Return to the Office

Balancing legal duties and employee expectations.

The COVID-19 pandemic reshaped how and where we work. While the initial return to the office began as restrictions lifted, many employers are still navigating the ongoing legal and cultural challenges that come with re-establishing office-based or hybrid working.

Today, the return to the office continues to raise complex issues - from flexible working and health and safety to performance, fairness and employee morale. With some staff embracing the shift and others resisting it, striking the right balance between business needs and individual rights is critical.

In this practical, 60-minute webinar, specialist employment law solicitors from Thomas Mansfield Solicitors explore how to manage the return to the office now - legally, fairly and effectively - as hybrid working becomes the norm.

What we cover in this webinar

• Legal considerations – Obligations around workplace safety, consultation and flexible working.
• Common risk areas – Including resistance to office attendance, performance dips and rigid policies.
• Employee engagement – How to balance staff concerns with operational needs.
• Managing flexible working requests – Including lawful refusal and consistent decision-making.
• Maintaining fairness and avoiding bias – In reviews, promotions and workload distribution.
• Real case examples – Practical insights from employers who handled the return well (and not so well).