These Guidelines Provide Information Relating to Working Hours in Lloyds Banking Group (LBG)

Introduction

These guidelines provide information relating to working hours in Lloyds Banking Group (LBG).

Lloyds Banking Group (LBG) offers a flexible approach to working arrangements in order to meet customer requirements and the needs of the Group whilst supporting work-life balance for colleagues.

Core Working Hours

The basic working week in LBG is based on a core 35 hours, exclusive of any breaks; some divisional variations apply, depending on business need.Working patterns will be different across the Group and will be driven by the requirement to meet customer and business needs.Colleagues should work their contracted hours as discussed with their manager.

Patterns of Attendance

When establishing patterns of attendance, the Company will take due consideration of the colleague's personal circumstances whilst recognising that the priority is to establish working patterns that meet customer and business needs.

Managers should aim to mutually agree working patterns including daily start and finish times with individual colleagues.Subject to meeting operational requirements, full-time colleagues can work a four, five or six day week. Other patterns such as nine day fortnights, for example, would also be acceptable.However, no colleagues should complete more than ten hours in a day as part of their contracted working week.Ordinarily colleagues would not be expected to complete their hours of work over split shifts.

The Group's Flexible Working policyoffers colleagues the opportunity to apply to their Line Manager for six main work patterns. The Line Manager will consider the request and make a decision taking into account the requirement to meet customer and business needs.The six main work patterns can be combined and other alternatives may be suggested.

• Variable hours - selecting different start and finish times e.g. 10am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, or 9am to 4pm Monday to Wednesday, 9am to 6pm on Thursday, 9am to 4pm on Friday and 9am to 12pm on a Saturday.
• Compressed hours - working a full 35 hour week in fewer than five days - e.g. 8am to 6pm, Monday to Wednesday and 8am to 5pm on Thursday. Colleagues working this type of arrangement must ensure their health and safety is not compromised by working long hours without adequate breaks, or by working alone in potentially dangerous situations.
• Reduced hours - working less than a full-time schedule of 35 hours per week, with a corresponding adjustment to pay and benefits, 9.30am to 3.30pm for 5 days, or 21 hours over 3 days.
• Term Time working - working annual hours during school or college term times only.
• Job sharing - two individuals sharing the duties of a full-time position with a corresponding adjustment to pay and benefits. Job share partners must carry comparable responsibilities if the grade of each person is to be maintained. Seethe Flexible Working sitefor further information on job sharing.
• Tele-working - working away from an individual's main work location - either at home and/or at other work premises. Individuals considering tele-working should first consider any tax, security, or health and safety issues associated with the arrangement.

Changing Working Patterns

The manager, in order to meet business needs, or the colleague for personal reasons, may request a change to the agreed working pattern.

Where a colleague, for personal reasons, requires a change to their working pattern, the colleague should make an application to their manager in accordance with the Flexible Working policy.Each request will be assessed on its own merits and will only be refused if there is a clear detriment to the business.

Initially, the business will seek to change working patterns on a voluntary basis.However, there may be occasions where the business may not be able to achieve the proposed changes to working patterns through voluntary means.

The following process should be followed where Lloyds Banking Group wishes to alter existing working patterns for individuals or groups of colleagues.

These guidelines do not apply to colleagues who, as part of their normal work pattern, work regular rotating shift patterns.

Business Rationale

Managers may request a change to agreed working patterns where there is a valid business need to do so.There should be a robust rationale for the proposed change.

Whilst there is no definitive list of what constitutes a robust business rationale, it is likely that this will be driven by one of the following:

• The resourcing requirement and the resourcing model and the availability of staff to operate at key times.
• Business efficiency or productivity arrangements such as new systems or technological changes in processes.
• Customer impacts and demands.
• Changes required as part of a wider strategic project review or wider integration activity.

As part of their initial thinking, managers must consider working arrangements across the wider team, rather than an individual colleague's working patterns. This is necessary to ensure that every opportunity is taken to meet the need for change with the full engagement of the wider team and with the greatest opportunity for the change to be made on a voluntary basis.

Where the proposed changes only impact on an individual or small number of colleagues, managers should refer to HR Advice and Guidance.

