Miscellaneous

How will the University realise Estate and Carbon footprint savings?

A decarbonisation plan to deliver Scope 1, 2 & 3 savings is being developed.

How quickly are we expecting space savings around this?  

The earliest point when we will start the process of determining what space savings can be made (other than potential pilot activity) will be January 2022.

Are there any enhanced IT Security considerations I have to address to ensure my data and LU systems remain secure?

Yes, particularly when using personal devices for work purposes.  Please refer to the security-related information.

Will LU IT services continue to support all my IT needs when I am working at home?

The IT Service Desk will continue to support University-owned IT equipment when it is being used remotely.  Unfortunately, it is not possible for the University to provide support for personally-owned devices or home broadband connectivity.

Is there a possibility that Dynamic Working might be removed?

It’s unlikely that it will be removed completely but it is highly possible that amendments will be made to make improvements based on experiences through the implementation phase.

Will staff who work remotely be available to deal with immediate queries?

Yes. If they are unable to respond to queries in a timely and effective way it will not be possible for them to work dynamically.

How contactable will staff be when working from home e.g. contacting people by phone?

Staff must be as contactable at home as they would be in the office. This means that staff need to ensure that both Cisco Jabber (for telephone calls) and MS teams are switched on when they are working.

Will the University pay for my heating?

No. The University will not pay for household costs that staff accrue through their decision to work dynamically.

Will PDRs still be possible by remote means, or do I need to come to campus for this?

There will be no central directive on this. Your School or Service Senior Management Team (SMT) may have a view on preferable format which will determine local practice.  If there is no SMT preference, then the PDR meeting format should be mutually agreed between reviewee and reviewer. The important thing is that the format is one in which an effective PDR conversation can take place.

What are the insurance implications for me if I work from home?

Before COVID-19 providers of home insurance often obliged customers to tell them if they regularly worked from home. Whilst this requirement has been relaxed somewhat, there remains a risk with some insurers that if you work from home and do not notify your insurer your insurance may be invalidated if you do need to claim. It should be noted that face to face meetings at individual’s homes are also unlikely to be permitted in standard home insurance policies.  

Does Dynamic Working only cover staff or will it extend to Doctoral Researchers or taught students?

The Dynamic Working arrangements will not formally extend to Doctoral Researchers in the first instance. During the bedding in phase, we will seek to understand the working patterns of Doctoral Researchers and any equipment needs and will assess going forward whether it is appropriate to extend the Dynamic Working arrangements in the future. There is no intention for the arrangements to include taught students.

What can I do to make sure I support my PhD students effectively whilst I work dynamically?

Doctoral Researchers have been advised that they should work dynamically in a way that fulfils the demands of their research programme and allows them to participate in the research culture of the School and University. This recognises that there will be variation across different disciplines and that engagement can be facilitated through electronic means.

To support the health and wellbeing of our Doctoral Researchers and achieve the objectives above, we recommend that the majority of interactions between you and your Doctoral Researchers should be in person. There may be some exceptions, usually those requiring reasonable adjustments, and these should be managed on a case-by-case basis with support from the Doctoral College, and SWAI if needs be.

In all cases, you should communicate clearly with your Doctoral Researchers from the outset about expectations and understand how your choices and behaviours will impact on each other, and on the delivery of the research programme. You may wish to revisit the supervisory expectations form at your next supervisory meeting in order to help with this conversation.

We recommend that you revisit your plan for dynamic working throughout the September-December period and adjust it as needs be.

If you find that you are unable to reach a satisfactory agreement you are advised to discuss the circumstances further with your School Director of Doctoral Programmes in order to find a resolution as quickly as possible.

I am a Research Associate, who should I discuss Dynamic Working with?

You should discuss this with your supervisor.

Can technicians ask for Dynamic Working?

Yes. However, the nature of your work means that the ability to work dynamically may be limited.

I am on a fixed term contract does that impact my ability to work dynamically?

The ability to work dynamically is not affected by the length of your contract.

Where do I go for further information about Dynamic Working?

This website is the main source of information for Dynamic Working but specific queries can be directed to your manager or HR Partner as appropriate.