The shift to remote and hybrid working has become firmly embedded in the UK workplace. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), more than a quarter of working adults in Britain were in hybrid working arrangements between January and March 2025.
For organisations hiring for roles such as Health & Safety Manager or Compliance Manager, this change brings fresh challenges - and the recruitment criteria must evolve accordingly.
Why This Trend Matters for Health & Safety
Hybrid/remote work environments change the nature of risk: For example, the home workspace may present ergonomic, psychosocial or environmental hazard that differ from a traditional office or site.
Employers’ duty of care still applies: Regardless of location, organisations need to ensure that they are managing risks, providing appropriate guidance and meeting regulatory obligations.
The regulatory and compliance landscape is catching up: Safety professionals now must account for more distributed workforces and changing operating models.
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What Employers Should Look For in Candidates
In recruitment for a Health & Safety Manager or Compliance Manager in a hybrid-enabled organisation, consider these criteria:
Experience conducting or managing home/remote work risk-assessments, including DSE (Display Screen Equipment), ergonomics and wellbeing in non-traditional workspaces.
Ability to design, deliver and monitor remote/hybrid-friendly safety training and communications.
Strong understanding of psychosocial risk and mental-health factors in remote teams.
Capability to integrate digital tools or platforms which support distributed workforces (e.g., online auditing, self-assessment apps).
Experience monitoring performance and compliance across multi-location or remote sites, with robust metrics and reporting.
What Candidates Should Emphasise
If you are seeking Health & Safety or Compliance roles in this environment, make sure you highlight:
When you’ve managed safety for remote or hybrid staff, including tools or processes you used.
Any improvements made to home-working ergonomics or remote risk-assessment frameworks.
Evidence of engaging remote teams in safety culture, communications or training.
Your comfort with monitoring and measuring performance in distributed work models.
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Conclusion
Remote and hybrid working are now long-term fixtures in UK workplaces. For Health & Safety and Compliance recruitment, adapting to this shift is essential. Organisations that recognise the changed risk landscape and hire accordingly will be better placed to manage safety, ensure compliance and maintain productivity. Candidates who embrace and highlight their remote/hybrid capability will stand out.
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