We appreciate that you are keen to know about any changes that might take place to current arrangements, and as you can imagine, there are lots of factors to consider, ranging from our expectations of you through to travel implications.
Over the months since pandemic restrictions were lifted, individual managers and their teams have been continually adapting their ways of working – including the proportion of office and home-based working – to suit the needs of their service. These working arrangements will continue to be put in place locally by managers, who know best how their team works and the demands of the service they deliver.
Work is now taking place to create an open and transparent overarching HR policy for all our employees as we navigate a very different way of working.
Formal discussions will start with joint trade unions in September, with consultation happening through to November. Guiding principles have been developed to shape the policy development and these recognise the importance of flexibility while delivering business requirements, and the need to have the right technology in place while maintaining the expectation of having interaction in person.
We will be looking to consolidate existing policies to provide a clear framework and final approval of the policy will take place in January with changes taking effect from April 2023.
At this point in time, the expanded 6am to 10pm bandwidth will remain, for colleagues who are able to work flexitime, and where it fits the needs of the service we provide.
We will be seeking your feedback during the policy development and will keep you up to date throughout the consultation period. If you have any questions please raise them with your line manager.