The University introduced the Hybrid working policy and principles to give teams greater flexibility around their normal hours, time or place of work with limited formal process.
Not all colleagues are able to work in a hybrid manner owing to the nature of their roles. Therefore, we also request line managers / Heads to remind such colleagues of the opportunities to request formal flexible working if they wish.
Effective communication is essential. Regular communications between teams, across teams, one to ones as well as on a collective basis are required to make hybrid working a success.
Prompt questions:
How well is hybrid working for individuals and across teams?
How has hybrid working impacted on the connectivity of the team?
What steps have you taken to create social opportunities for the team?
If necessary, what steps can you take to improve communication across your team or with individual team members?
Prompt questions:
How well have meetings worked where some colleagues are on MS Teams and others in a room?
Do you have the correct IT equipment for hybrid working to be effective?
Revisit the objectives and outcomes of your team and the individual team members in order to understand how effective the performance of your team has been.
Prompt questions:
Have work outcomes/deliverables been achieved as expected?
How have you measured this?
How effectively have you been able to measure outputs from individual staff members?
If applicable, how have you managed concerns regarding the output from particular team members?
Ensuring that service, stakeholders and the student experience are not impacted. It is essential that service provision takes precedent over hybrid working – not the opposite. Managers are responsible for ensuring that working arrangements are such that service levels to stakeholders are maintained.
Prompt questions:
Has service provision been impacted as a result of hybrid working?
If so, for the better or to the detriment?
How have you measured this?
What feedback have stakeholders / service users provided?
Hybrid working supports wellbeing including mental health, however, it is important to check-in with colleagues to understand where additional support may be required.
Prompt questions:
How effective has hybrid working been in supporting colleagues with wellbeing concerns?
What types of measures have you put in place to provide additional support where needed?
How regularly do you check-in with your team regarding their wellbeing?
A reminder that days may be pro rata accordingly for part time members of the team.
Prompt questions:
How often are team members on campus per week?
Does this arrangement work well or need to be reviewed?
Have team members been willing to return to the office?
Where there have been issues with colleagues returning to campus, have these now been resolved?
