Civil Service - Post Lockdown - Blended Working?

TaurenDruid

Flexibility seems to work more for management than staff?

HartsHat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119723425#Comment_119723425

Some Depts are doing it by percentage (e.g. 50/50) over a set time period (e.g. four weeks) so asking how many days per week is impossible to answer and hence the answers given.

TaurenDruid

There are some rebels out there!

TaurenDruid

If people want a clearer breakdown of this one, let me know...

TaurenDruid

Nothing much to add to this one...

TaurenDruid

No flexi if you're on blended working in: Garda Civilian, NSSO/PeoplePoint, D/Finance, D/Agriculture, Food and the Marine, D/Health, D/Housing, Local Government and Heritage

Yes, flexi available while blended working in: D/Social Protection, Revenue Commissioners, Local Authority, PRA, CSSO, D/Agriculture, Food and the Marine, D/Public Expenditure and Reform, OGP, CSO, D/Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, D/Enterprise, Trade and Employment, D/Health, NSSO/PeoplePoint, PRA, D/Defence, D/Environment, Climate and Communications, D/Justice, D/Rural and Community Development, OPW, D/Foreign Affairs, D/Housing, Local Government and Heritage, D/Transport

The people in NSSO/PeoplePoint and D/Housing need to talk to each other...

TaurenDruid

You can work up flexi while WFH in: OGP, D/Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, D/Enterprise, Trade and Employment, D/Health, D/Social Protection, D/Defence, D/Environment, Climate and Communications, D/Public Expenditure and Reform, D/Foreign Affairs, D/Transport, CSSO, PRA

No, you have to be in the office to work up flexi in: D/Social Protection, NSSO/PeoplePoint, Revenue Commissioners, Local Authority, PRA, D/Agriculture, Food and the Marine

PRA and Social Protection people... check your policies!

TaurenDruid

Policies overdue from Education, Further Education, Tourism, and Garda Civilians... which is also the one that announced that it isn't going to offer blended working.

@Tails142

I can't seem to quote @Tails142 post, but I can understand where they are coming from and why they are upset and angry.

If I'd been working from home for over 2 years, and working well, and was suddenly told that from 1st October that I had to return to working 4 days a week from the office for "business needs" - and what is more, this was only being targetted at specific grades - then yes, I'd be pissed off too and calling out the PO/HOF on it. As the PO/HOF I'd expect to be called out on it.

In their position I too would be looking at my options and at the very least seeking an internal transfer. It's some way to pay people back for two years of solid work at home, to imply they no longer can be trusted to do the same work from home now the pandemic is no longer a crisis - which is what it comes down to.

TaurenDruid

Seems unions were either rarely involved in the BWP area, or their communication has been extremely poor...

TaurenDruid

Now that's a strong message the unions could be using!

TaurenDruid

(Optional) Do you have anything you'd like to add on the topic of blended working that was missed from the survey and should be included if there's another one? (General comments added here may be posted on the boards.ie thread unless you say you don't want them posted!)

30 responses

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Management and HR have been fairly lax overall on a shared set of minimum requirements re the new blended working. Divisionally it has been left up to Assistant Sec level how many days over two are required in the office. However it seems to be a case that as long as business needs are met ie. You come in for the budget if required on a more substantial basis, briefs for A Sec, Minister, Legislation printed that may require additional in person attendance are met and no one takes the mick then management generally leave us to it with general immediate manager supervision.

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DSP's blended policy has been in place since 12th September. It's left up to each management to decide what pattern will work for their area as long as everybody does a minimum of 4 days per month in the office. So, each AP/PO area is operating different patterns. Most seem to be offering 2 or 3 days at home. Some front facing areas are not offering any remote working or only 1 day. In addition DSP are piloting flexi-accrual at home for the next 3 months with 10% of staff.

[TD comment: Explains a lot of the apparently contradictory answers from DSP staff!)

