Office Protocols

The following protocol affects staff in the Arts Tower:

The Estates & Facilities Management (Arts Tower) Office Protocols.

1. Working Environment

The new working environment supports interaction, communication and knowledge sharing, both within and between teams, and encourages a more team-based, less hierarchical working style.  Face to face interaction is encouraged.  The new workspace is intended as a friendlier environment with the increased visibility and accessibility of staff at all levels.

Normal working at the work station will include working with the team around you and other staff members who call at your desk. Communication in all forms is encouraged whether written or verbal and participation in the team is expected.  Please respect other members of staff by not raising your voice to a point where it becomes a distraction to staff around you.

Conversations around desks should give consideration to others around.  Prolonged discussion should be moved to break-out space: if you are likely to discuss matters for more than 5 minutes you should move to a quiet area/meeting couch, or meeting room.  Visitors should be discouraged from meeting with you at your desk where they may be a distraction.  Contractors’ meetings must be hosted in a meeting room.  Please use the break-out spaces available.

Staff requiring quiet to complete a task or report may signal to others that they are not available by using physical indicators.  Senior managers now work in open plan areas alongside their teams and it is important that managers’ ability to work in this space is respected, especially when they have indicated undisturbed quiet time.

Managers will use indicators for quiet time, for example, a sign to show that they are not to be disturbed.  This should not be used excessively so as to impede communication, conversation or team dialogue.  A standard sign will be developed for display on the desk partitions.

The demand for meeting spaces can be high at times. When reserving meeting spaces, ensure that it is the right size for the numbers and activity undertaken and if it is running late or cancelled make sure that the booking system is amended accordingly.

Small break-out rooms have been designated that can’t be pre-booked and are available for teams or individuals to use on demand.

2.    Phones and Computers

a.  Desk Phones

Office desk phones should be answered promptly and not ignored.  When unavailable phones should be diverted to voicemail within 3 rings or to a colleague who agrees to answer the calls.  Teams may consider group pick up to improve call answering and communications in preference to the answer phone.

Don’t use speakerphones at the desk for conference calls.  Use the phones in the meeting rooms or the break-out rooms.

Staff are reminded to leave messages on their desk phones when they are on holiday with contact details for colleagues who may be able to assist.

b. Office Mobile Phones

Office mobile phones should be active during office hours.  Please be aware that unattended mobile phones can be an irritant to others.  Unless you expect others to answer your mobile phone in your absence, take it with you or turn it off as you leave your desk.

c. Private Mobile Phones

Staff are asked to answer their private mobile phone as soon as possible for short or emergency calls.  If a call is likely to be prolonged, it should be taken away from the workstation to avoid distracting colleagues.

d. Computers and Other Workstation Equipment

Set up an automatic message to tell e-mail correspondents you are away or out of the office.  You should use the Central Vacation Message system and provide an alternative contact person who can deal with urgent issues in your absence.

3.    Music While Working

Staff should not listen to music during working hours. If staff wish to listen to music during lunch times, headphones must be used.

4. Hot Food

You can eat at your desk but please be considerate, hot aromatic food is not allowed to be eaten at the desks, and the social space should be used.  Food waste should be discarded in the kitchen waste bins.  Please clean up spills and any mess quickly to avoid staining and slip hazards.

5. Office Tidiness

It is the intention of the Department that a professional working environment is provided which is kept tidy.  Staff are required to keep their desks and surroundings tidy.

To minimise the opportunity of any trip hazards, floor space is to be kept totally clear.  Staff are encouraged to lock away all confidential files and boxes at the end of the working day.  Health and safety checks will be undertaken periodically.

All sensitive test equipment shall be stored in secure lockable storage to keep the equipment clean and secure.

Large items are not to be stored on top of shelves in the general open plan area to prevent items falling and to ensure that visibility is maintained through the space.

Site coats, umbrellas etc. are to be stored on the coat hooks provided.  Dirty items of clothing site boots etc are not to be brought into the office area and shall be stored in the lobby area by the toilets.

6. Display and Notice Boards

To preserve the appearance of the Department, the placing of artwork and posters on walls will be co-ordinated through line management and the Estates and Facilities Management Executive Group.  Material on personal display must be appropriate and not offensive.

7.  Security

All visitors should report to Reception on Floor 7 and be escorted to office and meeting rooms by members of staff.  Non-University visitors should not normally be invited directly into the open plan area.  All non-University visitors will be issued with a visitor’s pass.

All staff should ensure that they carry their U Cards at all times.

It is important that staff are vigilant at all times. All staff should familiarise themselves with security protocol and all security systems operating within the Arts Tower.

All laptops and memory devices should be locked away overnight in personal lockable storage.

When leaving the building at night staff are required to leave windows on trickle vent.  Staff must check that their final exit door is secure before entering the lift for exit.

8. Fire Safety

If you are chairing or facilitating a meeting with visitors, you are responsible for ensuring people are able to leave the building in the event of an emergency.  A Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEPS) may be required for people who are unable to use the stairs to leave the building.  Please make people aware of the evacuation procedures and the assembly point location.

Assembly Point

In the event of a building evacuation, the assembly point is under the road overpass in the centre of the concourse.

9.  Energy Saving

When leaving in an evening all staff are asked to turn off all PCs, monitors, and unplug all chargers, switch of all lights and fans.  General office lighting is controlled by automatic sensors.

Recycling is an important part of energy saving. Please use the designated paper bins for office paper waste and the general bins for all other waste.  Large items can be collected by arrangement with the Porters.

10.    Break-Out Meeting Rooms

Break-out meeting rooms should be used for genuine break-outs eg where confidentiality is required for short informal meetings when other meeting rooms are not available.

11.    Tidy Kitchens, Social Space and Meeting Rooms

Meeting rooms should be left tidy and cleared of any materials, cups or refreshments.  Portable IT equipment should be returned or collected as soon as practical to make the room useable for others. Notify IT staff when you have finished with IT Equipment.

Staff should leave the kitchens, tea points and social space as they wish to find them. Fridges are available for the storage of food and milk and these should be respected and kept clean and tidy, and cleared out on a regular basis.

Chilled drinking water and boiling water is provided at each tea point and in every kitchen.

In the interest of health and safety of yourself and others, all staff are requested to remove out-of-date foods from the fridge on a regular basis.

Meetings with contractors and other visitors shall not be held in the staff rest area/social space.

12.    Kettles and Fridges

Personal kettles and fridges are not allowed to be used by staff in the open plan offices. Facilities for hot water and cold storage are provided at the tea points and in the Kitchen.

13.    Window Sills

Due to safety reasons no one is allowed to sit or stand on the window sills.

14.    Privacy and Confidentiality

Staff should ensure that any confidential information is protected and where appropriate locked away.  It is advisable that staff should lock or log out of their computer when they are away from their desks.

Staff are responsible for their own behaviour, courtesy and consideration must be given to other staff around them. If an informal meeting goes on for more than a few minutes please take it to an unused meeting room or to a break-out area to avoid disturbing your colleagues.

15.    Dress Code

The dress code should be smart, professional and appropriate.