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Workingwise, September 22nd 2022: How to support employees amid soaring energy costs.

How are you supporting your employees amid soaring energy costs? Workingwise spoke to Victoria McLean, founder & CEO of award-winning career consultancy City CV, to find out more…

Below is a short excerpt.

Support for home workers

“The majority of working from home costs come from using the heating,” comments Victoria McLean, CEO & founder of career consultancy City CV. “So, from an energy point of view, employees may find being in the office cheaper. And while they’re there, depending on the employer and their culture, they also might not be paying for things like coffee, tea and snacks their employer may provide.”

Yet this doesn’t mean employers should shy away from providing support to staff amid the continuing cost-of-living crisis and rising bills. So what help is available for remote workers and exactly what should employers be doing?

Home workers can currently claim a small amount of tax relief from the government, although this pales in comparison to the eye-watering rises in energy bills. “Your employer can either pay you up to £6 per week to cover additional costs from working from home, or this can be deducted from your taxable income,” explains McLean.

However, employers can explore other avenues of support too if they have employees who are struggling.

“Employers should have initiatives in place to support employees’ financial wellbeing and may wish to allow greater flexibility with office working to promote this,” advises Palmer.

“For some homeworkers, returning to the office may be a useful way to save on household bills. Where this isn’t possible, employers might want to consider providing a homeworking allowance, to ease the financial pressures associated with working from home, especially through the winter months. For other on-site workers, commuting expenses may be more of an issue. In these circumstances, providing travel ticket loans, free parking or hybrid working arrangements can help reduce their overall outgoings.”

The article can be read in full here.

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