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It would be interesting to see how offices apply leave policy. As as example, here is the CSO's position, taken from the published CSO blended working documents (a 12 month pilot scheme).

"What happens if one week I am not able to attend the office on my chosen day(s) due to leave/appointment/sick day/bank holiday etc.? Do I have to attend on an alternative day(s)?

If you are unable to attend the office on your customary or specified day(s) one week, you must attend on an alternative day that week, consistent with satisfying the strict 40% weekly on-site requirement. For example; A full-time staff member is on sick leave from Monday to Wednesday (Tuesday is their anchor day, Wednesday is their 2nd office attendance day). They must attend the office the office on Thursday and Friday".

"Can the required minimum of 40% or two-days FTE-based attendance be split in half days?

No, a business decision has been taken that the required minimum 40%/2 days of onsite attendance for all employees must be completed as two whole days for staff working on an FTE basis and may not be divided into half days."

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Some answers are guesses!

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Re: separate clocking for flexi- it's the same system but you have to register in-office slightly differently (is my understanding I'm not on clock)

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Our Dept have said that they expect Flexi to restart at some point but they don't know when, also they said it would only be accrued for days in the office, which makes us feel like they're not valuing the days we work from home as "proper" working days. People worksharing will also be penalised because they can only workshare on days when they'd be WFH.

They also expect that most people will have to use hot desks.

Also, we've been told NOT to apply through Peoplepoint but that a specific application form would be created for us (it's not ready, yet).

Finally, there will be some form of H&S and Ergonomic assessments, but we're unsure if they will be online or in person, who will carry those out and when. There's no start date, yet, either.

Quite a few people have already transferred out on mobility because of the policy, the whole thing has been handled quite badly

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Our department is already flailing, but will completely fall apart. Eva use of senior management refusal to introduce a flexible wfh policy. The majority of staff want to leave.

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Local Authority allowed to apply for 2days wfh Admin staff in my department only allowed 1 day & all appeals refused. Staff told it was for operational reasons but no detail given to allow staff to address it. Professional staff involved in same service given 2 days. Don't feel that application or appeals were looked at as one employee doesn't have broadband at home. Forsa are not representing staff so now everyone looking for transfers but blocked by management. Morale the lowest ever

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My entire section is 4 days in office PO insisting AS policy. Meet public 2 days per week.

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I feel that the ability to accrue Flexi both at home and in the office in some departments, but only when working in the office in other departments, is very damaging to the civil service. If this policy continues in my department, I'll leave at the first opportunity. We were constantly praised throughout the pandemic, thanking us for the sterling work we did in DSP. Then when the time comes to implement a blended working policy, there's no chance of accruing Flexi while WFH, so despite all the platitudes, they don't trust officers who work at home. Since I started working at home in March 2020, I have worked just over 275 extra hours that I will never be paid for and will never receive credit for. I've weaned myself off this habit in the last few weeks, especially since the blended working trial started. If they want to see the true effect of this shortsighted approach, I have no problem in helping them see it. When 4 o clock arrives, I'm done from now on, it'll wait until I clock on in the morning. I've worked on some very important projects in the last two years, [projects mentioned]. I've worked above and beyond on these projects, but no more. From now on, when my day is done, it's done.

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Trial period for the rest of the year of 2 days in the office, to build relationships with team as it has many new members. In 2023, all going well, we will all be 1 day in office if we so choose. New joiners will be 100% in office for the first 2 months and then, depending on how they settle in, will gradually move to more days WFH.

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I was placed in my department recently, and will aim to move in the future unless they allow more WFH days eventually.

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Will probably be 2 days in office, 2 wfh and 1 floating

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Pro rata office attendance permitted for those who do not work five full days.

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Policy seems to be fairly well received in my dept. Haven't come across any real complaints yet. Worth noting though - DoH was obliged to offer 3 WFH days as there's no longer enough office capacity to have everyone in all at once, nor anything close to it

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Bw minimum attendance in my office is 50% - not one of the options on the list.

