Document type: / Policy
Staff group to whom it applies: / All staff within the Trust
Distribution: / The whole of the Trust
How to access: / Intranet and internet / ward folder
Issue date: / April 2011
Next review: / October 2011
Extension agreed to January 2012 by EMT 8 September 2011
Approved by: / Extended Management Team
7th April 2011
Developed by: / Agile WorkingProject Manager and the Agile Working Policy Group
Director lead: / District Service Director Calderdale and Kirklees
Contact for advice: / Agile Working Project Manager
Contents
1Introduction...... 3
2Background...... 3
2.1Workstyling...... 4
2.2The Benefits...... 5
2.2.1Trust Benefits...... 5
2.2.2Staff Benefits...... 6
3Purpose and Scope of the Policy...... 6
4Principles of Agile Working...... 7
5Housekeeping Rules...... 8
6Impact on Employment...... 10
7Duties within the Organisation...... 11
7.1Managers...... 11
7.2Staff...... 12
8Development of the Policy...... 13
9Managing the Risks Associated with Agile Working...... 14
9.1Elegibility Criteria and Authorisation...... 14
9.2Health and Safety (including risk assessment of the home environment).....14
9.3Data Protection, Security and Confidentiality of Materials...... 15
9.3.1Confidentiality Issues...... 15
9.3.2Security Issues...... 15
9.3.3E-mail, Internet and Intranet Facilities...... 16
9.4Performance Management Arrangements...... 16
9.5Allocation of Equipment and Other Financial Support...... 17
9.6Insurance, Mortgage and Tenancy Arangements...... 17
9.7Council Tax and Business Rates...... 17
10Review and Revision Arrangements...... 18
11Dissemination and Implementation...... 18
12Process for Monitoring Compliance and Effectiveness...... 18
13Document Control and Archiving...... 19
14Associated Documents...... 19
Equality Impact and Assessment Tool...... 21
Version Control...... 25
Checklist for the review and Approval of Procedural Document...... 26
1Introduction
South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (the “Trust”) recognises the need to develop modern working practices toenable employees to maximise their performance and productivity whilst maintaining a good work life balance. In addition, new technologies are making it easy to access information remotely, work from a variety of locations, whilst promoting a more joined up service. In order to ensure that the Trust’s Vision, Values and Goals become a reality the Trust must also continue to attract, develop and retain high quality staff.
The introduction of agile working across the Trust will not onlyrealise financial gain for the organisation, but provide an enhanced working environment for staff, as well as improving service delivery.Agile working also links to the Trust’svision for Sustainable Development; placing emphasis on the importance of sustainable economic growth and the health and well-being of both staff and service users. The benefits of improved work life balance and reduced travel make a direct contribution to this strategic priority.
Agile working is the term used to describe how employees can work flexibly from any location, whether it is from a Trust building, within the community and client sites orby varying degrees of home working and regular hot-desking.
Although the nature of most of the roles within the Trustcannot be classed as totally flexible, there is considerable scope in many cases for some form of agile working. The different ways in which agile working can be undertaken is dependent on the demands and needs of the role, the individual’s preferences and circumstances and the department an employee is engaged in. It is possible, with careful planning and a degree of best practice evaluation, for staff to carry out their duties from a variety of different locations.
2Background
Agile working provides staffwith more options with regards to where and when they undertake their roles by introducing an element of choice which will ensure that the needs of the service user are best met. Agile working allows staff to influence how they carry out their role and promotes varying levels of flexibility within the workplace.It must be noted however, that there is no expectation for staff to work at home and managers cannot force any member of their team to do so. It has been recognised that personal circumstances or personal preference may influence an employee’s decision with regards to home working. In such cases where an individual does not want to work at home, other elements of agile working must still be considered, for example remote working and hot desking.
Agile Working is being rolled out via a phased approach across the Trust, with the expectation that implementation be complete by November 2012. As some roles are more flexible than others, agile working will be adopted at varying levels within services and across the Trust as a whole.
After consultation and assessment by the relevant manager, a ‘workstyle’ is assigned to each staff member in scope and antechnological solution is implemented, in order to support the transition to the new more agile way of working. An agile workingenvironment not only relies on a new ICT infrastructure but also on staff engagement to ensure the successful adoption of this new way of working. In this respect, a huge culture shift must be achieved via the use of appropriate change management techniques; akey component in successfully embedding the agile working principles across the Trust.
2.1 Workstyling
The matrixbelow defines the 4 workstyles forTruststaff, as defined under the Agile Working Principles to clarify the concept of Agile Working.
Those who fall in the low mobility range (ie Fixed or Home)are generally at a desk or in a ward area for approximately 90% of the time. They rarely attend meetings or work from alternative locations. This may be fixed in the office or ward area or fixed at home, depending on the role.Additional considerations and processes must bein place for Homeworkersand a supporting policy will be developed in the future, to ensure a consistent approach to home working is embedded across the Trust.
