Remote working employment tribunals hit record high
As increasing numbers of firms try to encourage employees back to the office, employment tribunals are seeing record levels of cases relating to remote working, reveals analysis of court records by HR consultants Hamilton Nash.
Video calling firm Zoom and HSBC are among recent employers ordering staff to work from the office more frequently, following in the footsteps of Amazon and Disney.
Staff resistance to similar moves is shown in the growing number of employment tribunals citing terms like ‘remote working’.
Some 42 tribunals mentioned ‘remote working’ in 2022, a 50% increase from the 27 cases the year before. In the first half of 2023 there have been 25 cases already – equivalent to 50 cases for the whole year.
Graph: Employment tribunals citing ‘remote working’
Prior to the pandemic, there were on average seven employment tribunals a year relating to remote working, but since 2020 the rate has quadrupled to an average of approximately 33 cases a year.
Lisanne Hedger was awarded £36,000 by an employment tribunal in October 2022 when her employer, British Deaf Association, refused her request to reduce her hours after having a baby.
Jim Moore, employee relations expert at HR consultants Hamilton Nash, said: “Many companies have been keen to encourage employees back to the office, but the increasing number of disputes ending up in tribunals shows that it’s a growing source of workplace tension.
“Businesses that force staff into the workplace against their will are likely to find that disputes escalate, resulting in an increasing turnover rate or costly legal remedies.
“With most employees favouring a mix of office and home working, the battle for workers’ hearts and minds is going to be won by progressive employers who embrace hybrid working.
“Instead of dictating one-size-fits-all policies, companies should show understanding for personal circumstances. Many parents who have got used to working from home have adapted their routines to suit their childcare needs, and forcing them back to the workplace can create large amounts of stress and upheaval.”
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