Whether people are working from their workplaces, remotely or from home, you may notice changes in attendance at work. This can be starting late, wanting to change working hours or leaving work early for no reason or for reasons that don’t sound plausible. You may also notice frequent unexplained absence from work or an increase in sickness.
When working from home, you might observe that the person is unavailable to answer calls or attend virtual meetings, consistently refusing to turn cameras on for virtual meetings, expressing a need to log off early or log on late. They may also report issues with availability of WiFi and internet access because the perpetrator may be limiting their use of IT.
When in the workplace, you could see someone spending an unusual number of hours at work when it isn’t required, or having no access to transport to go home or showing a reluctance to go home.
These on their own may not be indicators, but if coupled with other things, as a supportive employer or work colleague, you may want to chat to the person to see how they are. We offer guidance on how to have these conversations to safeguard and manage risks in a supportive and empathetic way.
There are other possible indicators that we discuss in our training around supporting employees in the workplace. Our Working From Home Guide (as seen above) is also a useful resource to help both managers and work colleagues recognise domestic abuse and provide support now.
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