Civil Service - Post Lockdown - Blended Working?

TaurenDruid

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119145017#Comment_119145017

I should caveat this (and in fact all the results!) by saying I'm assuming good faith on all the responses, that nobody was messing, that nobody submitted multiple forms, etc., and that nobody should base career choices off an anonymous survey published on boards!

So, for Departments that have already published a Blended Working Policy:

• D/Enterprise will allow 2 days WFH, from next year. This is worse than at present, where currently staff have 3 days WFH. (Based on 1 response)
• D/Foreign Affairs will allow 2 days WFH, from Q3. This is worse than at present, where currently staff have 3 days WFH. (Based on 1 response)
• D/Justice will allow 1, 2, or 3 days WFH (1 response) or 2 days WFH (1 response), from Q3. This is worse than at present, where currently staff have 3 days WFH.
• D/Social Protection will allow... well, confusion. 6 responses, 4 different answers :-) So it'll either be 1 day WFH as the only option (unlikely, I feel - this was 1 person), 4 days WFH as the only option (2 people), choice of 1 to 4 days WFH (2 people), or choice of 1 to 5 days WFH (1 person). A majority saying this be introduced in Q3. The current situation is varied - ranging from WFH fulltime to "everyone is back in the office fulltime" - so presumably a public office. (Also, note another 8 people working in D/SP are under the impression that the Department has not published a blended working policy...)
• Revenue Commissioners will allow 3 days WFH (1 response) or a choice of 1 to 4 days WFH (1 response), from Q4. This is worse than the current situation, where currently (most?) staff are WFH fulltime.

Meanwhile, the current situation for Departments is as follows (note I excluded the "Organisation with more than/less than 500 staff" and the local authorities, cos it's a gorgeous evening...):

• 3 days WFH, 2 in the office: CSO, Departments of Children, Defence, Education, Enterprise, Environment, Finance, Foreign Affairs, Further & Higher Ed, Health, Housing, Justice, Rural & Community Dev, Tourism
• 2 days WFH, 3 in the office: DPER (though 1 of the 5 respondents has more WFH days), Departments of Agriculture, Transport

Other:

• D/Social Protection, as already noted, currently has a variety of work patterns. 14 respondents in total, one person says "everyone is back fulltime", but everyone else is WFH from 3, 4, or 5 days.
• Revenue, as above, most people WFH fulltime with just one person back in the office fulltime, as a local manager won't allow WFH.

Augme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119146383#Comment_119146383

The blended framework says there should be an appeals process. Again, I wouldn't take that lying down.

those hours are not the thing to focus on tbh nobody ever worked the set hours they are illustrative

BhoyRayzor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119146595#Comment_119146595

Going by some of the examples of managers from the comments above I wouldn't be surprised if some people will have to start at 9:12am, have to take 1:15 for lunch and can't leave until 5:30pm

AChanger

Still no formal published blended working policy published by D/Enterprise, but I had been told by a senior manager who was involved in the formation of it that the plan is three days WFH, as it is currently, and to have the flexitime pilot where we can accrue time when WFH as well as WFO. I'm surprised to see someone else is saying they have heard it's only two days WFH.

mtb_sends

Somewhat off topic, but can anyone tell me if the flexitime and flexi-leave system is applicable to all public sector orgainisations or is it just civil service departments.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119146383#Comment_119146383

No appeal allowed? Says who?

See Appendix G (Application process) and Appendix H (Review Process) of the DPER Framework. (opens as PDF).

There is always an appeal allowed. Do not be fobbed off with that nonsense.

Page 13: Section 4.4

4.4 Employee Right to Review a Decision to Refuse Where an application for blended working is refused, the applicant may wish to request a review of the application process. Before seeking a formal review, applicants should have an informal discussion with their manager (the Recommender) in the first instance to discuss the reasons for refusal and to explore if there is an opportunity to resolve any issues identified. If the issues can be resolved, the manager can re-assess the application and may amend their decision. If the issues cannot be resolved, the applicant may seek a formal review. The review will be undertaken by a Review Officer, who will be appointed by the organisation. This Review Officer will not have been involved in the original decisionmaking process. The steps in the formal review process should generally include the following: 

Step 1: The request for a formal review must be made, in writing, within 10 working days of the decision to refuse the application. The application for a review should set out the grounds of the review. The focus of the review will be to determine whether the application process was in line with the organisation’s Blended Working Policy. All records relating to the application and original decision should be made available to the Review Officer. In general, the review will be a review of the file only. The Review Officer will, determine the process for review and may give due consideration to any request for a meeting in a specific case, however their decision will be final on whether a meeting is necessary with the applicant, Recommender or Approver /HR. 

Step 2: The decision of the Review Officer will be communicated in writing to the applicant, the Recommender and Approver, and HR. In general, this should occur within 10 working days of receipt of the formal review request. The decision should set out the reasons for the decision. The Review Officer may:

• Affirm the decision to refuse the application, or
• Recommend that the original decision be reconsidered by the Recommender and/ or Approver, taking into account any issues identified by the Review Officer,
• Make other recommendations related to blended working, where appropriate.

