Policy 5.3 Hybrid Working

5.3 Hybrid Working

The purpose of this policy is to:

• Offer a more flexible approach to work location for those in roles which are not wholly building based.

• Provide clarity on a number of practical matters associated with hybrid working including provision of IT equipment, data protection considerations and health and safety matters.

• Create a distinction between hybrid working and a formal flexible working arrangement.

• Clarify the conditions under which hybrid working can take place.

What is hybrid working?

• Hybrid working is an opportunity to spend a proportion of the working week in a location other than the LUU building.

• Hybrid working is a flexible arrangement where the work location is chosen based on a variety of needs.

• Hybrid working is not the same as a formal flexible working arrangement and is based on the same hours of work at the usual daily pattern but in a different location to the LUU building.

• Hybrid working is role dependent and by agreement with managers.

• Hybrid working requires everyone to be in the LUU building at least 20% of any given week, many staff will need to be present for much more than that.

• Hybrid working means being at LUU when you need to be for a specific purpose noting that this is not always regular or predictable

What are the benefits of hybrid working?

The benefits of this approach are;

• More space in LUU can be used by students because less is required for staff.

• Staff can enjoy improved wellbeing arising from a better work life balance for staff able to spend some time working from home.

• An enhanced ability to attract high quality staff to LUU.

• Realising efficiencies afforded by use of digital technologies.

• A reduction in the environmental impact of LUU staff commuting, for those who don’t commute by walking or cycling.

What is LUU’s position on hybrid working?

LUU is mindful of the benefits that come from having more options for how work is delivered. Our aim in approaching this is to identify what is right for our students, what is right for the organisation and what is right for the individual. This is the basis on which decisions will be made about alternative forms of working.

Student Need

First and foremost we aim to meet the needs of our student members and provide services which are agile and responsive. We will put the needs of students at the heart of our decision making about hybrid working. For some roles the need to serve students in a particular way will have a direct impact on work location. For other roles we believe that having visibility of students and their activities within our organisation is vital to shaping an understanding of LUU more widely which enhances everyone’s ability to deliver a good service.

Organisational Need

As an organisation we recognise the benefit of staff being together in the same place for our work and our culture. For many roles this will be all or the majority of the working week. For other roles this will be for more ad hoc activities which are taking place in person. We particularly note the value of individuals who are in earlier stages of their careers having access to more experienced or senior staff for development and support. We also recognise the social value of work and the importance of building up social capital with people right across the organisation.

Individual Need

We recognise the range of preferences that exist within our community and will seek to accommodate these where possible. In particular we make a commitment to offering office facilities for those who have a preference for 100% in the building working even where their role does not require this. This recognises that not all our people have access to suitable home working environments or may have other reasons why they prefer to be in LUU.

Practical Matters

If you wish to carry out hybrid working there are a number of practical considerations.

• Suitability of environment

It will be necessary to ensure your home working environment is suitable for hybrid working. This means that you have an appropriate space to work from which is of a suitable level of light and temperature and can fit a desk or table and an office chair. You will be required to complete a DSE assessment to confirm this. You should have access to an area without distraction and where confidentiality can be maintained if required. Any dependents who are in your home during any part of your working day must be cared for by someone else.

• Location

You are required to be available to attend the LUU building at short notice, and this should be considered in terms of your home location. Given the nature of our work it will not always be possible to predict when in person attendance will be required and therefore you need to be prepared to attend LUU the following day at the time you would ordinarily commence work, if asked to do so. This is to ensure we have the flexibility to respond to changing circumstances which may arise.

It is assumed your working location will be your home address registered on iTrent. If this is not your working location even on a temporary basis, you must agree this in advance with your manager and it is at their discretion.

LUU employees are not permitted to work outside of the UK unless explicit permission is granted by the Director of People and Quality.

• Financial Considerations

Expenses will not be payable for costs associated with working from home. This includes travel to and from LUU and other associated home working costs such which is inclusive of but not limited to utility bills and broadband. Employees will be encouraged to claim the tax rebate from HMRC for home working which is designed to accommodate such costs so long as this is available. We recognise that not everyone wishes to incur these costs which is why we have committed to making office accommodation available in LUU for anyone who wants it 100% of the time.

• Equipment

Suitable IT equipment will be provided for those wanting to hybrid work. This includes a laptop or desktop computer. Personal devices should not be used. A separate mouse and keyboard will be issued as standard and should be used with the laptop. Other items will be available on request including monitors, headsets, footrests, wrist rests, mouse mats and laptop stands. If you require any other more specialist equipment this should be discussed with your manager. Furniture including desks and chairs will not be provided.

• GDPR

Where roles involve accessing and processing confidential and sensitive data, the place in which this work is carried out must still ensure compliance with the LUU’s GDPR requirements. This means the use of a private space for confidential conversations, privacy screens, if required, for confidential work and secure storage for any confidential documentation. Headphones should always be used in shared spaces and callers either on video or telephone should be made aware if others are present in the room. Conversations of a confidential nature should be conducted in a private space. Printed media should be kept to a minimum if confidential documents do need to be taken home these should be stored in a locked cabinet or drawer. Items should be kept for no longer than is necessary and either shredded or returned to the office for safe disposal.

• Internet / Wifi

Since hybrid working requires a stable internet connection with sufficient bandwidth to support video calls and use of collaborative tools such as Teams and Google documents, the individual will be required to ensure their setup is suitable for this. If there are persistent issues with reliable connectivity which impact on the individual’s ability to work effectively, then they will be asked to work from the LUU building.

• Formal Flexible Working Requests

In some instances, individuals may need to agree on a set pattern of work in order to plan around other aspects of their life in a more definite way than a general hybrid working approach allows. This should be done via a formal flexible working request details of which are outlined in the employee handbook.

• Legal Considerations

The opportunity to hybrid work is a discretionary decision and will be given once a number of criteria have been met. In the event that an agreement to hybrid work has been made, contracts of employment will be amended to reflect this change in location of work to indicate that work is permitted both at the home and the office location.

Those working under a hybrid arrangement will be subject to the same terms and conditions of all other employees with the exception of work location. Care will be taken to ensure fair access to opportunities including learning and development to all individuals regardless of work location.