FOI reference: FOI-2023-1613
You asked
You're introducing a new policy that staff have to work minimum hours in the office. Please can you send me the equality impact assessment for this change in policy please. Please can you also send me any assessments you have on the impact that the new policy will have on costs, staff health and wellbeing, staff retention, and the environment.
We said
Thank you for your request.
We have not introduced a new policy. Our hybrid working principles and flexible working framework remain unchanged and colleagues can work between office and home to make best use of the different environments. Existing contractual arrangements will also remain unchanged.
However, in November we announced that, to better support collaboration, development, and wellbeing, and to align with wider Civil Service practice, office attendance expectations will increase in January 2024 to 20% attendance, and to 40% attendance from April 2024.
Adjustments for people with a disability or long-term health condition, carer's passports and temporary flexibilities agreed with line managers (e.g. phased return to work following illness) will remain available to ensure these changes are managed in an inclusive way.
Although we have not introduced a new policy per se, we have elected to complete an Equality Impact Assessment to support the changes. We are currently in consultation with our trade unions and networks on the draft of this document, which we will make available in the New Year when we have a completed baseline version of the assessment. As is good practice, it will then be reviewed regularly.
We have not made systematic assessments of the possible impact of our hybrid working approach on the other factors in your request.