Smarter working policy

Overview

Purpose

We are committed to smarter working. We believe that smarter working:

  • increases employee motivation
  • promotes work-life balance
  • can improve mental health
  • improves performance and productivity

Objectives

Smarter working is based on the following objectives:

  • the opportunity for an improved work-life balance
  • performance management objectives focus on results and outcomes rather than presenteeism
  • maximising the use of office space across Lincolnshire, with a hybrid approach between a work base and home
  • managing the risks to our environment from climate change by reducing travel to work and meetings
  • with our flexible approach, we strive to:
    • attract highly-skilled staff
    • retain our existing employees
    • be a good employer
    • we continue to improve connectivity and technology to improve business processes and reduce waste

Our behaviours

All our leaders embrace this way of working.  They:

  • trust their workforce
  • support individuals to work in a way that enables them to be their most productive
  • balance the needs of individuals, the team and service delivery

We expect our workforce to:

  • take personal responsibility
  • be contactable (via Microsoft Teams or phone)
  • attend meetings as per their Outlook calendars
  • work from specific locations when it is necessary for their role, a task or team interaction
  • attend their work base as required

Managed workspace and service hubs

Managed workspaces are work areas made up of:

  • bookable workstations
  • different-sized meetings rooms
  • 'drop in' spaces (which do not need to be pre-booked)
  • refreshment areas

These are places to:

  • collaborate
  • meet
  • network
  • meet new employees as part of their induction

Managed workspace is open to all employees.

There are also bookable service hubs for people from a particular function. All directorates will have a service hub facility. The directorates will decide the working arrangements of each service. Where a service hub is at capacity, individuals can book managed workspace or work from home.

We will equip all workstations with the appropriate equipment. Individuals will be able to dock their laptops. During periods of renovation, capacity for bookable workspaces may be reduced.

All 'drop in' areas will operate on a first-come, first-served basis. These are where team members can meet informally or work individually (not attending Microsoft Teams meetings).

A number of offices are assigned for use by the leadership team and from time to time the managed workspace may be allocated to specific services.

Individuals must take all personal possessions home at the end of the day. The facilities management team will remove any possessions left and store them for safe collection.

Staff should report any damaged equipment to business support. We will then make the desk unavailable so that we can fix the equipment.

Where the electronic booking system is in place, employees must:

  • book a desk via the electronic booking system
  • only work from a service hub if their function has an identified work area
  • vacate a workspace when asked if they have not booked it. We will view any repeated behaviour of this nature seriously.

Employees can book workspace for a whole or half-day.  Travel between home and the booked workspace is not counted as working time.  Travelling should not impact on an employee's availability.

Employees who need help exiting a building in an emergency, or when a lift breaks down, should book a workspace either:

  • in a location allowing them to exit the building independently, or
  • with colleagues trained to help them as part of their personal emergency evacuation plan

Specialist equipment and adjustments will be available in work areas. In some instances, an individual's line manager and the property team will need to advise.

A limited number of lockers will be available for employees to store their personal belongings securely.

Home and work base

The principle of smarter working is to provide employees with options to allow a flexible approach to work most suitable for the task.  Employees can divide their time between:

  • their traditional work base or campus
  • home
  • out in the community

Managers will support their employees’ choice as long as the operational service delivery needs and needs of the team to interact in person are met. On average, employees will work two days per week at the workbase. This will depend on the availability of managed workspace or a service hub. Employees who wish to work predominantly at home or the work base must agree such arrangements with their line manager.

It is expected that individuals will reside within reasonable commuting distance on the basis that there will be a need to attend their work base. Heads of service, assistant director or executive director can agree for an employee to reside elsewhere within the United Kingdom where physical attendance at work is not required. The work base will still be within Lincolnshire, and any need to attend will be at the individual's own cost.

Employees cannot work outside of the UK permanently. Any request to work overseas temporarily can only be approved in rare circumstances; for example, international restrictions on travel are imposed whilst overseas. An executive director must authorise all approvals, and the council's insurers notified.

We recognise that employees will need to work from their office or other provided work base for some roles. This does not prohibit some home working where circumstances allow.

Individual employees who are contracted to work from home will continue to do so. Due to their circumstances, working from a work base is not operationally possible.

We expect that most business meetings are conducted on Microsoft Teams because:

  • individuals will be present at work at different times
  • access will be from different locations
  • we need to maintain reductions in:
    • our carbon footprint
    • business mileage
    • lost time through travel

Employees can book managed workspace at any time (dependent upon availability).

