WAKEFIELD COUNCIL
Worksmart work styles policy
1. Introduction
This policy has been developed to support the Councils Worksmart programme. Worksmart aims to modernise the way people work and deliver improved services to citizens, whilst realising significant benefits to our people and the organisation.
WorkSmart introduces four new work styles to roll out flexible working across the
Council. Although the work styles are aimed initially at people who are office based,
ultimately every job role will adopt a particular work style. A work style is an
approach to delivering the outcomes of a job without being tied to a building location.
Instead, work is seen as an activity that can be done from any location, including the
community, customer sites, on the move, touchdown points or home, subject to the
requirements of the job. The work styles will allow people to work more flexibly which
should increase productivity across the Council. The four new work styles are
outlined briefly below:
· Workplace – based
Employees who are workplace based undertake their role at a given location. This is currently the most common workstyles. However, some changes may occur including changes to employees normal HQ; allocation of desks, for example, from within a pool.
· Flexible workplace – based
Flexible workers work from any of the Council’s administrative buildings or from
home. These employees are provided with IT facilities that are mobile in
nature which enables them to work electronically at their desk, in meetings
or from home.
· Mobile
Mobile employees are not tied to one particular building location to conduct their
role. The majority of their work can be carried out in the community, from
customer sites on the move or from home. These employees will have
access to touchdown points to enable them to check emails, upload or download
information etc.
· Home - based
A home based employee is somebody who can conduct the majority of their
work activity at home. As a consequence, the employees home becomes
their contractual base of work. Employees are still required to attend the
Council’s administrative buildings for 1 to 1 meetings etc. The key to
understanding this work style is the wording ‘work at home’.
2. Benefits
Benefits of the new workstyles include:
· Increase in recruitment and retention of skilled employees
· Increase in employee satisfaction and morale
· Reduction in traffic
· Extended hours of service
· Reduction in carbon emissions
· Work carried out more efficiently and effectively
· More responsive and flexible service delivery
· Maximise opportunities for people with disabilities to remain in or enter
employment
· Improved access to information and services
· Reduction in unnecessary travel and travelling costs
· Reductions in accommodation costs
· Improved work-life balance
All employees will be considered for a nominated work style arrangement (except school based employees) implemented initially in determined priority areas.
Managers will determine with employees using the business case and associated templates the appropriate work style arrangements for each employee, giving careful consideration to the effect of the arrangement on the service and the individual. All employees will therefore enter into this arrangement through mutual agreement between themselves and their manager. Approval of these arrangements is subject to managers completing a business case, capturing all the costs and benefits of new work styles and employees following the requirements and complying with the conditions as set out in this policy.
There is no automatic entitlement to participate in a nominated work style arrangement and no automatic entitlement to continue in the nominated work style in a different post.
Where an employee has been classified as working at or from home for any particular day, it should be noted that this should not be combined with childcare on any of their nominated days. In the event of an emergency and childcare being required, the employee should speak with their manager with a view to additional leave provisions being applied as usual or other alternative arrangements.
This policy is based on the principle of no loss of grade, status or career prospects.
3. Key considerations when deciding the suitability of work styles for each post
3.1. Suitability of posts
In considering posts or aspects of a post for Worksmart, managers need to take into account the following general points:
· There should be no adverse effect on the level and quality of service to the citizen/Council/employee or team. On the contrary, the new workstyle to be implemented require capture of benefits to citizens, to employees and to the organisation.
· The workstyle chosen must be compatible with the amount of face-to-face contact and direct supervision required. The work style encourages greater levels of empowerment and responsibilities on individuals.
· There must be clear objectives and measurable outputs, which are set and regularly reviewed between manager and employee. Managing by outputs is a key requirement for remote workers.
· Costs of the new workstyle should not be beyond the level that’s expected to maintain a comparable post in the office.
· There should be no increase in workload for colleagues as a result of an employee working away from a team base. The expectation is that productivity will increase from the new work styles.
· It must be safe for the work to be carried out at home so health and safety assessments will be made. Initially managers should ask employees to complete appropriate forms. (refer to Appendix A and B). The Corporate Health and Safety team should be consulted if there are any issues.
· Arrangements must be put into place to protect confidential and personal information held on remote devices and at home.
· Effective communication arrangements with home workers must be able to be put in place.
· The impact on the service of the location of the employee’s home and the frequency/impact on travelling to and from sites etc.
· Supervisory responsibility does not automatically exclude employees from consideration of home based working.
3.2. Suitability of employees
When establishing the suitability of posts for a particular work style, the situation of the employee must then be assessed and shared with the employee. Points to consider may include whether they are:
· able to meet customer needs more efficiently and effectively in new work
styles
· self motivated
· able to organise and manage working time appropriately
· undertaking work that needs high levels of concentration and minimal
disruption
· undertaking work that doesn’t require any large or specialised business
equipment
· confident to work away from the workplace environment
· able to work without direct supervision
· flexible in approach to work location
· in a job which must take place at a designated location.
· able to work in an appropriate home environment
3.3. Training issues
Any additional training needs which are needed as a result of mobile, flexible or home-based working should also be identified and considered through discussions between the manager and the employee.
4. Suitability of the home as a working environment for the nominated workstyle
– employee responsibility
4.1. Appropriate work area
The home environment needs to be right for home based working which addresses the need for information security. Ideally a separate area for work in the home should be identified (such as a spare room). This will not always be possible, and should not exclude anyone from consideration for home based working as long as the appropriate health and safety checks are carried out and periodically reviewed (refer to Appendix A and B).
