How will Dynamic Working operate?

Is it appropriate to pass campus-based activities across to staff who are required to be in more so others can predominantly work at home?

Duties should be distributed based on who is best to perform them rather than who is on campus and who isn’t. Managers are responsible for ensuring that arrangements are equitable and that additional loads are not placed on colleagues who choose to come into the office more than others.

How do we get the right balance of home working across schools and services? 

The implementation project board will retain oversight of Dynamic Working arrangements and will be able to intervene where a team or teams appear to be out of line with other similar teams. It will be very important that senior managers work together to ensure there is broad consistency (not uniformity) across campus. 

How do we make it clear that Dynamic Working is not contractual? 

This will be made clear in the communications to staff and managers are expected to ensure that staff are aware that Dynamic Working arrangements are informal, subject to change and do not affect an individual’s terms and conditions of employment. 

What are the expectations about sharing details of individual Dynamic Working agreements within a team? 

The expectation is that Dynamic Working patterns will be shared with team members as it will be important that they know each other’s whereabouts.  Information about how the role can accommodate these patterns may also aid understanding amongst teams.  However, to protect confidentiality managers should not share the details of individual circumstances that informed these agreements.

What do we need to record about Dynamic Working arrangements for individuals? 

Managers should keep a record of the agreements reached with each team member. This can be an informal record and doesn’t need to go on their central HR record.  Managers will be asked for statistical data about desk usage and how working balance to inform the space and energy strategies and KPIs.

How should I monitor Dynamic Working arrangements in my team?

Dynamic Working arrangements should be kept under constant review to ensure  they work for the individual as well as the team/service. Managers can determine how to do this depending on how each manager leads their own team. Where managers have regular catch ups with team members, it is a good idea to check in regularly with them and where arrangements are not working well, to agree any changes necessary and make alterations to any arrangements that are sub-optimal.

If a Dynamic Working pattern is agreed and then needs to change what notice would be given on each side for this?

As Dynamic Working is not a contractual change, there is not a requirement for formal notice to be given. At the outset it should be made clear that there may be business reasons at times to vary the Dynamic Working arrangement (the employee may need to do this too) and so flexibility should be applied.

Can managers revoke Dynamic Working for an individual/individuals? 

Yes. However, this should not be done lightly. Where a manager has concerns about whether Dynamic Working can continue for an individual or particular role, this should be discussed with the relevant HR Partner in the first instance.

How flexible are Dynamic Working arrangements? Can they be changed depending on the needs of the service? 

Yes. At the outset it should be made clear that there may be business reasons at times to vary the Dynamic Working arrangement (the employee may need to do this too) and so flexibility should be applied. Dynamic Working arrangements are non-contractual and are therefore subject to change.

Can Dynamic Working arrangements be specified to reflect the need for optimal delivery of the academic timetable? 

Yes, Dynamic Working arrangements should be developed with the needs of the team/service in mind. Delivery of the academic timetable is a key factor that should be taken into consideration.