-related fatigue and caring responsibilities can all be harder to manage without in-person support. Flexible hours, adjustable workloads and open conversations make a real difference. The CIPD offers practical guidance on flexible working and wellbeing.
Conclusion
Home and hybrid working are here to stay, and for many women-led businesses they are a competitive advantage. To make remote work sustainable, employers must actively keep home workers healthy. That means understanding UK health and safety duties, providing ergonomic equipment, encouraging movement, protecting boundaries and fostering a connected, supportive culture. Get these basics right and you will protect both your people and your business.
