Creating an effective agile work environment means enabling employees to work safely and productively wherever work takes place.
Here we explain how to create a safe and effective agile work environment, including how to manage DSE risks, design suitable workspaces and implement workstation assessments across work locations.
What is the definition of agile working?
Agile working is an approach to work that gives employees the flexibility to work in different ways, locations and schedules, with a focus on outcomes rather than time spent in a specific place. The aim is to enable employees to choose the most effective way to complete their work while maintaining productivity, collaboration and wellbeing.
In practice, agile working may involve employees alternating between different working environments depending on the task they are performing. This could include:
- Office-based workstations
- Home offices
- Co-working or shared spaces
- Client premises
- Mobile or temporary work locations
Agile working is not just about location. It also includes flexible schedules, digital collaboration tools, activity-based workspaces and management practices that prioritise results over physical presence.
Agile working examples
Common examples of agile working include:
Activity-based working
Employees choose different spaces depending on the task, such as quiet zones for focused work or collaboration areas for team discussions.
Hot-desking
Desks are shared rather than permanently assigned, allowing employees to use workstations as needed and improving space utilisation.
Outcome-based management
Performance is measured by results and objectives rather than time spent at a desk.
Digital collaboration
Teams work together using shared digital tools such as project platforms, messaging apps and virtual meeting technology.
Project-based teamwork
Employees form temporary teams to deliver specific outcomes rather than working permanently within fixed departments.
Flexible work environments
Workplaces are designed with a mix of collaboration spaces, quiet areas and meeting rooms to support different types of work.
What are an employer’s legal obligations for agile working?
Employers must still meet their health and safety duties when employees operate in an agile work environment. The main legal framework is the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992.
Under Regulation 2(1) of the Regulations, employers must:
“…perform a suitable and sufficient analysis of those workstations which (regardless of who has provided them) are used for the purposes of his undertaking by users… for the purpose of assessing the health and safety risks to which those persons are exposed.”
This means employers must assess workstations used by employees who habitually use display screen equipment as part of their work. Importantly, the duty applies regardless of who hasprovided the workstation, so the responsibility still applies when employees work from home or other locations as part of an agile working arrangement.
Where risks are identified, employers must take steps to reduce them. Regulation 2(3) states that employers must:
“…reduce the risks identified… to the lowest extent reasonably practicable.”
In practice, this means providing suitable equipment, improving workstation setup or providing guidance and training on safe screen use.
Employers must also ensure workstations meet the minimum requirements set out in Schedule 1 of the Regulations, which cover elements such as display screens, keyboards, work chairs, desks, lighting and workspace layout.
In addition to the DSE Regulations, the broader duty under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 still applies. Section 2(1) requires employers to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable:
“…the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees.”
Together, these duties mean that when organisations introduce agile ways of working, they must ensure workstation risks are assessed and managed wherever employees carry out their work.
Does DSE law still apply if an employee chooses to work from a coffee shop or co-working space?
Under the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992, an employer’s duty applies to any workstation used by an employee who habitually uses display screen equipment as part of their work.
This means the responsibility is linked to the work being carried out, not the location where it takes place.
What is the difference between agile working and flexible working?
Flexible working is giving employees more control over their working hours or location. Examples include part-time work, compressed hours, remote working, job sharing or flexible start and finish times.
Agile working is a broader approach to how work is organised and delivered. It includes flexibility in time and location but also focuses on outcomes, collaboration and the work environment. Agile working often involves activity-based workspaces, digital collaboration tools, and management practices that prioritise results rather than physical presence.
What are the benefits of agile working?
The benefits of agile working are well documented:
Improved recruitment and retention
Research suggests that employees place high value on agile work arrangements when choosing employers.
For example, evidence from a recent study shows that hybrid and flexible work can significantly reduce staff turnover, with employees reporting that flexibility improves quality of life and influences their decision to stay with an employer.
Greater employee autonomy
Agile work models give employees more control over when and where they work, which is linked with feelings of autonomy and job satisfaction. Organisations adopting these practices often report that autonomy supports employee wellbeing and motivation because workers can fit work around their personal responsibilities.
Enhanced engagement
Surveys and reports on flexible working highlight its positive effect on employee engagement and wellbeing. Employees in flexible and hybrid arrangements often report better balance between personal and work life, which can translate into higher engagement and satisfaction at work.
Reduced commuting time
Flexible and hybrid working arrangements reduce the need for daily travel, which saves employees time and can lessen stress associated with commuting. Less commuting gives employees more time for rest, family life or other productive activities.
