Hybrid working has changed the shape of the workstation, not the employer’s responsibility for it. A team member may use the same laptop at a kitchen table on Monday, a hot-desk on Wednesday and a client site on Friday. For a small business, that can make display screen equipment (DSE) compliance feel complicated. In practice, the answer is to make assessment routine, practical and specific to where and how work is actually done.
DSE covers computers, laptops, monitors, tablets and other equipment with a graphic or alphanumeric display. Where employees use it daily as a significant part of their normal work, including continuous spells of an hour or more, they are generally DSE users. In Great Britain, employers must assess and reduce workstation risks, provide information and training, make eyesight tests available on request, and review arrangements when circumstances change. The Health and Safety Executive’s DSE guidance makes clear that these duties apply to home as well as office work.
This is not a box-ticking exercise about whether someone owns an office chair. A worthwhile DSE process considers the person, their work pattern, their equipment, their environment and any individual needs. It also gives employees a clear route to report discomfort before a small problem becomes a persistent one.
Start with the right scope: who needs a DSE assessment?
Do not assume that only full-time office staff count. A designer working from home three days a week, a sales employee regularly updating a CRM, a bookkeeper using dual screens and a manager conducting back-to-back video calls may all be DSE users. The legal test is about regular, significant use as part of normal work, rather than the address where the work happens.
In a hybrid business, assess each meaningful workstation. That does not necessarily mean a lengthy in-person visit to every home. HSE says home-working risks are usually low and can often be managed through sensible arrangements, communication and assessment. But it does mean acknowledging that the home set-up may differ materially from the office set-up. A suitable chair, monitor and desk at headquarters do not resolve a worker’s regular laptop-only arrangement at home.
Keep a simple register showing who is a DSE user, their usual work locations, the date of their last assessment, any actions agreed and the review date or trigger. If you have five or more employees, record the significant findings of your risk assessment. Even smaller businesses benefit from a short written record: it prevents actions disappearing and gives managers a clear audit trail.
The SME hybrid DSE checklist
Use this checklist for both the office and home environment. Ask the employee to complete it after receiving basic DSE training, then ensure a competent person reviews the result. The official HSE DSE workstation checklist is a useful starting point because it covers keyboards, pointing devices, screens, software, furniture and the work environment.
1. Posture and working position
- Can the employee sit close enough to the desk or table without twisting, leaning or reaching?
- Are their shoulders relaxed, with forearms approximately horizontal when using the keyboard and mouse?
- Can they keep wrists reasonably straight while typing and pointing, rather than bent upwards, sideways or resting on a hard edge?
- Is the top of the screen approximately at eye level, allowing for individual comfort and any spectacles worn?
- Is there enough legroom to change position, and are feet supported on the floor or, where needed, a footrest?
- Does the seat avoid uncomfortable pressure behind the knees, and can the user vary their position through the day?
Good posture is not a frozen pose. Employees should be able to adjust, move and change task. A chair may look professional but still be unsuitable if the lumbar support, seat height or backrest cannot be adjusted for the person using it. Equally, armrests can be unhelpful if they stop the chair getting close enough to the desk, leaving the worker to reach for a mouse.
At home, the dining chair problem is common. A dining chair may be acceptable for occasional short work, but it is unlikely to be an adequate long-term solution for a person spending most days at a screen. The appropriate control might be a suitable adjustable chair, not a cushion or a vague instruction to “sit better”.
2. Screens, laptops and visual comfort
- Is the screen clean, stable, readable and free from flicker?
- Can brightness, contrast, text size and display settings be adjusted to suit the user and room lighting?
- Is the screen positioned to avoid direct glare from windows, bright lights or reflective surfaces?
- Is there enough space for a monitor at a comfortable viewing distance?
- For regular laptop work, does the employee have a separate keyboard and mouse, and a way to raise the screen?
- If two monitors are used, are they arranged for the task, with the main screen directly ahead and frequent viewing kept within a comfortable range?
A laptop creates a familiar trade-off: if it is low enough to type comfortably, the screen may be too low; if it is raised to a better viewing height, the keyboard is too high. For prolonged home working, solve both sides of the problem with a laptop stand or docking arrangement, separate keyboard and mouse and, where the work requires it, an external monitor. HSE specifically advises using a docking station or firm surface with a full-sized keyboard and mouse wherever possible for portable-computer work.
