Guidance for Staff

How will my Line Manager decide what level of Homeworking is right for my Team?

You Line Manager will take several different things into consideration when assessing what will work in your Team.  This will include having an overview of the requirements for your whole Team, and in some cases, where they fit into the bigger School or Directorate set up.  In addition, they need to assess how many people they require on campus at any one time, what cover is needed for front facing roles, and whether staff can undertake any part of their role at home, and whether there is sufficient staff on campus to operate safely, e.g. first aid cover.  The answers to these questions will be different for every Team and therefore there can’t be a ‘one size fits all’ approach taken throughout the University. 

If staff are able to do some of their role from home, the expectation is that staff should normally be on Campus at least 3 days per week if they are in a staff or student facing role and 2 days per week if they are not (pro-rata for part-time staff).  This may be varied by Line Management agreement where operational and team requirements permit.  What happens in your Team should go some way to meeting the aspirations of team members while at the same time fulfilling operational requirements.  It may be, for example, that members of your Team need to be on Campus more during term time but can work from home to a greater extent during the holiday periods. 

Why does my Team’s arrangements for Homeworking differ from another Team in my Directorate/School?

All Teams have different requirements for on campus working due to the nature of their roles and as a result it is not possible to impose a one size fits all solution to homeworking.  Some people may have permanent homeworking as they are in a difficult to fill position which required the University to widen the geographical catchment area.  Other staff may be able to work from home for a significant part of their week due to the fact that they do not have any front facing duties.  Your Line Manager should be open with you about how the decisions were made in relation to what was an acceptable level of hybrid working for your Team.  As long as this rationale is fair and is consistently applied this is acceptable.

How do I request Homeworking?

The Homeworking Policy provides all the information you require on the application and appeals process.  In most circumstances your application should be dealt with within 5 working days.

Will my request be subject to a trial period?

All new hybrid working requests which are approved should be subject to a 3-month trial period.  This will be reviewed regularly throughout this period to ensure the working pattern is working for both you and your wider Team as well as fulfilling all the necessary operational requirements.  If things are not working out as anticipated, your hybrid working may need to be adjusted or the trial period extended.

My Homeworking request has been rejected.  What can I do?

Meet with your Line Manager to explore if there are any other mutually acceptable solutions that may work in respect of your request.  However, if nothing can be agreed then you have the right to appeal if your request is rejected.  The appeal process used is the one used for flexible working requests and can be found here.

I am a new member of staff – can I request hybrid working?

Welcome to the University.  It is important for all new members of staff to meet colleagues face to face, learn practices and procedures, and to get a feel for the culture of the University.  Working from home in a hybrid manner should be built up over a period of time in the first few months to ensure that you get the best possible start.  There is nothing to stop you submitting a request for hybrid working but your time on campus in the initial months of your employment should be maximised and your Line Manager will need to ensure that you have tasks that you are able to undertake while working from home.

I want to change my Hybrid Working pattern – what should I do?

If you wish to make a one-off change, this can be agreed locally with your Line Manager and there is no need to inform HR.  However, the expectation would be that should you be unable to come in on a campus working day (other than for annual leave or sickness), this would normally be worked on campus at another time to ensure you work the minimum number of days you are required on campus.   

In the event that you are looking for a more permanent change, e.g. you want to permanently change your working from home day from a Monday to a Tuesday, your Line Manager will need to assess whether the request is in line with operational requirements and commitments.  If this does not interrupt the workflow within your Team and your request is approved, this does not need to involve HR.  If you want to change your agreement from working from home 2 days per week to 3 days per week, this will require a formal contractual change which will need to be discussed with your Line Manager and HR prior to any changes considered for approval.

Can I work from home permanently?

Permanent Homeworking is where a member of staff has their home as their work base and travels to University premises infrequently.  To help protect working relationships, as well as the Campus Experience for students, working from home 100% of the time will only be offered in exceptional circumstances.  However, it may be essential to help fill a role within your Team and in these type of cases approval must be given by your Head of School or Director prior to any offer being made.  Alternatively, it may be needed on a temporary basis by a member of staff who is unable to come on to campus due to a health issue or similar, e.g. they have broken their leg and are fit to work but cannot physically get to campus.

Can I have a flexible homeworking agreement so I don’t have to be on campus the same days each week?

Your Line Manager has to decide how much flexibility is acceptable within your Team while still meeting the operational needs of your department.  You may feel that it makes more sense for you to come into the office for specific tasks rather than on specific set days but this needs to be agreed with your Line Manger in advance.  Whatever your agreement, your Line Manager and colleagues should be aware of when you will be on campus and when you will be working from home. 