Union Consultation

Where the proposed changes to working patterns impact on a large number of colleagues, and will have a significant impact on current working patterns, (i.e. the change impacts all colleagues within the business unit or the changes involve more than 20 colleagues), managers must contact their divisional HR Business Partner or Employee Relations team for advice in the first instance, and prior to any discussions taking place with the relevant trade unions.

The purpose of the union consultation is to:

• advise the unions of the reasons for the proposed changes.
• outline the timeframe for making any changes.
• discuss the approach to collective consultation for this initiative.
• discuss the approach for achieving the change.
• propose and consider alternatives and walk through how these would work e.g. trial periods.

Only, once the appropriate union consultation has taken place, should managers communicate the proposed changes to impacted colleagues and explain the process for changing working patterns, including seeking preferences.

Managers should also refer to their roles and responsibilities section of this guidance.

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Colleague Consultation

Whether the change impacts on a large number of colleagues or just one colleague, Line Managers should engage in consultation with the colleague(s).

In the first instance, managers should consider collective discussions with as wide a team as possible to understand any preferences and seek volunteers to meet the changed working hours requirement.

Managers should ensure that all colleagues understand the business rationale underpinning the need for the change and have the opportunity to question the requirement for the change in order to gain a clear understanding of its importance and to be able to offer realistic alternatives.

Colleagues should be given the opportunity to put forward any issues or concerns they may have with the proposal on an individual basis.

The manager should consider any concerns and respond as appropriate before any decision to implement the change is taken.

Individual circumstances will be taken into account and the Company will not seek to implement the change until all reasonable voluntary avenues and alternatives have been explored.

Where necessary, consideration should be given to establishing transitional arrangements to give colleagues sufficient time to adjust to their commitments. Any agreed transition periods should have a defined end date.

Colleagues with Caring Responsibilities

Where a colleague is the main or primary carer for a child or relative and this alone prevents a colleague from agreeing to a change to their working pattern, then the Company may not require that colleague to change their working pattern, subject always to the Company being satisfied that the colleague has explored all alternative caring arrangements.

Special care should be taken by both parties to try and find a mutually acceptable solution which meets the business requirements as well as the colleagues caring responsibilities. Where a mutually acceptable solution cannot be agreed line managers must discuss the individual case with HR Advice and Guidance prior to agreeing any next steps. Any changeto working patterns in these circumstances may only be taken as a last resort

Notification of Change to Working Pattern

Once agreement has been reached, or a decision has been made to change a colleague's working pattern, the colleague should be provided with a minimum of one month's advanced notice of the change in writing.Relative to circumstances, up to three months advanced notice can be given. Please note this does not mean that notice of termination of the contract is being given.

In deciding on how much notice should be given, managers should consider how long the colleague has been working their existing working pattern, the impact of the change and any personal circumstances that may exist.

In situations where there is a need to request a change to a colleague's working pattern on a short-term basis, to cover illness or emergencies, this should be discussed locally, with volunteers again being sought as the first and best option. Where change is required for such situations, the notice may not be in line with the minimums outlined above due to the unforeseen nature of the request.

Colleague Refusal

Where a colleague indicates they are unwilling or unable to change their current working pattern and advises the business of the reasons for this, managers should attempt to resolve any concerns informally in line with the key principles set out in Appendix 1.

Where this fails, and the colleague wishes to appeal, the colleague should raise a grievance at stage 1 of the Company's Grievance policy.If appropriate, an additional internal appeals process may be agreed as part of the change initiative. If this is the case, the colleague should raise an appeal through this internal, local appeals process in the first instance.

Summary of Actions Required by Line Managers

Managers' responsibilities are summarised as follows:

• Managers should act in line with the key principles set out in Appendix 1 and ensure that they act reasonably at all times.
• Managers should contact their HR Business Partner to discuss any potential changes to working patterns before discussing any proposed changes with colleagues or union representatives.
• Managers should communicate the need for change with all colleagues impacted and should ensure all colleagues understand the business rationale for the change.
• Managers should ensure that colleagues have the opportunity to put forward any issues or concerns they have with the proposals and due consideration should be given to these concerns before responding to them and before any decision is made.
• Managers should consider the need for transitional arrangements to give colleagues sufficient time to adjust to their new working pattern.
• Managers must provide reasonable notice of the change and any permanent change should be communicated in writing.

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Procedures

• Introduction
• Core Working Hours
• Patterns of Attendance
• Changing Working Patterns