While the main purpose of the review is to assess the original decision-making process, the Review Officer has discretion to consider reviews of other cases where blended working arrangements are deemed inappropriate or unsuitable after a trial period, or as a result of a change of circumstances. For the avoidance of doubt, the decision of the Review Officer is final.

@Calmcookie84

@Calmcookie84

You can work 8 to 4 and take a full hour for lunch instead of a half hour.

There is no change to core time bands (unless locally).

Addle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119147430#Comment_119147430

As per your post, you can appeal the process, but not the decision.

That's a lot different from saying no appeal is allowed, which is what you stated.

Also if still refused there will be an option to go to the WRC.

TaurenDruid

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119146543#Comment_119146543

Info received from a staff member of D/Social Protection which might help clarify the various responses there, and explains why some say a policy was issued and others say none has issued:

1) There’s been no official policy document. An email was sent from HR 2 weeks ago that said a policy based on the DPER framework was being developed and would be released soon. It stated that staff would be expected to work a minimum of 4 days a month in the office. Applications accepted in June for the period August to December. Application in October for 2023. I believe some think this was an official document but it was only a preparatory email. Decision to allow WFH will be based on unit needs and the decision of management (line managers and senior). It's not expected that anyone will be able to WFH 100% when this is official.

2) The current situation is as complicated as your responses indicate. For example some staff are at home (but some come into office voluntarily as they wish). Others are 100% in the office. Most are in between. There’s a huge difference between public counters, regional office and Dublin HQ.

Shuffl_in

I know there has been plenty of discussion in here regarding pay talks:

https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2022/0603/1302882-summer-pay-talks-to-avoid-a-winter-of-discontent/

Hotblack Desiato

"Nobody could have predicted"... blah blah

It was obvious at the time the deal they signed up to was a shite deal.

Emma2019

I'm in Revenue and will only have to do 1 day a week. others who have kids will only be coming in one day every 2 weeks. We were told the minimum was 1 day a month per the DPER plan.

The NSSO request system isnt going to be live until around August so I wont be back in the office at all until arouns September.

But it comes down to your manager/role.

angel eyes 2012

Excuse my ignorance, but what are "Pthers"?

billyhead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119168050#Comment_119168050

Partners?

Augme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119168050#Comment_119168050

Parents I would assume.

Also revenue woul want to be change that approach as they are leaving themselves wide open for a discrimination claim.

Absolute Zero

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119168050#Comment_119168050

I think she meant "Others" and made a typo.

TaurenDruid

I've been asked by someone working there to pass on that the NSSO have recently confirmed that when it comes out, their official Blended Working policy will *lessen* the number of required in-office days (down to 20% WFO from 40%).

Good to see some progressive policies coming in!

Emma2019

Yes, sorry it was a typo. Meant to say "others".

angel eyes 2012

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119169219#Comment_119169219

Thanks for the clarification.

For clarity, are Revenue stating that full-time employees are going to be treated differently in their policy depending on their family circumstances?

Emma2019

No not at all! Sorry I probably wrote that confusingly. I more meant other people I know have asked to only be doing 1 day every 2 weeks, because they have kids. But their kids weren't factored into the approval process. I might go to 1 day every 2 weeks myself after a bit, I'll see what the commute is like first.

I don't know anyone that's asked for one day a month yet but our team are relatively small and I'm sure there's a few.

angel eyes 2012

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119171087#Comment_119171087

Thanks, was about to mention equality legislation!

That approach makes sense. The difficulty is, and I believe it may have been raised before, organisations with frontline, customer-facing roles are going to struggle with staff retention if the same agency up the road only requires staff to attend the office once or twice a month. DPER didn't address this sufficiently in their guidance. I suspect the unions are finding it problematic too in ensuring equal treatment for staff across the wider civil service.

Emma2019

Yeah there's not much that can be done though really I don't think. There are jobs that can't be done from home and there's going to be some sort of a shift of people towards jobs that can be done at home, in the public and private sectors.

I know of people who left civil service jobs in the last year for fully remote jobs.

HartsHat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119171150#Comment_119171150

It will sort itself out. Not everyone wants WFH. Plenty of people like working in an office environment.

Shuffl_in

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119172431#Comment_119172431

Yes I think it will. It happens a lot already in that people take public service roles in their second area choice and apply for a transfer/mobility to their first choice ASAP. In other sectors you need to start in Dublin to get in the door and apply for a transfer to your preferred area almost immediately.

So you will have people accepting jobs with eyes on something else but that's not a new thing. Others will be happy to be in an office every day.

trigger26

https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2022/0608/1303541-remote-working-hubs/

Good initiative for those who don't have office space/ prefer office and don't want to commute daily

hardybuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119172431#Comment_119172431

I think it'll be a long time before it sorts itself out, and it won't happen naturally without a policy intervention.

The recruitment challenges at the moment are fairly dire, and the Civil Service has been pretty complacent about staff retention and the chickens are coming home to roost at the moment.

Fair play to the NSSO for moving to the 1 day, but it's not that long ago that 50% of their staff had signed up for mobility, so that's probably forced their hand in terms of considering how they might retain staff a bit better.

Augme

The NSSO is an interesting one. The quality of their worn and their reputation has always been very poor. Allowing such significant wfh opportunity could see that increase, or decrease.