Do not treat a second screen as an automatic upgrade. If someone constantly turns their head to view a side monitor, the layout may be creating discomfort. Ask what is displayed most often. Put the primary screen in front; position a secondary monitor close beside it; and ensure both are at a workable height and distance. For a worker who compares documents across two displays all day, two matched, appropriately positioned screens may be sensible. For someone who checks chat occasionally, one well-positioned screen may be better.
3. Keyboard, mouse and documents
- Is the keyboard separate from the screen where prolonged laptop work takes place?
- Is there space in front of the keyboard to rest hands when not typing?
- Is the mouse close to the keyboard and within easy reach, without the arm being stretched?
- Can the worker support their forearm on the desk while using the mouse?
- Are frequently used documents, phone, headset and other items within easy reach?
- Would a document holder reduce repeated neck turning or looking down?
Small layout changes can have a large effect. A worker who keeps a laptop central but places a mouse at the far edge of a crowded table may repeatedly reach for hours. Move papers, chargers and coffee equipment away; put the mouse close to the keyboard; and provide a headset where calls are frequent. Holding a phone between shoulder and ear while typing is a clear prompt for action.
4. Desk, chair and work environment
- Is the work surface large enough for the equipment, papers and task?
- Is the desk or table stable, at a workable height and free from glare?
- Is the chair stable and in good condition, with usable seat-height and backrest adjustment where needed?
- Is lighting sufficient without creating reflections on the screen?
- Can the employee manage blinds, curtains or screen position to control daylight glare?
- Is the area reasonably comfortable for temperature, noise and concentration?
- Are cables arranged so they do not create a trip risk or pull equipment from the surface?
Home assessment should focus on the work area, not pry into private life. An employee can provide photographs of their workstation if that is appropriate and agreed, or discuss the set-up by video call. The aim is to identify practical controls, not to inspect the entire home. Be alert to constraints, however: a bedroom desk, shared flat, temporary house move or caring responsibilities may affect what is realistic. A hybrid policy should tell staff whom to contact when their environment changes.
5. Workload, breaks and changes of activity
- Does the role allow the employee to interrupt long, intensive spells of screen work?
- Are diary expectations and meeting culture making breaks unrealistic?
- Can screen-heavy tasks alternate with calls, reading printed material, moving around or other non-screen activity?
- Is the person taking short, regular changes of activity before discomfort develops?
- Do managers avoid treating online availability as a requirement to remain motionless at a desk?
There is no fixed DSE rule that says every employee must take a particular number of minutes away from the screen at a set interval. What matters is planning work so prolonged use is broken up. HSE’s guidance says short, frequent breaks are preferable to longer, infrequent ones, and that changes in activity should happen before fatigue sets in. A business should therefore look beyond a generic reminder to “take breaks”.
For example, a customer-support worker may have a tightly scheduled queue and little control over tasks. The control might be planned rotations, adequate cover and protected non-screen admin time. A director whose calendar contains six consecutive video meetings may need meeting-free gaps, audio-only calls where suitable, or a rule that internal meetings end five minutes early. The risk is not simply the screen; it is the work design that prevents recovery and movement.
6. Information, training and reporting
- Has the worker been shown how to adjust their chair, screen, laptop stand and other equipment?
- Do they know how to set up a laptop safely for longer work rather than using it on a sofa or bed?
- Do they understand glare, mouse reach, screen settings and the importance of changing position?
- Do they know how to complete the self-assessment and who reviews it?
- Do they know how and when to report pain, numbness, tingling, headaches, visual fatigue or equipment problems?
- Have managers been trained not to dismiss reports as personal preference or a home-working issue?
Training should be brief, practical and repeated when equipment or roles change. It should explain the risks, the controls the business offers, how to adjust furniture, how to organise the workspace and how to report symptoms. Give employees permission to speak early. A report of neck pain after a new monitor arrangement is useful information, not an inconvenience.
