Katherine Wilson, Head of Employment, Carers UK – 27/07/2021
Research has shown that more flexible forms of working are here to stay. A YouGov survey published by Acas in June found that more than half (55%) of employers in England, Wales and Scotland expect an increase in staff working remotely or from home part of the week.
And earlier this month Acas published new guidance and resources to support employers who wish to introduce hybrid working into their organisations, including what steps they can take to do this and what considerations they should be aware of.
So, what is hybrid working? In essence it’s a form of flexible working where an employee splits their time between working on site and remotely (usually at home or another office hub). What it looks like in each organisation is likely to differ according to the sector, type of organisation and specific roles, responsibilities, and individual needs with teams.
Why is it being talked about so much? In practice many organisations have already been operating in this way during the pandemic. So there’s experience to build on and it can also provide a practical route to ease the transition back to a Covid-secure world.
And how can hybrid working support carers specifically? Like other forms of flexible working it can help to provide a balance between work and personal life/responsibilities, particularly in terms of where and when you work. As a carer, it can be particularly helpful to have some flexibility to work either partly from home, or from an office/site nearer to the person you are caring for. Similarly, a top priority for many carers is flexible hours, whether start and finish times or patterns of hours during the day.
So, what does the Acas guidance cover? Firstly, it aims to help put this type of flexible working in context and identify some of the ground rules for employers to consider before implementing. Secondly, it gives practical advice on key issues such as different ways of hybrid working, discussing this with staff, creating a hybrid working policy, treating staff fairly and practical tips when hybrid arrangements are in place.
What next? Over the coming months we are likely to hear more news from employers about how they are putting hybrid and flexible working in practice to ensure that staff can work healthily and productively. And Carers UK will be continuing to work with and support EfC members to implement and share good practice as we move out of the pandemic.
Last year our research survey of EfC member organisations Supporting working carers in COVID-19 provided some great practical insights and recommendations to assist employers in future workforce support and planning. And our current survey on this theme, one year on, will also hopefully help us understand the continuing impact of the pandemic on carers, latest workplace support and emerging plans for recovery and return. So, watch this space for the next survey report this Autumn!
In the meantime, here are three tips for employers – and managers – based on what EfC members have been telling us from their experience of implementing hybrid working:
1. Be clear about – and communicate! – your red lines
Think about and decide what are the ‘non-negotiable’ things for your organisation or team. For example, this could be service opening hours or specific frontline roles that have to be delivered on site. Understanding and communicating your ‘non-negotiables’ to all who need to know can save time and help manage expectations. It can also help establish which functions or roles can or can’t be done differently. And this in turn can be particularly useful when reviewing arrangements for carers and other employees who may be more at risk.
2. Involve the wider team – and delegate!
Talk to the rest of the team about hybrid and flexible working arrangements. This can help identify potential objections or practical problems that you may not have thought about. Some managers have told us that delegating to the team a collective responsibility for ensuring that work is covered has been very useful and effective, especially during changing and uncertain times. It’s also particularly helped carers who have benefitted from increased awareness of caring and ‘give and take’ within the team.
3. Use trial periods – and keep adapting!
Recognise that you will need to keep testing and adapting. Throughout the pandemic we’ve all been on a constant learning curve as the situation has been so new and unpredictable. And, as the situation continues to be uncertain we’ll all still be learning as we move towards recovery and return. So, having trial periods and keeping how things are working under review will remain the name of the game. Again, this approach can also be particularly helpful for carers as caring circumstances themselves are often fluctuating and unpredictable.
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