If you need a more flexible because you have additional requirements due to your health, for example, you should discuss this with you Line Manager who may refer you for an Occupational Health assessment.

I participate in the 9-Day Fortnight Policy – how is my homeworking agreement affected by this?

In line with the 9 Day Fortnight guidance, staff working with hybrid working arrangements should ensure that their day off is taken on a working from home day rather than a day they would normally be on campus.

• You should approach discussions regarding hybrid working recognising that you may need to compromise and that your request will be considered in the context of the team.
• While your preferences must be considered and as much flexibility as possible provided to you, service needs take precedence. It may therefore be the case your individual preferences cannot be accommodated.
• If you have concerns, these should be discussed with your manager in the first instance to establish if a solution can be found.

Can my Line Manager ask me to be on campus on a day when I would normally work from home?

Staff working from home may have their agreement subject to an occasional, or short term, temporary amendment where an operational need arises, e.g. in the absence of colleagues where cover is required for a particular service. 

Any changes to an agreement for regular hybrid working should be given adequate notice.  Staff are expected to be flexible and, in reasonable circumstances, you should be willing to change the days on which you are on campus.

Staff who work from home on a regular or permanent basis and have been assess as requiring a period of additional support, or who become subject to a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP), may have their homeworking agreement temporarily suspended to ensure that they can receive the appropriate support on campus.

Can I get travelling expenses for coming in on an agreed working from home day?

No – staff cannot claim travelling expenses for coming into work.

Can I claim back the additional costs I incur due to working from home such as energy, internet, printing or home wear and tear costs?

No – staff cannot claim additional costs such as these which are incurred due to working from home.

Can I work from home in a different country for a period of time?

Homeworking outside of the UK will not be permitted on an ongoing basis.  This is due to a number of factors such as the tax and pension implications.  Short-term working, for less than 3 months, has to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.  You should discuss the details of any request with your Line Manager.  They are required to consult with your designated HR Partner to assess all factors involved prior to approving any request.  Approval cannot be guaranteed as the rules for each country are different.  Full details of the Global Mobility Policy can be found here.

What IT equipment am I entitled to if I work from home?

Staff are provided with a laptop, a monitor, a mouse and a keyboard from the central IT budget.  This is to cover home and office working.  Any additional IT equipment needs to be funded from your own School/Directorate’s budget.  Where reasonable adjustments are required and Occupational Health recommendations are made, these will be taken into consideration.

If you have a homeworking or flexible working agreement in place, you are required to undertake the BeOnline Additional Workstation Assessment.  You can assign this to yourself by logging into the BeOnline Health and Safety Training via StaffNet, selecting Course Library and then assigning the Additional Workstation Assessment package.

I am struggling to cope working from home – what can I do?

Speak to your Line Manger to discuss any issues that you may have.  One option may be to return to full time campus working.  Alternatively, you can discuss any concerns that you may have with your HR Partner.  Wellbeing resources, which provide advice and support can be found here.

How do I make sure that I am not working excessive hours and/or are taking adequate breaks?

A good work-life balance is important for both your mental and physical health.  Tools to assist in managing this are available here.

How do I keep my Line Manager up to date with what I am doing when I am working from home?

Regular updates with your Line Manager should keep them up to date with what you are doing.  This could take the form of a fortnightly catch up Teams call for example. 

How do I know when members of my Team are working from home?

It is the responsibility of individual staff members to keep their Line Manager informed of their working from home schedule.  Staff are empowered to be flexible but should ensure a broad adherence to their regular homeworking schedule. 

Members of your Team can include their working from home days in their e-mail signatures so all staff can tell when they are not on campus.  Having a Team calendar so other members of the Team can see when their colleagues are in the office or working from home will also help.

How can I ensure that I interact and share ideas with members of my team when we are in the office on different days?

You are encouraged to step forward and speak to your Line Manager about what you think will work best within your team.  Good team building requires regular interaction between members and good, open communication.  Information on teamworking in a hybrid environment can be found here.

How can I receive training in respect of Homeworking and Managing a Hybrid Team?

There are several Skill Boosters training packages available online that you can undertake at a time which is suitable for yourself.  These include topics such as “Effective Online Meetings” and “Working Effectively from Home”.  They can be found here.  In addition, the Staff Development Team provide a variety of different Management Modules, which are open to all staff, which could help enhance your skills in respect of working in a remote team.  The full range of current course on offer can be found here.