Self-assessment is useful, but it is not the whole assessment
For an SME, trained employee self-assessments are an efficient way to gather information across multiple locations. They encourage people to notice risks in their own set-up and can quickly identify straightforward needs such as a separate mouse, laptop riser, footrest, headset or replacement chair.
However, a digital form that produces a “pass” is not, by itself, a compliant conclusion. HSE states that assessment software can support training and participation, but a trained assessor should review the result, resolve doubtful answers, give feedback and make sure problems are corrected. The same principle applies to a paper or spreadsheet checklist.
Set clear escalation rules. A manager or trained assessor should follow up where the employee reports pain or discomfort; answers “no” to a key question; works long periods on a laptop without suitable peripherals; has an adjustment need, disability, pregnancy-related change or other special requirement; cannot alter the home set-up; or requests equipment. The follow-up may be a conversation, photographs, a video assessment or a specialist ergonomic assessment, depending on the issue.
Most importantly, close the loop. Record the action, assign an owner, agree a timescale and check that the change worked. Sending a monitor without confirming its position, or buying a chair without ensuring it can be adjusted, does not manage the risk fully.
When employers must reassess and provide suitable equipment
Reassessment is not an annual ritual only. HSE says employers should reassess when a new workstation is set up, a new user starts, equipment or the way it is used changes, or a user complains of pain or discomfort. Its broader guidance also highlights major changes to furniture, the work environment, software or tasks, and workstation moves.
In hybrid teams, common triggers include a new home-working arrangement, a move to hot-desking, a replacement laptop, a new monitor, a merger of roles that increases screen time, a return from absence, or a worker moving home. Build these prompts into onboarding, IT procurement, flexible-working approvals and manager check-ins rather than waiting for the next scheduled review.
Where the assessment identifies a risk, the employer must take reasonable steps to reduce it. That can mean supplying suitable equipment, adapting the workstation, changing the work routine or arranging additional support. The solution should fit the person and task. A standard equipment allowance can be helpful, but it should not become a ceiling that prevents a suitable adjustment where the risk assessment shows more is needed.
Employees also have a role: they should use equipment and training properly, complete information honestly, tell the business about relevant changes and report discomfort promptly. But responsibility for assessing risks and acting on findings remains with the employer; it cannot be transferred simply because the workstation is in a private home.
Handle eyesight-test requests properly
Eligible DSE users can request an eye and eyesight test, and the employer must provide it. If the test shows that special corrective appliances are needed specifically for DSE work, the employer must provide them, typically by paying for a basic pair of frames and lenses. If ordinary prescription glasses are suitable for screen work, there is no obligation to fund another pair. HSE also explains that DSE work is not shown to cause permanent damage to eyes or eyesight; the purpose of testing is to ensure that the user can see the screen comfortably and work without visual fatigue.
Make the process simple. State in your policy who can request a test, how they request it, whether you use vouchers or reimbursement, what evidence is needed and what level of spectacles the company will fund. Do not require an employee to prove that screen work caused an eyesight problem before making the test available. Handle information from the optician sensitively and only collect what is needed to administer the arrangement.
Turn the checklist into a workable SME process
Choose one person with enough training and authority to coordinate DSE: this may be an operations manager, office manager, HR lead or business owner. Give them the time to review assessments and the budget route to obtain equipment. Publish a one-page process: identify users, issue training and self-assessment, review flagged answers, agree actions, confirm completion, and reassess after changes or symptoms.
Keep the process human. A five-person agency does not need a complex platform to do this well. It needs a credible checklist, a trained reviewer, a way to order appropriate equipment and a culture where people can say “this set-up is hurting” without embarrassment. Conversely, a polished portal with no follow-up creates false reassurance.
Conclusion: make every work location work
A hybrid policy is only as strong as the everyday set-ups it creates. Use employee self-assessments to spot issues early, but ensure a trained person reviews them and follows through. Assess the whole picture: posture, screens, seating, peripherals, light, workload, breaks, training and eyesight requests. Then reassess when pain is reported or work changes.
Call to action: This week, send your hybrid team the HSE-based checklist, identify every regular workstation and ask one simple question in each manager check-in: “Is anything about your screen set-up causing discomfort or stopping you working safely?” Act on the answers, record what you do and make DSE management a normal part of running a responsible, productive small business.
