Agile working and working together
Agile working is the term used to describe how you can work flexibly from any location, whether it is from a Council building/office, in the community, from home or a combination of these. Agile working is about being where you need to be to do your job, when you need to work and how you will deliver a service that meets the needs of the customer. Embracing this way of working will enable the Council to improve the customer experience, attract and retain a talented and diverse workforce, contribute to the commitment to be carbon neutral by 2025 and be more adaptable to change. It will also help you to maintain a better work life balance, reduce commuting time and improve your health and wellbeing.
The Council’s Agile Working Policy (MS Word, 114KB) sets out working arrangements and expectations to unlock, to a greater extent, the benefits of a more agile workforce. This policy forms an important element of our strategy for adapting to, and thriving in, the new working environment following the coronavirus pandemic. It is important that you read this policies and have a conversation with your manager about which working style is most appropriate, for example hybrid or fixed base working. The conversation with your manager is also an opportunity to advise them of any personal circumstances (e.g. caring/childcare responsibilities) or issues that may affect your working arrangements.
There is no one size fits all when it comes to agile working; the extent to which you can work flexibly will vary and so solutions will need to be tailored to different service needs and individual circumstances.
Practical advice for agile working
You should maintain a positive approach to your health and wellbeing and maintain good relationships when working from home or another location by:
- using video platforms (e.g. Microsoft Teams) to take part in team meetings where possible (‘digital by default’)
- working in accordance with the Council’s Golden Practices
- engaging with regular one-to-one conversations with your manager
- regularly checking in with colleagues
- being contactable by an agreed approach (e.g. Microsoft Teams)
- keeping diaries up to date
- updating voicemail and out of office messages
To truly reap the benefits of agile working and to ensure that any new ways of working are sustainable, it is also important that expectations are clear from the outset and that an outcomes-focused approach is adopted.
Other types of flexible working
Although there are specific working styles (hybrid and fixed base working) in the Agile Working Policy, this does not affect your statutory right to request other types of working arrangements under flexible working legislation, for example – you may wish to request part-time, term time or compressed hours working see Procedure for requesting flexible working.
Advice and support
Access the resources below to support agile working: