A personal safety expert has warned that employers must put workplace safety back at the top of the agenda in 2026, as offices across the UK move back towards pre-pandemic levels of attendance.

The warning comes as major employers including PwC and HSBC push for a full return to the office, with recent figures showing 48 per cent of companies expect staff to be office-based full time over the next year.

Sarah Schofield, founder of The Safe Woman, says the shift places renewed responsibility on employers to reassess how safe people feel at work — not just how productive they are.

“As offices and workplaces return to pre-Covid levels of activity, risk naturally increases,” says Sarah, winner of the Best New Business of the Year at the In-Cumbria Business Awards last year.

“More people on-site, more commuting, more face-to-face interaction and more work-related socialising all mean safety can’t be treated as a background issue.”

She adds that safety risks are often overlooked because they don’t always feel dramatic or immediate.

“Safety risks don’t just exist in extreme situations,” Sarah says. “They exist in the everyday moments people don’t plan for — late travel, unfamiliar environments, social pressure, or blurred boundaries between work and social life.”

Sarah, who founded The Safe Woman after being let down by police following her own assault, says employers in particular must recognise their ongoing duty of care as working patterns shift.

She said: “Safety shouldn’t be reactive. If employers wait for an incident to happen before reviewing their approach, they’ve already left people exposed. Planning for safety is about protecting staff before something goes wrong — not responding after.”


Recent research shows that 47 per cent of employees have considered avoiding work social events due to concerns around harassment or unsafe behaviour, while 79 per cent of people who experience sexual harassment at work never formally report it, according to the European Institute for Gender Equality.

“Employers set the tone,” Sarah adds. “When safety is planned properly, staff feel more confident, incidents are less likely, and everyone benefits — including the business.”

Three reasons businesses must prioritise employee safety in 2026
1. Outdated safety policies no longer match today’s workplace reality
Many workplace safety policies were written for a very different working environment. As teams return to offices in greater numbers, employers must reassess whether existing guidance, training and reporting processes still reflect how people actually work, travel and interact today. Relying on legacy approaches risks leaving gaps in protection at a time when clarity and consistency matter most.
2. Employee wellbeing directly affects retention and performance
Staff who feel unsafe or unsupported are more likely to disengage, avoid work events or leave altogether. When safety is embedded into workplace culture, employees feel valued and protected, leading to stronger trust, higher morale and better long-term retention.
3. Prevention is far more effective than response
Once an incident occurs, the damage is already done — to individuals, teams and reputations. Businesses that invest in preventative safety training and clear protocols are far better equipped to reduce incidents before they happen, rather than managing fallout after the fact.