4.2. Insurance issues
In the event of an accident occurring when an employee is working at home, involving injury or damage to Council equipment; or damage to their own property caused by the Council’s equipment, the employee should notify their manager immediately.
Furniture and equipment supplied by the Council for employees working from home will be at the Council’s risk and therefore the employee will not be expected to have insurance in respect of this. However the employee will be responsible for any loss arising from misuse, abuse or wilful damage to Council equipment within their home.
Employees using their own equipment should ensure that it is insured for such use through their own insurance policies.
Employees undertaking travelling for work purposes, and when on Council business in their own vehicle, are responsible for ensuring that they have the appropriate level of insurance as per current Council policy. For further guidance and information you can contact either the Risk & Insurance Manager or visit the Insurance Cover pages on the intranet.
5. Workstyle packages – costs and the provision of equipment
Costs of mobile technology as a result of Worksmart will be taken into consideration in the Worksmart business case, along with the benefits to be realised.
The equipment to be supplied is subject to management agreement and Worksmart approval and on the circumstances of each case following consideration of the costs and benefits. Advice on computer equipment will be provided by e-Services.
5.1 Allowances will be payable as follows:
ALLOWANCES & EQUIPMENT / Allowances / Work StylesMobile / Flexible / Workplace Based / Home Based
Broadband Installation
· If an employee does not currently have broadband, a one-off payment of up to £70 will be paid towards set up costs. This is subject to proof of broadband installation being supplied to their line manager. / ü / ü / ü
Broadband Rental
· An allowance will be given to help pay for the costs of broadband rental. £60 per year will be paid for working one day a week from home, up to a maximum of £240 per year (see table below). In the first year the allowance will be a one-off payment and on a monthly basis in future years. / ü / ü / ü
Annual Broadband Rental Allowance / Furniture Allowance
Number of days worked from home each week / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4/5
Broadband Rental Allowance per year / £60 / £120 / £180 / £240
Furniture – one-off payment / £60 / £120 / £180 / £240
Furniture
· A one-off payment towards the cost of a desk and chair of £60 will be paid for working one day a week from home, up to a maximum of £240 per year (see table above). / ü / ü / ü
Equipment
· Docking station, keyboard and mouse for home.
· Flat screen monitor for home (if needed).
· Connectivity to relevant systems through Citrix (if required). / ü
ü
ü / ü
ü
ü
5.2 All items below are funded by the Council
Workstyle / Equipment / items funded by Council / Additional home based worker packageHome based / · I.T. equipment – funded by Worksmart
· Mobile phone – funded by the employees service
· Connectivity to relevant systems i.e. through Citrix
· Other ancillary equipment as required by the post
Flexible / · I.T. equipment
· Mobile phone funded as normal by the
employee’s service / · Docking station, keyboard and
mouse for mouse
· Flat screen monitor for home (if
required)
· Connectivity to relevant systems i.e. Citrix
Mobile / · I.T. equipment
· Mobile phone funded as normal by the employee’s service / · Docking station, keyboard and
mouse for home
· Flat screen monitor for home (if
required)
· Connectivity to relevant systems i.e.
Citrix
Workplace / Employees based in Council buildings will have access to computers, phones, a desk and chair. Not everyone will have a designated desk or personal storage within their desks. Lockers will be provided for storing personal belongings.
Occasional or ad-hoc arrangements for employees to work at home i.e. who will work at home on average less than one day a week, will not be supported through Worksmart and will have to provide and maintain the necessary facilities themselves. This includes connectivity to relevant systems funded by their service.
Please note: Employees will receive their allowances as a lump sum payment for the first
12 months. Following the 12 month anniversary of adopting Worksmart, the
employee will receive their broadband rental allowance pro rata on a monthly
basis.
6. General considerations
Managers must note that dedicated workstations will not be provided at Council buildings for mobile, flexible or home based employees. This would lead to unacceptable increased costs. Managers must consider:
· desk-sharing arrangements
· use of touch-down points
· office space required for items
· other flexible working arrangements, such as term time working, compressed hours
6.1. The Council will not pay for the following and the employee will be responsible for:
· Any additional costs incurred by employees in terms of energy and other utilities at their home
· Any existing and ongoing rental on equipment belonging to the employee such as the phone line for access to Internet
· Any additional costs in home insurance
· The cost of moving or installing the equipment and if the employee move home.
6.2 Use of employee’s own equipment
It is expected that all IT equipment required will be provided by the Council unless
employees have suitable existing equipment that can be used. Any personal
equipment will not normally be supported by the Council, therefore employees
should initially use their warranty cover for hardware problems.
6.3. Taxation
6.3.1 Equipment supplied by the Council
Furniture and Equipment Allowance
An allowance for furniture and equipment with the sole intention of allowing the
employee to perform their duties from home, will be tax free. A one off payment of
£60 will be paid for to a maximum of £240 for four / five days. This is provided that
the employee is contractually home based and that private use of equipment is not
significant.
Internet Connection and Rental Connection
When an employee has installed broadband for the sole purpose of work, a tax free
payment of up to £70 will be paid towards set up costs. Reimbursement will be
made on the production of an actual invoice in the employees name.
Broadband Rental