ONS hybrid working policy

​FOI Reference: FOI/2022/4157

You asked

Please send information on the amount of money spent to date since 19 January 2022 by your department on equipment to help civil servants work from home and itemise what that money was spent on (number of desks, chairs etc.).

Please also provide any current guidance, if applicable, issued to civil servants in your department on hybrid or working from home arrangements and how many days they are expected to be in the office.

We said

Thank you for your request.

The total amount spent on desks and chairs from 19 Jan through to 18 May 2022 is £31,723.00 comprising 133 chairs and 46 desks.

We are a fully inclusive and flexible employer. We have a duty of care to support our staff and ensure they can work safely and effectively across our sites and other locations while keeping costs to a minimum.

The ONS has been operating an effective hybrid working model for some time and our teams are producing more vital insight and analysis than ever.

Our Hybrid Working model is set out in full in our manager and employee guidance. Please see the accompanying download named 'Hybrid Working Guidance for Managers and Employees.pdf'. The guidance is an informal and principles-based approach, founded on:

1. Flexibility - As an inclusive and flexible employer, the Authority offers hybrid working to provide flexibility on where and when work is carried out, depending on the business requirement for each role.

2. Linked to one of our core sites - Colleagues who are hybrid working have a contractual office location, aligned to one of UKSA's core locations, currently Newport, Titchfield, London, Edinburgh (OSR) or Darlington. Our hybrid working arrangements do not constitute contractual homeworking.

3. Attending site when needed - We are clear on the need for employees to attend offices as work requires. This includes a large contingent of interviewers who continue to operate in the field.

Our working arrangements continue to align to Civil Service guidance.