Staff who have a more mobile workstyle are usually able to work from a variety of locations. Flexible staff are those who spend most of their time working in an office environment although may frequently be away from a desk attending meetings, working from other Trust sites or working occasionally from home.Similarlyclinical staff, who tend to spent a lot of time in service user’s homes, will also be ‘flexible’. In this respect, a high proportion of Trust staff will be categorised as flexible and the degree of flexibility is to be determined by the member of staff and their manager.
Mobile staff have a designated base (as with flexible staff) but are generally working out in the field eg home visits, hospital visits, transporting service users etc. This cohort of staff have less of a requirement to be at base and may chose to undertake office duties from an alternative building that may be closer to their current location, or from home.
2.2 The Benefits
Undoubtedly, the key corporate benefit is a reduction in costs and ultimately, the successful implementation of agile working will allow for savings to be made Trustwide whilst contributing extensively to more cost effective and efficient service provision.
In addition, the introduction of agile working will be of benefit to the Trust and to staff in the following ways:
2.2.1For the Trust agile working can:
- Supportcontinuity of service and the efficient functioning of the Trust.
- Increase availability of limited expertise or resources.
- Aid the retention of skilled and experienced staff whose personal circumstanceschange and who may otherwise leave the Trust.
- Enable learning and development activity to be undertaken remotely, including e-learning.
- Enable the Trust to respond to an individual’s need for flexibility in working arrangements, for example to support staff with responsibilities as carers.
- Enable disabled employees to retain their existing employment and support the recruitment of disabled applicants.
- Provide alternative solutions to short or longer term office accommodation issues.
2.2.2.For staff agile working can:
- Enable them to work more effectively on a particular piece of work, where concentration is important, by avoiding the interruptions that are part of the office environment.
- Provide a solution to a temporary problem where travel to the office is not possible.
- For peripatetic staff, reduce the time spent travelling to a specific base in order to access clinical or administrative systems.
3Purpose and Scope of this Policy
The Agile Working Policy sets out an overall framework, enabling the Trust’s workforce to carry out duties in a more efficient and effective way. The framework, as set out by the policy, providesa medium for consistency and fair practice when implementing and maintaining an Agile Working Environment.
This policy will enable both managers and staff to gain a better understanding of agile working and understand the basic principles, which can then be considered and applied to specific roles. More detail of how to apply the principles of agile working can be found in the guidance papers – Agile Working: A Manager’s Guide and Agile Working: An Employee’s Guide.
This policy covers the provision of facilities by the Trust to enable staff, working for (or on its behalf), to have secure and reliable access to any of the Trust’s information systems which they have been authorized to use. Agile working enables staff to access such systems remotely (ie away from base) which in turn results in the more timely updating of systems, more faster and informed decision making and overall improved efficiencies.
It is recognised that within integrated services Trust staff will be working alongside staff employed by the Local Authority. Local Authority staff will need to refer to their own organisational policies or appropriate joint protocols regarding agile working.
This policy outlines the key elements of managing and further developing agile working within the Trust.
4Principles of Agile Working
In order for agile working to become successfully embedded within teams, a formal, mutual agreement must be reached between the staff member and manager with regards to the logistics of the agile working arrangement.
When considering the practicalities of agile working and in particularduring initial discussions between manager and employee, both parties must be mindful of the following principles:
- Some options may not be operationally practical for certain jobs.
- Operational feasibility and quality standards, including Health and Safety, Information Governance, legislative andsecurity of equipment requirements, must not be compromised.
- Managers should choose to consider a particular arrangement or set of arrangements to improve and enhance service delivery.
- Contractual changes to terms and conditions of service can only be agreed following careful consideration of the implications and proper understanding of the individual’s circumstances and with the agreement of an HR Manager.
The four workstyles of agile working are covered within the remit of this policy and are not designed to replace the concepts outlined within the Guidance on Flexible Working Time Document, which still remains available for all employees.
The most appropriate workstyle will be recommended by the manager,upon completion of a Workstyle Allocation Form. An initial discussion will then be held with each employeein their team,to ensure staff fully understand the concept of workstyling, how this will affect them and most importantly, consider the best practical and operational arrangements for working in this way. The agreed workstyle is to be recorded on a Workstyle Profile Form which must then be signed by both parties and retained in the staff member’s file.
Once an employee’s workstyle has been agreed, an Agile Working Agreement Form must be completed, signed by both parties and retained in the staff members file.This formrecords the finer details of the arrangement (for example expected work outputs, arrangements for communication and support etc)whilst the checklist format ensures that each member of staff receive the same information and advice.
