Civil Service - Post Lockdown - Blended Working?

It depends on the section/division. Borders, customs, etc., are hands on so fully rostered on site (but I don't think they recruit from the open panels, anyway).

I'll post up a new survey at the weekend to try and get a comprehensive read available for everyone on what departments/offices/local authorities are doing. I think the official blended working trial should be kicking in for most departments from 1st October.

The portal for applying for blended in Revenue opened at beginning of September…

Blended due to start next Monday but no communication about it, could see it being on put back again…

Our Dept was originally to be 1 day per month but will now be 1 day per week in the office

Out of interest, are you not able to do the PQs etc between 8-4? Or do you have to have flexi for that to happen ?

@maneno Why should anyone be made to work later if they're not getting paid and not going to get time off in lieu for that work?

If shortsighted management policies are causing problems, then those policies need to be changed.

@Foggy Jew

How does the flexi system permit you to clock in and out on wfh days without affecting the balance?

If you worked less than 7 hours on a wfh day would it reduce your balance?

Why is everyone doing themselves out of 30 mins a day? 0800-1600 with only a half hour lunch is 7:30.

OP said that they are not allowed to accumulate flexitime on wfh days.

Which civil servants? It's reasonable to assume the OP is a general service grade unless they say otherwise.

I'd argue the opposite? The time to set out the consequences of a regressive, rigid policy to senior management is surely right now, in the trial period. Compromise and precedent now will bite staff in the ass in the longer term. Admittedly, though, this will be somewhat dependent on the AP and PO too, I'd say.

* "So the no-flexi-on-WFH-days isn't working out - bizarrely, people won't work past their 7 hours for free. This is effecting PQ response times, etc. We therefore need to make everyone work set hours where their 7 hours a day keeps them there until later in the evening, 9:15 to 13:00 and 14:15 to 17:30"

versus

* "So the no-flexi-on-WFH-days isn't working out - bizarrely, people won't work past their 7 hours for free. This is effecting PQ response times, etc. We therefore need to let people work up their flexi on WFH days, too - if they can work up until 7pm and get credit for it, and don't have to commute home after, either, then we get flexibility from them. They'll happily work late when needed, say when we're on oral PQs - and I won't have to work until 11pm again!"

I think this blended working is turning quickly into a tool that will actually demotivate people who work in the civil service. That the adding of hot desks it's gonna be a **** show.

The threat of it being withdrawn is already being thrown about in our department if we don't do this, that or the other and we are only a few weeks into our blended contracts. It's going to be used as a stick to beat people with!

Isn't every peak flexi etc.

I should have maybe been more specific in that my Division, audit are required back 2 days per week regardless of being new or old staff and again its dependent on business needs

87 responses to date. I'll leave it open until the weekend and post results here.

If it's just for a few days would you not just let your manager know that you'll be working from another location for the few days and once they know then you are covered? If it's a long term thing and you are going to move then you'd have to look into it officially. I imagine there are alot of people who live across the border and work in the civil service in towns near like Dundalk etc and they had to be covered in the document/policy.

You might want to check the IT policy. Many places geo lock any access from out side the state except though secure channels like the organizations own VPN.

Could you not just ask IT.

We reverted back to what time was on your clock pre covid...so some lost and some gained!

That's quite a common Flexi time condition, so people don't build up massive hours then all take them at the same busy time. Surprised CS didn't have this before.

Usually find out when they contact IT because they can't connect.