The Next Shift in Work: Why Organisations Need to Revisit Work From Home Risk Management
By Heath Williams
Occupational Health Osteopath | Director, Corporate Work Health Australia | Owner, Principle Four Osteopathy
Over the past few years, we’ve seen significant shifts in the way people work.
While COVID-19 initially drove a rapid transition to working from home, we are now entering a phase where broader global factors — including rising costs, fuel prices and resource constraints — are likely to further reinforce and expand hybrid and remote working models.
For many organisations, particularly those with roles that can be performed remotely, working from home will continue to be a key part of their operational model.
A Strong Start… But What Happened Next?
During the early stages of COVID, many organisations implemented work from home (WFH) risk management strategies.
These included:
• Development of WFH policies
• Self-assessment checklists for employees
• Provision of equipment or financial support
• Ergonomic risk assessments (virtual or in-person)
Best practice organisations went a step further — conducting individual ergonomic and occupational health risk assessments, looking not just at workstation setup, but also broader factors such as:
• Work patterns and duration
• Physical environment
• Psychosocial considerations
• Overall health and wellbeing
This allowed organisations to identify risks early and implement targeted control measures.
The Emerging Risk
However, based on our experience at Corporate Work Health Australia, many organisations have not revisited these assessments.
And this is where risk is quietly increasing.
Over the past 2–3 years, many workers have:
• Changed roles or job demands
• Moved house or altered their work environment
• Updated (or downgraded) their equipment
• Developed musculoskeletal or health-related issues
• Increased their time working from home
Without reassessment, these changes can significantly increase the risk of work-related injury, reduced productivity and long-term health concerns.
Why Now Is the Time to Act
If organisations are moving toward more sustained hybrid or remote work models, then their risk management strategies need to evolve accordingly.
We recommend organisations:
• Review and update their WFH policies
• Identify workers at higher risk (frequent WFH, role changes, reported discomfort)
• Reassess home workstations and environments
• Ensure appropriate equipment and support systems are in place
This is not just about compliance — it’s about proactively managing risk and supporting workforce performance.
How We Can Help
At Corporate Work Health Australia, we support organisations with:
• Development and review of Work From Home policies
• Creation of internal self-assessment tools
• Virtual and face-to-face ergonomic risk assessments
• Educational resources, including training videos and webinars
Our goal is to help organisations create safe, functional and sustainable work environments, whether in the office or at home.
Final Thoughts
The way we work continues to evolve — and with it, the risks and responsibilities of organisations.
Those who take a proactive approach now will be better positioned to support their workforce, reduce injury risk and maintain performance into the future.
If your organisation would like support in reviewing or implementing your work from home strategy, feel free to reach out.
📩 heathwilliams@corporateworkhealth.com