Hybrid working continues to rise. According to the Office for National Statistics, more than a quarter of UK working adults followed a hybrid work pattern between January and March 2025. While commuting has declined, working from home has steadily increased, embedding flexibility into the way we work.

But with more employees splitting their time between the office and home, the challenge for employers is clear: how do you ensure workstation safety, comfort, and compliance across every environment — not just the office?

Keep reading as we explore hybrid working trends, new legal rights, DSE obligations, the risks of poor workstations, and how to embed ergonomics into a lasting strategy.

Hybrid working is still rising

According to an Office for National Statistics survey published in June 2025, “the proportion of hybrid workers has gradually risen since March 2022.”

Over a quarter of working adults in the UK followed a hybrid work pattern between January and March 2025.

This isn’t just because younger generations are entering the national workforce , the survey also shows that hybrid working has risen while commuting has declined.

So, while the shift to remote work started as a crisis response, it has become a long-term strategy for thousands of UK employers. What’s changed in recent years is the level of protection and expectation around how organisations support their staff.

Flexible working is now a legal right

Since April 2024, UK employees have been legally entitled to request flexible working — including hybrid and home-based arrangements — from the first day of employment (the Day-One Right to Request Flexible Working, introduced under the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act 2023).

Employers can still refuse these requests, but only for specific reasons such as excessive cost or demonstrable impact on performance. Crucially, refusals must now be handled transparently, within two months and employees can make two requests per year instead of one.

While this doesn’t directly change DSE law, it does mean more employees will be working away from the office and continuing to utilise multiple workstations.

What are the legal requirements

Under the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992, employers must:

• Carry out DSE workstation assessments for anyone using screens daily for an hour or more

• Act on risks identified, such as poor seating or monitor positioning

• Provide training and information on safe workstation use

• Offer eye tests on request

• Repeat assessments when circumstances change (new starter, new equipment, reported discomfort) (HSE, 2024)

These duties apply equally to home, hybrid, and office setups. Location doesn’t remove liability.

The hidden costs of poor workstation setups

Failing to manage ergonomics properly isn’t just about compliance — it’s about cost and performance:

• Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are one of the leading causes of workplace absence in the UK

• Poor setups at home (e.g. sofas, kitchen tables) drive long-term strain and fatigue

• Injury claims linked to DSE can run into tens of thousands of pounds

• HSE inspectors are increasingly scrutinising homeworking arrangements

What begins as a compliance issue often becomes a productivity and wellbeing issue.

Moving beyond 2025 — building ergonomics into strategy

The rise of hybrid working in 2025 is an important marker, but managing DSE risks is not a one-year obligation. It must form part of an ongoing health and safety strategy. That means:

• Making DSE assessment a continuous process, not a one-off exercise

• Embedding ergonomic support into onboarding and day-to-day culture

• Training managers to spot early warning signs of discomfort or stress

• Using assessment data to drive proactive action across the workforce

This long-term approach ensures compliance, supports wellbeing, and reduces cost.

Managing DSE risks for a hybrid workforce

Healthy Working is the world’s most widely used online DSE management software, bringing together training, risk assessments, and central oversight to make protecting your hybrid workforce straightforward and effective.

Healthy Working is designed to help organisations:

• Support all working environments – ensuring employees are assessed and trained whether they’re in the office, working remotely, or on a hybrid basis.

• Tailor content to your organisation – customise risk assessments and training content to the individual and their workstation.

• Simplify risk management – our central PACE management module helps to track risks, manage tasks and  employee engagement.

• Protect wellbeing – early insights help identify and reduce the risk of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), supporting healthier, more productive employees.

To help organisations see the value, we’re offering a free trial with up to 5% of your workforce. This allows you to test how Healthy Working fits within your organisation while gathering initial data on the musculoskeletal health of your team. Find out more.