Civil Service - Post Lockdown - Blended Working?

agnena

In our Department it was based on seniority and suitability, and I also received a surprise email from HR a few years ago to notify me that I was successful. No competitions, no forms.

Hotblack Desiato

It's completely ridiculous to have a competition over such a trifling sum and you remain in the same post with the same duties anyway. Waste of everyone's time.

Nigel Fairservice

My department has application forms and interviews for higher scales. Seems a bit mad compared to what other departments are doing.

delricyo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121203870#Comment_121203870

I am in a similar position to you. I spent years filling in those application forms, only to be turned down every time. Got an email recently to say I am being considered and I will be moved to higher scale.

Mine is being backdated to 1/1/2023. Can I ask when roughly yours was backdated to? Reason I ask is that according to my calculations, I wont get any benefit until 1/1/2024 - even though it is backdated? E.g. If you are on a salary of €45,678, you will get moved to €45,678 on the higher scale.

Don't get me wrong, Im happy to be moved to the higher scale. But for me, and most, it just means that I have no waiting period for LS1. By my calculations, it is not beneficial to get EO Higher Scale unless you are towards the LS1 point. There are so many points on the EO scale, that the chances are you will be promoted before it is of any benefit!

lmann82

Hi Just wondering if anyone knows if OPW in Georges Quay are blended working is 2 days in and 3 days at home? Also is there flexi? Can you work up time at home. Being offered mobility just want to have all the info I can. Thanks

Hotblack Desiato

Don't know about George's Quay but Collins Barracks is 2 days in office, but flexi hours can only be worked up in the office.

rsl1976

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121221434#Comment_121221434

Yes they have blended working but can't work up flexi at home

VanBer

Has anyone come across a situation where a someone is being made to wait at least double as long to avail of blended working compared to others in their section? And even then it is phased blended working to begin with even though it is 2 days in office straight away for all others. And no specific timeframe is given as to when the phased blending working may commence. Also they seem to be training those who are there longer and already been given blended working. Has anyone ever came across unfairness as to when blended working commences compared to others.

BalboBiggins

Hi lads, is there a list anywhere of which departments offer hybrid and which don't, or is it a team by team basis generally?

shmeee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121244790#Comment_121244790

Team by team and department by department. No "list" so to speak. I know of people in similar departments and divisions who have different WFH home patterns.

TaurenDruid

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121244790#Comment_121244790

This is probably the closest you'll get.

64869923

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121244790#Comment_121244790

It's all over the place as well. In my section there are people who are allowed to work from home consistently and frequently and the other half of the office can't. It's not a problem for me as I like the social side of the office, there are those though who are very, very unhappy about it.

TaurenDruid

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121262864#Comment_121262864

Any explanation why some can avail of it and some can't? I mean, unions are a thing...

64869923

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121263279#Comment_121263279

Nothing said about why some get it and others don't. A few made complaints to the union rep. but nothing has come of it. It such an odd situation because it's created the perception of there being favourites to materialise. Personally I don't understand the logic of management as it sure to breed dissatisfaction within half the team.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121263279#Comment_121263279

Can't speak for the CS. But in other places there always some jobs, tasks, which can't be done remotely. So this allows a get out clause as such so that local arrangements can be made. Which then this can be leveraged by people (managers) who prefer working in the office. My own management would prefer if we in the office, but reluctantly have to facilitate people.

tgdaly

Hi folks, just looking for a little advice on something.

Have been working in a Department the last 14 months, 2 days in office 3 days at home is our policy. Up until now have been doing Tuesday and Wednesday. There was never really a discussion about a core day(s) but as it worked out we were all (3 people and a 4th who joined mid last year) doing Tuesday and Wednesday in the office, and this suited us all.

The AP has recently moved, and an AP from another section has sort of merged into ours and is now in charge (along with another staff member, and there is sort of a second adjacent AP) as well. They are now insisting that Monday will now be a core day and we all have to attend. There was never a discussion about this and we were just told matter of factly (the other AP just agrees and goes along with everything). Monday has never suited me due to personal circumstances and I raised this issue but was more or less passed off as "senior management decision". I'm finding this hard to believe as the new AP always did Monday and Thursday and I feel this is to suit them. Funnily enough it was also said that on occasion we might be needed to attend on a Thursday (nothing said about Tuesday, Wednesday or even Friday).

Just wondering what sort of issues I would be causing myself if I took a hardline approach to this and insisted on not doing Monday in the office. I'm not against the idea of a core day and changing one (or even both) of my days to suit other people, it's just particularly Monday that hasn't suited me. And I'm not saying I wouldn't ever attend on Monday, I've always been flexible with this if there was a particular need to attend. Would there be possible HR / disciplinary issues. I'm not one to be fussy and try to get on with everyone, but the new AP has history of issues with others (such as not passing a staff member on probation and berating them on phone calls in the office that was heard by others).