Reduced environmental impact
Cutting down on regular commuting through agile work contributes to lower carbon emissions and reduced traffic congestion. Multiple industry reports highlight that fewer journeys to and from a central workplace support environmental goals by lowering transport emissions.
Lower overheads
A research briefing on remote and hybrid working notes that flexible work arrangements can reduce the need for permanent workspaces and enable office space to be used more efficiently. This can lower organisational costs by reducing spending on premises, utilities and other facilities.
What are the risks of agile working?
Agile working can deliver clear organisational benefits, but those benefits rely on effective risk management.
These are the risks:
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)
MSDs are one of the most common forms of work-related ill health in the UK. HSE statistics consistently show that MSDs account for a significant proportion of working days lost each year.
Prolonged sitting, awkward postures, unsupported lower backs, poorly positioned screens and extended laptop use without suitable peripherals can all increase the risk of strain and injury.
Research examining home working arrangements identified a high prevalence of neck, shoulder and lower back pain among remote workers where ergonomic controls are insufficient.
Eye strain and visual fatigue
Extended screen use without adequate lighting, correct screen positioning or appropriate breaks can lead to visual discomfort. Symptoms may include dry or tired eyes, blurred vision and headaches.
HSE guidance on display screen equipment (DSE) highlights the importance of correct display settings, glare reduction and regular changes of activity to minimise visual fatigue.
Fatigue and cognitive load
Agile working can blur the boundaries between home and work, potentially extending screen time and reducing opportunities for natural movement breaks.
Prolonged sedentary work combined with digital overload can contribute to physical fatigue and reduced concentration which affect performance.
Reduced productivity and increased absence
Pain, discomfort and fatigue can directly affect work quality and output. MSDs are a leading cause of sickness absence in the UK, and unmanaged DSE risks can contribute to reduced productivity and increased absence rates. What begins as minor discomfort can develop into longer-term health issues if not addressed early.
By ensuring effective ergonomic controls are in place, organisations can protect employee health while realising the performance benefits of agile ways of working.
How to build a healthy agile work environment
Here are the ways organisations can support healthy agile working.
Leadership and governance
Senior leaders must recognise that DSE obligations apply wherever employees use screens habitually as part of their work. In an agile work environment, organisations should establish clear governance to ensure workstation risks are assessed and managed consistently.
This governance should define:
- When a DSE assessment is required: for example, when employees start a new role, change work location, or report discomfort.
- How frequently reviews take place: including periodic reassessments to ensure workstations remain suitable as work patterns change.
- Who is responsible for actioning adjustments: such as managers, health and safety teams or facilities teams responsible for implementing ergonomic improvements.
- How equipment provision is managed: including processes for supplying appropriate chairs, monitors, keyboards or other ergonomic equipment where required.
Designing the agile work environment
Agile workplaces often include shared desks, collaboration areas and activity-based spaces rather than fixed workstations. While this flexibility can support different ways of working, it also introduces DSE risks if workstations cannot be easily adjusted for different users.
Agile work environments should ensure:
- Adjustable chairs and monitor arms: enabling employees to quickly adapt seating and screen height to maintain neutral posture and reduce strain on the neck, shoulders and back.
- Laptop docking stations: enabling laptops to connect to external monitors and peripherals, helping employees avoid prolonged laptop-only use which can encourage poor posture.
- Separate keyboards and mice: essential when using laptops for extended periods so screens can be positioned at eye level while hands remain in a comfortable typing position.
- Clear workstation setup guidance: providing employees with simple instructions or training on how to adjust desks, screens and seating correctly before starting work.
- Readily available footrests where required: ensuring employees who cannot place their feet flat on the floor can still maintain proper seated posture.
Employees must be able to adapt a shared workspace to suit their individual ergonomic needs. Similarly, home environments must be assessed to ensure suitability. A kitchen chair and laptop alone are unlikely to meet long-term DSE needs.
Agile working technology and DSE oversight
Digital systems can help organisations manage where employees are working, deliver relevant training and ensure workstation risks are assessed consistently.
Effective systems should:
- Identify where employees are working: capturing whether employees are working from the office, home or other locations so that the appropriate health and safety processes can be applied to each environment.
- Trigger appropriate DSE assessments: automatically prompting workstation assessments when employees start a new role, change working location or report discomfort, ensuring risks are identified early.
- Allocate relevant training automatically: assigning DSE awareness training or workstation setup guidance to employees who regularly use display screen equipment, helping them understand how to work safely.
- Track adjustments and remedial actions: recording any issues identified during assessments and monitoring whether recommended actions, such as equipment provision or workstation adjustments, have been completed.
