Civil Service - Post Lockdown - Blended Working?

Duration? Who knows, really. People were telling me here two years ago that it was just going to be for a couple of months. You'd be foolish to make plans for the future based on this virus. So what is 'just for the duration of the pandemic' going to be?

There's no-one in the office to mingle with. There's a lovely, wide, open plan space for about 40 people sitting mostly empty, one other person once a week, lighted and heated, manned for security and cleaning. And I can't use it.

Would you not speak to your manager and ask that meetings are scheduled for core time .

I don't know why anyone would be giving an extra hour a day for nothing.

5 hours of meetings per day, FFS that's taking the piss.

Assistant Sec wouldn't be in that many hours of meetings per week.

A lot of meetings are a waste of time. No need for half of them.

Sorry. I should have clarified

Those are the range of times the meetings are can be scheduled for. Typically I'd spend about 2 to 2.5 hours a day at meetings.

I'd LOVE that 😂

I wonder would it be a case of only allowed build up flexi time the days you are in the office,no Flexi WFH ?

earlier start/later close would be something I'd like to see happen.

If people think a lot of people wouldn't be chancing their arm accruing lots of flexi time when at home (but not actually working) they are being very naive. In the same way that it happened on-site - but there is more potential at home as no chance of being caught looking at facebook or in the canteen etc.

Flexi accrual when WFH will never be a thing imo - on-site days only if it comes back (but flexi hours/start times, yes)

I would often have 20 hour of meetings per week - totally depends on your role and size of your team and people management responsibilities. One to ones alone can add up with a large team and unlike on-site where you can have a minute or two check in at the desk and checking people are ok, preventing a meeting as such, it has to be a structured weekly meeting remotely.

And a 5 min zoom just doesn't happen. 30 mins at a minimum because people miss interaction/talking about their work (even if they don't admit it), so if they are in a role where they only have one or two meetings a week they will chew your ear off for an hour if they can about everything they are working on, instead of just the roadblocks.

A standard day pre 2013 change was 6.57 hour per day.

34hr45 minutes per week

No, lunch was on top of that.

I despise working from home if the truth be told. I much prefer flexi time. The working from home is great for parents of young kids or those caring for vulnerable people. I would much prefer my flexi so I can breeze off for long weekends.

Tea breaks? Last time I regularly got a proper tea break (instead of make tea, bring back to desk, continue working) was over 20 years ago

I think some who pontificate on here about the civil service have no knowledge of it beyond watching Yes Minister or reading whatever tripe the Indo is putting out this week.

A 35 hour (net, exclusive of lunch) working week is pretty standard for office workers in general. Still arguably too long. The 4 day week will be the next battle 😊

I'm guessing you are on the single pension scheme?

Is it really that bad ? Isn't it half career average earnings on retirement and 1.5 lump sum?

Would a private pension be better or come close to matches it ?

You could top up the pension with a AVC/PRSA .

Yeh that's it. The issue being the contributions we make toward it. I think a lot of people think it's just given to us but we are paying a fair whack into it. Already contributing to an AVC. Would be foolish not to.

• Just to clarify I am also entitled to the contributory state pension at 66 so that takes a bit of sting out of it.