The Workstyle Allocation Form, the Workstyle Profile Form and the Agile Working Agreement Form can be found in the Appendices of the Agile Working: A Manager’s Guide.
Although agile workers will not necessarily work standard office hours (unless the role dictates this), it is essential to plan and agree a work programme for others (eg the manager, the rest of the team and colleagues) so they are aware of the individual’s working pattern, where they are located and know when and how to contact them. The hours of work must be agreed in advance allowing employees who are using their homes as part of their agile working arrangements, to have a right to privacy out of hours and be able to separate their working and home lives.
The ability to work occasionally from home allows employees to manage their domestic responsibilities eg delivery of goods, assisting with childcare arrangements (for example allowing parents to complete the school run and make up their time later in the evening), providing this does not have a negative impact on the individual’s ability to carry out their work, or on service delivery.
Employees must note that the ability to work from home is not a substitute for childcare or similar carer responsibilities. It is the staff member’s responsibility to ensure adequate provision is in place, should they choose to work from home.
5Housekeeping Rules
Hot desks -
There are varying definitions of a hot desk and organisations can choose to adopt the best suited definition for their services and staff. The Trust has agreed that in respect of agile working, a hot desk refers to a designated work space for any employee to use at any time. Where applicable, designated banks of hot desks should be used by visiting staff, or alternatively individuals should approach a team member to ask if they may work from a free desk within that team zone.
Team ‘zones’ refer to a designated area wherestaff work when at their base.
Staff must remember that they can work from any Trust location and managers must ensure staff feel comfortable when‘touching down’ at temporary desks and zones.
Clear desk principles-
As all desks may be used by any member of the Trust, adopting clear desk principles will assist with the changes in working practice; in that staff will feel more comfortable working from a desk that has not been personalised. There is an expectation therefore, that when an individual vacates a desk to enable usage by another member of staff, it will be left clear, with no materials left other that the standard IT kit provided by the Trust. Please refer to the Agile Working: A Manager’s Guide for more detail of how this can be implemented.
Room bookingfor meetings -
It is envisaged that once agile working has been implemented Trust wide, a central room booking system will be introduced. However, until full implementation is achieved, staff must continue to book meeting rooms via existing methods.
Front line service provision -
Agile working must not affect the provision of services and therefore managers must ensure that they have systems in place to maintain suitable office presence, as required and to monitor the level of available front line staff on duty at any one time.
Designated Base -
All staff will continue to have a designated base for travel claims purposes, although they may choose to work from an alternative location to allow for improved efficiency and a more effective service.
The agile working desk ratio -
The Trust will adopt the agile working desk ratio principles to assist with the successful implementation of agile working and to enable potential estate rationalisation, going forward.
Fixed worker – desk ratio is 1:1 – each fixed (office) worker has their own desk although during periods of absence, this desk may be used by other staff.
Flexible worker – desk ratio no more than 7:10 – for every 10 members of staff the number of desks will not exceed 7
Mobile worker – desk ratio no more than 4:10 – for every 10 members of staff the number of desks will not exceed 4
There are no desk ratios for Home Workers as the expectation for them to be working at home and spending minimal time in a Trust building; perhaps only returning to base for team meetings or supervision.
Suggestions for more local housekeeping rules can be found in the Agile Working: A Manager’sGuide.
6Impact on Employment
Consideration must be given to the legal implications associated with agile working. Below summarises the key points; please refer to the Guidance on Flexible Working Time document for more details.
It is essential that managers consult with a Human Resources Manager when a significant change is made to an employee’s working arrangement e.g. the move to full time home working. Advice can then be given on the impact of the working pattern according to current legislation:
Agile working can be advantageous to those with caring responsibilities and those with medical problems or disabilities, particularly when considering reasonable work adjustments, in accordance with the requirements of the Equality Act (2010). (See the Trust’s Managing Sickness Absence Management Policy). However, individuals must be mindful that as previously outlined, agile working is not a substitute for childcare arrangements.
The Working Time Regulations which places restrictions on working excessive hours came into force on 1 October 1998 and must be considered in respect of agile working. (See the Trust’sFlexible WorkingTime Guidance).
The Flexible Working Regulations apply from April 2003(enacted through the EmploymentRights Act 2002). The Regulations give employees a statutory right to apply for flexible working if they have parental responsibility (parents, guardians, adopters) for children under 6 or a disabled child under 18.The implementation of agile working therefore supports this Act.
The Trust as data controller for staff, member and service user person identifiable information, must comply with eight, legally enforceable, principles of good practice for all processing as detailed in the Data Protection Act 1998. (Please refer to the Data Protection Act - Employment Records – Guidance for Managers).
Managers must be mindful that careful consideration and additional processes may need to be put in place if one or more the following apply: