Working remotely offers flexibility for employees and can boost productivity. It comes with important responsibilities. Please take note of the following key guidelines when working from home:
Regular Contact
Stay in regular contact with your manager and colleagues. Communication helps strengthen teamwork, keeps projects on track, and supports your personal wellbeing. Regular check-ins help you stay connected, reduce feelings of isolation, and provide opportunities to raise any concerns or request support when needed.
Staying Connected
Employees will be expected to attend the office for in-person work/events as required by their manager. This could be for activities such as team meetings, assisting new members of staff and other relevant work.
Risk Assessments
Before beginning Flexible or Hybrid working, a risk assessment may be required. This helps ensure the safety and wellbeing of employees, whilst also ensuring that council-owned property, data, and equipment can be safeguarded.
Childcare
Working from home should not be considered a replacement for childcare. During your contracted working hours, you are expected to have suitable childcare in place to ensure you can fully commit to your work duties, without distraction.
Change in Circumstances
If your personal circumstances change in a way that could affect your ability to work from home effectively, you must inform your manager. This will allow for a review of your working arrangements to ensure they remain suitable for both you and the role.
Information Security
You must adhere to the Council’s policies and procedures to ensure the protection of council-owned property, data, and equipment. This includes taking necessary steps to uphold security and privacy, and to prevent any damage, theft, or loss – including any intellectual property. A secure and stable internet connection is also essential to support safe and effective remote working.
Confidentiality
You are responsible for any data, whether in physical or electronic form, which is removed from Council premises. Information should only be taken off-site with prior authorisation and must comply with departmental document management or library protocols. Your workspace must be suitably private to ensure standards of confidentiality are maintained when dealing with confidential work both on screen in calls and meetings.
Workstation Checklist
Display Screen Equipment (DSE) assessments must be completed annually and submitted to your line manager. If there are any changes to your workstation setup, a new assessment should be conducted.
Insurance
The Council provides insurance coverage for employees working from home, as long as the necessary risk assessments and Display Screen Equipment (DSE) evaluations have been completed. It is also recommended that you review your personal home insurance policy to ensure that remote working does not affect your coverage.
Health and Safety
For more details on health and safety while working from home, please refer to the Health and Safety page and Section 12 of the Health and Safety Management Standard on Lone Working
Returning to a Hub Office
If for any reason home working is no longer suitable for your needs, an office space in one of our hub offices will be available to you. Please speak with your line manager to review the options available to you.
Hybrid and Flexible Working Policy
For further details on working arrangements, please consult the Council’s Hybrid and Flexible Working Policy.