To receive a verbal update on the Council’s Future Hybrid Working project.
Minutes:
The Council's hybrid working arrangements were subject to government guidance and restrictions and the Council's own risk assessments.
In relation to the earlier discussion about the 'Great Resignation' the Committee noted that, when staff were asked about their reason for leaving employment, the ability to work remotely was an important factor. In the context of the pandemic, people had more flexibility to pursue careers remotely which would otherwise have been impractical or unsuitable beforehand. Equally, employers also had an opportunity to attract candidates from a wider talent pool without the same geographical constraints.
In view of the Council's remote and hybrid working arrangements, officers had recently, as part of Service and Financial Planning for 2022/23, reviewed the Council's entire estate for recommendations about other potential uses. Officers had also met with Raven Housing Trust, who were taking a similar approach, to share lessons learned and best practice for mutual benefit. Similarly, information sharing with other district and borough councils in Surrey was also providing useful insight into other models and ways of working.
Risk assessments for working onsite for both officers and Members had recently been reviewed and would continue to be monitored closely alongside government guidance, legislative requirements and public health advice.
A second staff survey about home working had closed during the previous week, following an initial survey last July. The statistics and conclusions of that survey would be shared with staff and Members in due course, to inform how the Council will work in future.
The Directors had recently attended an open Q&A session for staff, in addition to drop-in sessions for staff who wanted to present any challenges and concerns. Those events had produced some useful learning points to help inform the Council's decision-making in this regard.
Members considered whether hybrid working arrangements would have implications for remuneration of staff, in view of the geographical economic differences reflected in average salaries across the country and the commuting costs such as parking and transport for those who needed to travel to work.
In response, officers explained that the Council did not include London weighting in its salaries and that there were other costs for those working remotely, such as additional utilities for electricity and heating. Officers acknowledged that the borough's location next to London did present some recruitment challenges for certain roles where the Council was competing for higher-paid staff in London, however the use of market supplements in those cases was considered as part of the recruitment process to address those challenges.
With that in mind, the Council's remuneration arrangements operated in the same way currently as they did before the pandemic and, in view of the advantages and disadvantages of both approaches, the current arrangements were considered to be suitable.
Members also noted that the Council's broader definition of 'flexible working' was not limited only to those staff whose roles could be delivered remotely, but also included a variety of other workplace benefits for staff based onsite such as different shift patterns and flexibility in contractual hours.