- Meeting your organisation's WHS requirements when workers are working from home
- Risk assessment of a worker's proposed remote working premises
- Managing the performance of employees working at home
- Can your organisation direct a worker to return to the workplace?
- Responding to employee requests for flexible work arrangements
- identifying the things that could harm someone while working from home (the hazards)
- assessing risks by considering what could happen if someone is exposed to a hazard and the likelihood of that happening
- taking action to control the risks, and
- reviewing the control measures
More information
SafeWork Australia has published guidance on managing risks.
More information
SafeWork Australia has published guidance on consultation.
More information
SafeWork Australia has published guidance on psychosocial hazards.
- introducing workplace policies around working from home or working remotely
- requiring workers to complete a WHS checklist or other approval process before starting, or changing, a working from home arrangement
- conducting an inspection of the worker’s work environment (virtually or in person), or requesting photographs of their workstation set-up
- encouraging the reporting of hazards or potential risks
- having regular communication with workers to identify or assess any psychosocial risks
- providing wellbeing tips and considering ways for employees to stay connected with their team, and
- providing information on how to work effectively and productively from home
More information
SafeWork Australia has published guidance on managing risks associated with working from home, including mental health risks.
More information
SafeWork Australia has published a working from home checklist which can be used for reference and adapted to your organisation.
Cyber security risks
If an employee or volunteer is working from home, it is important to ensure your organisation's network and devices are protected to manage cyber security risks. See our webpage on cyber security for more information.
- check-in with them
- set clear priorities and timelines to complete work
- allow them an opportunity to seek guidance or support, and
- help assess if they are meeting performance expectations
- the employee is not on approved leave
- the working arrangement is not part of a Fair Work Act flexible work arrangement, and
- the direction is lawful and reasonable
More information
For more information about return to work directives and examples of reasonable and unreasonable directives, see the Fair Work Ombudsman’s webpage on directions to return to work and the workplace.
- are pregnant
- are a parent of (or have responsibility for) a child of school age or younger
- are a carer
- have a disability
- are aged 55 or older
- are experiencing family or domestic violence, or
- they provide care or support to an immediate family or household member who is experiencing family or domestic violence
- discussed the request with the employee
- genuinely tried, but been unable, to reach agreement with the employee
- considered the consequences of the refusal for the employee, and
- refused the request on ‘reasonable business grounds’
- that the requested working arrangement would be too costly to implement
- other employees’ working arrangements cannot be changed to accommodate the request
- it would be impractical to change other employees’ working arrangements or hire new employees to accommodate the request, or
- the request is likely to result in a significant loss in efficiency or productivity or would have a significant negative impact on customer service
More information
Refer to the Fair Work Ombudsman guidance on Flexible working arrangements.
