17 September, 2021

Dear Colleagues,

In last week’s message and during the Learning Café Question Time this week, I mentioned that today I would be in a position to update you all on future working arrangements for office-based staff. Please, therefore, read the following important information. 

In June I wrote to you all to set out interim arrangements for using our office spaces over the summer. Work has been underway since to look at how as an organisation we can strike the best balance between home and office working in a post-Covid world.  This initial work has been informed by the two well-being surveys that we have undertaken and some of the learning of the last 18 months.

While there are no plans for an imminent return to office working for the majority of our teams; I wanted to offer an update on how this work is progressing, explain our current work from home position, and give you all an insight into what arrangements for the future are being considered. 

The First Minister has stressed in his press conference today that we should all continue to work from home wherever possible. This remains the position in Wales and for the Council. Working from home has been one of the most effective ways of stopping the transmission of Covid-19 and this remains an important consideration in how our organisation is managed. Since Wales moved to alert level zero on 07 August 2021 case rates have risen steadily. This should serve as a reminder to us all not to be complacent about the risks of the virus and that we should all continue to take appropriate steps to keep ourselves and our colleagues safe.  

However, it is acknowledged that certain departments may need to return to the workplace either on a permanent or rotation basis. There will also be cases where it is important for an employee’s wellbeing to work from the office, or where there is a clear business need for face to face meetings to take place or where attendance at the workplace is essential to improve performance. In these circumstances it is reasonable for colleagues currently working from home to work from one of our office locations as long as this is done in a Covid safe way. If you are currently working from home and there is any reason why you feel this is no longer appropriate you should speak to your line manager.

Guidance for office working 

While there will always be exceptions, either for business need or personal circumstances, it has been very clear in the feedback from staff that many colleagues feel there are real benefits to having more flexibility in where and how they work. We must now find a way of striking the right balance between the giving staff this flexibility and continuing to meet the needs of the residents of the Vale. 

Changing where and how we work also offers a unique opportunity to dramatically reduce the carbon footprint of the Council, helping to deliver on our Project Zero objectives, and could help us reduce our running costs and free up money to reinvest into service delivery. Combined, these factors make this is a hugely complex piece of work. 

At this stage I cannot give the detail that I know many people are keen to hear on future working arrangements, quite simply because the practicalities are still being worked through. What I can say is that we are not planning a return to office working as we knew it in 2019. Instead, we are planning to return to a hybrid approach of using office space, alongside far more flexible working arrangements, and improved digital infrastructure, as part of how we conduct our business. 

This will affect us all and so I want to ensure all teams have a role to play in shaping and delivering it. The office accommodation project is being led by our Senior Leadership Team. Paula Ham, Lance Carver and Miles Punter will lead planning teams for the Civic Offices, Dock Office and Alps respectively. Each Director will draw together the input from services to be based at each of these locations.

Over the next few weeks, Heads of Service for all areas will be discussing with Operational Managers and Team Managers what the needs of their services are for the future. This will be collated and analysed to help shape a plan for our three main office buildings and will also be giving consideration to the other office locations that our teams use alongside ‘whole-building’ issues such as public access, washrooms, kitchens, confidential space, break out spaces, video conferencing and other facilities. The Directors will be supported by Estates, ICT and Business Improvement colleagues and asked to report weekly on their progress. 

We also have a core team of colleagues working to support the overall office accommodation strategy, importantly making connections with the work of HR in developing relevant policies and practice, and with OD, Communications and Finance teams to ensure the overall programme is well coordinated, communicated and costed. All of this will be done in collaboration with our trade unions. 

Work has been underway since July and will now progress quickly through September and October. In discussing flexible working arrangements at SLT this week it was agreed to continue with the suspension of the compulsory recording of time (through timeware). More information on this will be provided in the coming weeks. 

I will keep you all updated through my weekly messages and as the office accommodation project progresses and a dedicated StaffNet hub will be launched so all staff can follow the progress. 

Before I draw this message to a close, I would also like to highlight the work of our building and cleaning teams who have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to keep our office buildings, schools and care homes clean, ensuring that they remained open and safe for staff who needed to work from them as well as children and vulnerable residents. They have been required to take on additional work to deep clean and disinfect areas where there have been confirmed cases of Coronavirus and they have taken this all in their stride and remained incredibly committed to their work. Thank you all so much for your valued contribution and thanks to your supervisors Hayley and Paul, who messaged me this week who were very keen to ensure that you get the recognition you deserve.

Finally, I must also remind staff, whether attending our office buildings or not, to please check that your ID badge is still valid and in date. A number of badges will have expired in 2020 and must be renewed. If this applies to you, please fill in this form. More information on ID badges and security can be found on the guidance for office working page on Staffnet+.

I would like to thank you all in advance for your support and patience. Developing a totally new working culture is an opportunity that we will only get once. I am determined that we grasp this and engage with all teams on the exciting opportunity that presents itself.  At the end of the process our Senior Leadership Team will be able to share and present to you a new way of working that puts all our staff first and makes the organisation fit for the future.

Cofion gorau,

Rob Thomas