Individuals need to plan work commitments.  They cannot be compelled to attend the work base at short notice. Meetings via Microsoft Teams and face-to-face are of equal stature.

We recognise that for some meetings, unless speaking, cameras should be turned off, for example, committee meetings. It is the chair's decision whether individuals should be visible on their camera for all other business meetings.  If employees have connection issues, they should notify the chair in advance.

All meetings, when diarised, should respect the need for breaks. To support an individual's wellbeing, they should not be stacked back-to-back. Meeting chairs will be asked to act responsibly in managing the time.  They should ensure that meetings finish 10 minutes early or provide a break mid-way through meetings.  Business Support will introduce a standing agenda item of a five-minute break for meetings lasting one hour or more.

Services will determine which meetings will normally be held via MS Teams, hybrid and which meetings will be normally delivered face-to-face.

Work arrangements

Equipment

All employees working at home as per the policy will be entitled to be provided with a:

  • laptop
  • monitor
  • keyboard
  • mouse
  • headphones
  • any other associated equipment (identified through the DSE assessment) to undertake their role at home

We will offer up to £100 per person every three years (if equipment is needed) to purchase office equipment for use at home. This includes smaller items such as a non-standard desk, lamps, blinds, heaters or fans, costs of additional broadband (including set up).

In exceptional circumstances, a line manager may agree that specific equipment is required at home, such as a folding desk (where space is an issue).  For these situations, the line manager may add an additional £100 to the existing allowance.

A 'home equipment expenses' code is available in Business World for any reimbursement claims for homeworking equipment. If you need help to submit a claim, refer to the Business World 'how to' guidance on 'variable pay'.

Employees should not make a claim until they have received and checked the item.  To approve the claim, employees should send their manager a copy of the receipt.  This can be photographed and sent by email.

We will provide portable appliance testing on electrical equipment to all employees. They will be advised of the arrangements when this is scheduled.

Employees can order stationery through links with business support colleagues. This does not include printer cartridges for use at home. Multifunctional devices are available across the council. The print and post, collect and destroy service is also available.

Employees should regularly review all home office equipment for suitability. If it is broken or no longer fit for purpose, we will replace it in discussion with the line manager.

As part of the leaver process, when an employee leaves the council they are required to return any LCC equipment.  This includes equipment and furniture which has been taken from offices or has been purchased for them to work from home.  This doesn’t include items purchased by employees using the £100 allowance.

Parking

Car parking is available to all employees who attend the Newland campus but it is not guaranteed. Car parking arrangements are under review which may change eligibility in the future.  We will allocate parking spaces for the sole use of:

  • disabled users
  • councillors
  • car share
  • duty officers

We will be unable to fund any car parking outside the Newland campus (where this is the individual's work base).

Wellbeing

We encourage all employees to ensure they take up to one hour per day of wellbeing time. This is a protected hour where they can be unavailable during the working day for wellbeing activities.

This is unpaid time but can be taken at a time to suit the individual's work schedule and responsibilities. Taking time out is at an individual's choice but should be outside of core meetings and where the individual's attendance is a priority.

Individuals who feel unable to undertake their role while working at home due to sickness must inform their line manager as per the sickness absence policy in the normal way.

Broadband connection

We recognise that in a few locations in Lincolnshire, access to a reliable broadband connection is difficult. IT can support employees to check their internet connection strength using online tools. The £100 equipment allowance can be used for internet improvements to support working at home.

If costs of improvements are prohibitive, employees will need to work from their contractual locality. They should use the electronic booking system for managed workspace.

Dress code

We require employees to dress appropriately for all meetings and appointments as per our code of conduct.

Mileage

We do not expect staff to travel on council business routinely. Where on rare occasions business travel is required, individuals will claim as per the travel and subsistence policy. Some employees in front line roles will travel to visit service users and customers and claim accordingly.  

Health and safety

A separate health and safety guide is available for working at home and a work base. This is available on our Intranet.

Caring responsibilities

We expect that individuals will be solely focused on their work activities when working from home.  Employees should have appropriate care arrangements to ensure they can work without interruption.

We recognise that carer arrangements may break down from time to time. Our leave and time off policy will apply.

Further information is available on carers at the HR Hub. 

Refreshments

There are facilities available in welfare areas for employees to take a break away from the workspace. We discourage individuals from eating food at their desks. However, we appreciate that this may happen on occasions due to the availability of rest areas.

Flexible working policy

Individuals may wish to read this policy in conjunction with our flexible working policy.