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Anecdotally, some line managers are being stricter than others when it comes to flexibility.

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Dept of Ag seems to be quite old fashioned in that they want people in the office. Also since the pandemic began there has been a lot of sections brought in even though they could do their work at home mainly because other sections are in that can't work from home. Some people who want to WFH but are not allowed for business needs seem to be quite resentful and this has led to more people being in for the last two years than was necessary. Also the business needs thing is very easy to justify and may be used as a way of managers having their staff in even when they aren't needed.

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Significant and expeditious progress is sought in delivering wider public service / civil service / inter-departmental / intra-departmental "regional working hubs", which will support the whole of government delivery approach sought in many action plans and will promote regional development.

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Blended Working is being used as a weapon by management; threats of withdrawal/ non approval if you don't keep them happy. Happy includes doing work for different roles. I'm a CO who does EO work when EO is on leave and I have to do Guide work when their contract finishes.

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People who work share or on Carers leave are not allowed pro rata blended working. Still have to do 4 days a month. Management are not being flexible they are dictating anchor days etc to staff.

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In general I'm lucky to have blended working being a Garda Civillian, as I know that a lot of people have not been given the option at all since the start of covid. It seems to be inplemented purely by local management and is very open to change and variation depending on where you are placed.

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No one in our department has to officially apply for blended working, we have been told 2 days in and 3 at home. I do 1 anchor day and 1 other day but managers are flexible if I need to change. No flexi at the moment but I think that will be decided when other departments see how their trial periods went.

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D/TCAGSM indicated 2 assigned days working from office and 2 from home, with a third "floating" day to be worked in office. My understanding is people were not happy with this as was not in line with other Departments and would be really difficult for managers to work with. Additionally, there is not enough space in some of the offices to allow for the full complement of workers to attend all on the same day, which makes scheduling difficult.

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My department has communicated nothing to us. The last thing we were told officially was at the end of May we were told the blended working policy would be published by the end of June. Nothing but rumours about the union being involved. We haven't been surveyed once about how we actually work and what we think we should be doing or want.

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Current policy is very much managed locally but DSP (HQ buildings) are moving towards a hot desk booking system soon. The official stated minimum is an “average of four days per month”. Anecdotally that’s what most applied for and we’re approved for. Some have an added anchor day but that’s not official

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My local PO has allowed our unit to work fully remotely until the working from home policy has been published

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Local management making up rules that differ to department overall policy reducing wfh to 2 or 1 day depending on grade. No consultation with staff.

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I cancelled all Mobility which was based on interests to random depts based solely on location/ proximity to home or more Liberal WFH policy. DAFM approach thus far has been insulting and assumes the absolute worst of people. Leaving as soon as a location marginally closer to home arises. Absolute rigidity in DAFM on terms and applicability. Yet no flexi clock system in place yet to accommodate new arrangement. HR have off the record informed me it definitely won't be ready in time. Absolute joke.

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What we're looking at now is basically a formalisation of what has been happening for 2+ years, with added in-office (non-anchor) days. HR and H&S get involved which means endless boxes have to be ticked, they have to cover their asses after all. I'm awaiting an assessment with private sector company of whether my home workstation of the last 2.5 years is acceptable or not. Bollocks really but the outcome of permanent 3 WFH days a week in my case is definitely worth it. So I'm going to have to heat the house more, but I'm saving the hassle and time and fuel costs of the commute so it balances out. Anyone getting het up about the costs of running a laptop (or even a monitor as well) all day really needs to learn what a kWh is. Transport and heating are what really use energy. Yep you can publish this 😀

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And that's it! If anyone wants a further breakdown of any of the answers above, let me know and I'll see what I can do.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119723597#Comment_119723597

You've posted a lot of info to digest. Appreciate the effort.

I'd be curious how much union membership has declined in the last decade across the public sector, and across age groups.

