Returning to the workplace

Are you talking to managers about going back to the workplace?

Members will be aware from the various messages and staff calls that should pandemic restrictions be lifted (now from 19 July) or some time thereafter the employer intends to begin to push for greater numbers of our members to return to the workplace in some capacity.

The employer is offering the option to many (but crucially not all) of our members to begin a “hybrid” working pattern with the caveat that there must be a minimum of 50% office attendance.

Your branch reps have already been talking with business leads about what this actually means for our members in the various business areas and it is fair to say that to date the detail is still light with plans still being worked through.

It is encouraging to hear that within Asylum and RCM there is the intention to involve our members in the discussions on deciding the best hybrid working model.

In essence this is a new flexible working policy being brought in at this time to also act as a phased return to the office from the current pandemic restrictions. Whilst the ability for the employer to give our members flexibility over when they can work in the office may still be limited in the short term by some form of reduced office capacity and COVID-19 measures this shouldn’t come at the expense in the medium to long term of giving members the opportunity to be able to choose where they work to find the right home/work life balance.

It is expected that more concrete detail will start to be formulated or be known once the government announces when COVID restrictions are to be lifted.

PCS has already received some assurances that those clinically extremely vulnerable members for whom vaccines are unlikely to be effective protection or who have been advised against being vaccinated for health reasons are unlikely to be expected to return to the office at this time.

For other members who have not received a vaccine this will have to be taken into consideration during individual discussions with line managers regarding the requirement to return to workplaces and the frequency of that return.

If any members feel they are being pressured to return to workplaces against their better judgement, then it is their right to ask for consideration of an informal hybrid working arrangement (running until at least October 2021) which may support further working from home options for the time being.

Key to the Department’s own policy is the principle that employees and managers are expected to engage openly and constructively in conversations about returning to normal working and/or hybrid working if required. During the summer months, there will be flexibility to trial different ways of working to allow individuals and business units to adopt a more regular rhythm of working and we expect to see evidence of this,

We will publish more information when we have it.