Should I just take a loss on this one? Is it worth the hassle to try do anything about it

caviardreams

Management can absolutely assign core days if they wish.

All staff need to be available to work 5 days on-site should the need arise with sufficient notice. It seems to have been clearly flagged in good time the need to work on-site Mondays so therefore staff need to attend.

Ezeoul

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121603960#Comment_121603960

Did you go through the whole WFH application process on NSSO? If so, it should be recorded there and with your HR what your agreed WFH days and location are.

It should not be changed without discussion and agreement, and I would flag this to HR and the Union.

Hybrid working is also supposed to allow an employee some certainty on what days they are working in the office so they can plan forward, childcare, etc, and not changed on the whim of a new manager who sounds like they are suiting themselves.

Definitely challenge this.

tgdaly

Yes I have WFH all approved on the NSSO system etc. But would this have specified the days or just that 2 days WFH had been approved?

Ezeoul

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121604537#Comment_121604537

What did you choose when going through the application process?

Did you specify set days, or just number of days per week?

I chose set days every week, and those days are recorded on NSSO. e

(eta) Also be conscious if one of core days now falls on a bank holiday monday, they might say you have to make up that day so in affect, you'll end up doing 3 days a week those weeks.

tgdaly

Sorry, typo in my reply above, it was 3 days work from home. But I get your point, I will have to check that tomorrow whether it specified the days I'm at home and the 2 days I'm in the office

Augme

If I was you, I'd just try and transfer to another unit. At the end of the day wfh is a privilege so refusing to come into work on a certain day might not get you very far.

Young_gunner

Not sure wfh is a privilege anymore - it's an accepted norm now.

I don't think the OP should be forced to change unit, core days or days in the office should be decided in a collaborative fashion

HGVRHKYY

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121605180#Comment_121605180

Agreed. These APs who simply rule with a top down approach and don't bother considering the actual humans they're working with are the worst to deal with, they literally ruin morale and motivation in sections.

Hotblack Desiato

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121604459#Comment_121604459

There's a difference between a need arising and a whim...

noodler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121604503#Comment_121604503

On one hand, people want managers to enforce office presence equally and on others they don't want managers deciding core days

Pamelabeasley

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121607025#Comment_121607025

don’t see that the two are mutually exclusive! People just want fair treatment

Young_gunner

Out of interest, does anyone know people who are working fully remotely?

I know a few, but I know of loads of people who have bought houses down the country (e.g. in Cork, Kerry, etc.) and commute to Dublin once a week for some day(s) in the office.

Ezeoul

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121607025#Comment_121607025

It should be negotiable, and its part of the process when of applying for WFH.

When I did my formal WFH application on NSSO, I chose to designate two specific days to be in the office every week, and it was agreed and signed it off with my manager, etc.

I can be flexible if needs be, but would expect if these days needed a permanent change, there would be (a) a business need and (b) my manager would first discuss it with me, not just present it to me as a fait accompli.

Transferring out of the unit might not help the OP either as a new application is supposed to be done when someone transfers.

A new manager coming in and just changing the Unit's core days to suit what is obviously their preferred work pattern, is simply not on, and I suspect is the case here.

@tgdaly - has any business reason been given for changing the Unit's already existing core days?

TaurenDruid

Basically, what Ezoul said.

You did join the union, didn't you? If not, do so now.

And a polite email "Sorry, my WFH pattern was already signed off. I can do the occasional Monday, but I chose my current pattern for reasons including work-life balance and my own domestic situation, so I'll need to stick to Tuesdays/Wednesdays, as previously agreed." might do the trick.

If there's pushback, ask for the business reason why it's now necessary, in writing, so you can talk to HR and your union official. You've passed your probabtion, so there's no comeback here. What are they gonna do, give you an "unsatisfactory" PMDS rating? You should already have had warnings if that was a possibility. If you haven't, prior to now, then you're golden.

(For reference, my section doesn't have core days. Everyone does a minimum of two days a week. The roster changes every fortnight. Staff are asked to indicate what days suit them to WFH, what days particularly suits them to be in the office. The people who commutes from the far end of the country get to do their two days together, so they have the option of couchsurfing/hostel rather than stupid commute x 4.

99.9% of the time, people can be accommodated. There are managers in most days, but it's not guaranteed, and staff are treated like adults and trusted to get the job done; they don't need constant supervision or micromanagement. They do get the job done, management can tell from KPIs.

The result is when management do need people to work more days, at peak periods or for particular events, it's never a problem.)