Employee Guidance - Hybrid Working
New workplace arrangements are in place after consultation with staff and trade unions.
Our Future Workplace model will introduce the hybrid worker scheme for staff who have been home workers and agile workers-home based since March 2020.
The scheme will be discussed with managers shortly but will essentially see hybrid workers supported to a return to the office for a minimum of six days over a four-week period while continuing to work from home or increasingly at another community location for the remainder of their work time. This blended approach is what 93% of staff expressed a preference for and provides consistency while ensuring that our remaining office locations are utilised and remain a vibrant and engaging locations for staff.
We recognise that returning to the office may be a daunting thought for some and there will be lots of support to help with this transition. Time in the office should be meaningful and help support good mental health and wellbeing as well as to facilitate face-to-face collaboration, training, team development and to support the induction of new staff.
We want to be an employer of choice, build greater resilience within our services, and have a clear framework to support our future workplace model.
Our ultimate goal is to take forward flexible workspaces and technology that will bring significant benefits to staff and services. These include more rapid decision making by involving the right people quickly (regardless of geography); the sharing of ideas and co-creation of solutions; reduced travel to enable more effective use of time; reduced overall carbon footprint; increased staff engagement through connected teams and improved data governance and information security.
All of this will be underpinned by appropriate health, safety and workforce policies and guidance to promote flexible working and ensure a duty of care for staff, wherever they are working.
Keep an eye out on MyNL and other announcements, yammer and in team meetings to hear more about our future workplace model and timeframes for our transition to the hybrid approach.
If you have any specific questions, please email ESC-WorkforceEngagement@northlan.gov.uk