- Provide audit trails for compliance: maintaining clear records of assessments, training, actions and reviews so organisations can demonstrate that they are meeting their legal obligations.
Agile working and wellbeing
Extended screen time, blurred home-work boundaries and reduced physical movement can negatively affect physical and mental health.
Employers should promote:
- Regular breaks from screen use: encouraging employees to change activity or step away from their screens periodically to reduce eye strain, muscle fatigue and prolonged static postures.
- Eye care testing where required: ensuring employees who use display screen equipment regularly can access eye tests and corrective lenses where needed in line with DSE requirements.
- Posture awareness training: helping employees understand how to set up their workstation correctly and maintain good posture to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal strain.
- Clear boundaries around working hours: providing guidance on availability and workload expectations to prevent excessive screen time and support a healthy work–life balance.
- Support for mental wellbeing: offering resources such as wellbeing guidance, employee assistance programmes or manager support to help employees manage workload pressures and isolation.
An effective agile work environment promotes sustainable performance and does not create pressure for employees to remain constantly available.
Can a laptop ever be a permanent workstation in an agile environment?
Guidance from the Health and Safety Executive explains that when portable computers such as laptops are used for work, users should, where possible, use a docking station or a firm surface with a full-sized keyboard and mouse. This helps reduce ergonomic risks and improve posture when working with laptops for prolonged periods.
How to implement agile working with effective DSE controls
Step 1: assess current screen use
Identify which roles involve habitual use of display screen equipment and how frequently screens are used during the working day.
It is also important to understand where employees are working, such as in the office, at home or across multiple locations, as this will determine where workstation risks may arise and where assessments are required.
Step 2: develop clear policy
Establish a clear policy that outlines how DSE risks will be managed within an agile working environment. This should define expectations around:
- Work locations – clarifying where employees are permitted to work and how workstation safety will be maintained across those environments.
- Equipment provision – explaining what equipment the organisation will provide or support, such as monitors, chairs or peripherals for home working.
- Assessment processes – detailing when DSE assessments must be completed and how employees report issues or request adjustments.
- Employee responsibilities – ensuring employees understand their role in completing assessments, following workstation guidance and reporting discomfort.
Step 3: deploy DSE assessments
Introduce a consistent and scalable process for assessing workstations across office and remote environments.
Our Online DSE Assessment Tool is a self-assessment for employees which highlights potential risks and enables managers to review results and prioritise actions.
Step 4: provide equipment and adjustments
Where risks are identified, organisations should ensure appropriate equipment or adjustments are provided promptly. This may include ergonomic chairs, external monitors, keyboards, mice or footrests, as well as guidance on improving workstation setup.
Step 5: train managers and employees
Managers should understand their responsibilities for reviewing assessments and supporting adjustments where needed.
Employees should receive training on how to set up their workstation correctly, take appropriate breaks and recognise early signs of discomfort. Our Display Screen Equipment Training provides practical guidance on safe workstation setup, posture, screen positioning and healthy working habits.
Step 6: monitor and review
Agile working arrangements can change over time as roles, locations or technology evolve. Organisations should regularly review DSE assessments, track actions and update policies or controls where necessary to ensure risks continue to be managed effectively.
How often should DSE assessments be repeated in an agile workplace?
Under the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992, Regulation 2(2), employers must review a DSE assessment when “there is reason to suspect that it is no longer valid; or there has been a significant change in the matters to which it relates.”
In an agile workplace, reassessments are therefore commonly triggered when:
- An employee begins working in a new location, such as moving from office-based work to home or hybrid working.
- A new workstation or significant equipment change is introduced.
- The employee reports discomfort, pain or visual problems.
- The nature of the work changes significantly, increasing screen use or altering working patterns.
Regular reviews help ensure workstation setups remain suitable as working arrangements evolve and help identify potential risks before they develop into longer-term health issues.
Who is responsible for the cost of ergonomic equipment in a home office?
If a workstation assessment shows that specific equipment, such as an adjustable chair, external monitor, keyboard or footrest, is necessary to ensure a safe workstation setup, the employer should normally provide or fund that equipment.
Support your agile work environment with DSE training and assessment
In an agile work environment, employees may work across multiple locations, making safe workstation setup essential.
Our Display Screen Equipment Training helps employees understand how to work safely with screens and reduce the risk of musculoskeletal disorders and eye strain, in compliance with the Display Screen Equipment Regulations.
To support this, our online DSE assessment tool enables employees to evaluate their workstation and managers to review results and take action where needed.
Adam Clarke
Managing Director (Consulting)