I also wonder if union members across the public sector were surveyed would they feel local union reps were being excluded from any input on these changes.

gameoverdude

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119723678#Comment_119723678

Fair play!

wench

Thanks for putting all that together.

Interesting to see that in spite of there being a published framework, so many areas are still running their own little fiefdoms.

TaurenDruid

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119723595#Comment_119723595

Indeed. And what happens if a workplace has said "no blended working" or only pays lip service to it, and there's a new wave of Covid that causes another - well, if not a lockdown, another "work from home if at all possible, avoid public transport" couple of months.

The other big takeaway from this, for me, is the sheer lack of union involvement; unions involved in one in six organisations, staff involved via Partnership bringing that up to one in four. What about the other 75% of organisations? Coupled with Fórsa and AHCPS recommending their members effectively take a pay cut, you'd have to wonder what it is unions actually do any more, apart from provide access to income continuance plans and AVC schemes!

One can only hope that after the six-month trial/"well, we have to be seen to be doing something" (depending on where you're working), the more progressive departments and employers will be able to point to increased or at least level productivity, better staff morale, better retention and recruitment figures, and the regressive ones will have to re-think their strategy after losing a significant contingent of staff.

Flinty997

I've started to notice people asking is this work thing (whatever it is) compulsory a lot more.

Young_gunner

Employers set to have fewer reasons to refuse requests to work from home

https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2022/10/10/employers-will-have-fewer-reasons-to-refuse-requests-to-work-from-home/

Tánaiste signals proposed law will be significantly changed to give workers more extensive grounds for working from home and better WRC appeals mechanism

The source said that the message from Government would be that “remote or hybrid working should be facilitated so long as it does not adversely affect the performance of the business or the services it provides to the public”.

I think it's going to be increasingly difficult to refuse a remote working request, if it is genuinely justified.

adelcrowsmel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119725044#Comment_119725044

The problem will be like what is happening in certain departments - remote working will be allowed/approved but the bare minimum given just so that they are seen to be abiding by the rules....but really they just want staff in the office to be filling seats in job that can be done 100% remotely!

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119724937#Comment_119724937

The other big takeaway from this, for me, is the sheer lack of union involvement; unions involved in one in six organisations, staff involved via Partnership bringing that up to one in four. What about the other 75% of organisations? Coupled with Fórsa and AHCPS recommending their members effectively take a pay cut, you'd have to wonder what it is unions actually do any more, apart from provide access to income continuance plans and AVC schemes!

Amen to this.

Every department was supposed to have "Lead Worker Representatives" from each Union involved in the process. I couldn't even find out who they were for my department. Never heard one word, or ever surveyed, by the Union on the subject of blended working. Useless.

Augme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119724440#Comment_119724440

But the problem is the framework is virtually pointless because it basically says "this is just a suggested guide, but ultimately every Departmment can't do ans take whatever approach they want."

is that a button

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119723678#Comment_119723678

Thank you for all your hard work with this! I couldn't participate as I'm not a CS employee.. (application still in progress!) ..but it was very interesting to see the data collected & to learn how different departments are currently operating.

D n G

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119723557#Comment_119723557

I'm in Revenue and we can work up flexi time while WFH, it's not just when we are in the office.

TaurenDruid

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119727873#Comment_119727873

I've just checked, and you're correct, my bad.

skidmarkoner

Hi does anybody know the current blended working arrangements for House of The Oireacthas?

TaurenDruid

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119731211#Comment_119731211

One response in the survey from someone working in the Houses of the Oireachtas: blended working commenced for a trial period on 1st October. 2 days WFH, 3 days in office available. They didn't know what the flexi arrangements were.

skidmarkoner

Thank you

dealzer

Hi All

Does anyone know is there work from home in the passport office.

Thanks for putting up all that info @TaurenDruid.

Shuffl_in

..

sinbadthesailor

Hi, does anyone here know what general WFH policy is for Environment, Climate & Comms. Is it two days WFH or three? Thanks