PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION TO CONFIRM THAT YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH THE IMPOSITION OF 60% OFFICE ATTENDANCE WITHIN DLUHC.
Civil servants have been told that in future they must spend 60% of time in offices. According to the CSW article, Ministers have directed senior officials to “set and implement an expectation of increased office-based working” among their staff.
Many DLUHC employees will rightly see this for what it is - a demand that we spend more of our income and more of our hard-pressed time, while being paid less in real terms, merely to satisfy an unevidenced desire for office presenteeism.
Hard-working civil servants helped to keep this country moving during the Covid pandemic, some in the workplace and some adapting to working at home. Homeworking brings huge benefits by cutting down the amount of travelling time and expense incurred unnecessarily and reducing the nation's carbon footprint.
There is no evidence that increasing the amount of office working will lead to increases in productivity or better working. Indeed as we enter the flu and Covid peak season, packing more staff into the office is just a recipe for increased sick absence.
Local trade union representatives are robustly engaging with management and focusing in particular on the importance of protecting existing staff flexibility, as well as challenging any use of tone and language which promotes a culture of ‘presenteeism’.
We are also highlighting the:
- Devastating financial impact upon lower paid staff in particular.
- Potential for detriment on disabled staff and those with caring responsibilities.
- Obvious practical constraints presented by the current lack of sufficient office space.
- Need to comply with public health guidance recommending that those with infectious illnesses should not attend offices.
As DLUHC members of staff we therefore call on our Permanent Secretary and her Executive Team colleagues to maintain the current ‘two days a week on average’ attendance policy and recognise the benefits of flexible working to the work of our department and the wellbeing of its staff.
Please share this petition with as many colleagues as possible. If they’re not already members of PCS, encourage them to join at mypcs.pcs.org.uk/onlinejoiningform
Updates
December 2, 2023
we just hit 500 signatures and im honestly blown away by the support. thanks for keeping the momentum going because this really shows how many people are fed up with the office mandate.
November 30, 2023
we just hit 100 signatures and im honestly blown away by the support. this shows that so many of us are on the same page about this office mandate.
Reached 500 supporters
November 30, 2023
Reached 100 supporters
November 29, 2023
November 26, 2023
we are almost at a hundred signatures and the momentum here is honestly wild. if everyone who sees this sends the link to just one coworker we will hit that mark by tonight.
157 Comments
Clearly a political decision, not evidence based or data driven. Completely unfair to the CS who kept the country running REMOTELY during the pandemic and to the new staff who applied under the impression it was 40% office attendance.
As a person with a neurodiverse condition, the flexibility of the last few years has revolutionised the way I work. I feel that is being taken away and I am being forced to conform to a 'civil service way of working' that does not give me the space to do my best work
If I presented a policy proposal to senior leaders with the level of evidence and analysis as has been the case here, I would be laughed out the room and never trusted to make policy proposals again. Why are there higher standards for my policy making than the heads of departments?
we don't have the capacity to all go into the building at the same time - we don't have access to enough meeting rooms or quiet areas for 2 days, never mind more. We are more productive when we don't have to travel through rush hour systems.
I started working at the civil service this September with the expectation that I will be at the office 40% of the time. I signed a tenancy contract for 2 years with this in mind. Now that means more commuting, higher expenses and no salary increase to reflect the changes.
Anonymous
I am the only one in my team who is Leeds based.
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PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION TO CONFIRM THAT YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH THE IMPOSITION OF 60% OFFICE ATTENDANCE WITHIN DLUHC.
Civil servants have been told that in future they must spend 60% of time in offices. According to the CSW article, Ministers have directed senior officials to “set and implement an expectation of increased office-based working” among their staff.
Many DLUHC employees will rightly see this for what it is - a demand that we spend more of our income and more of our hard-pressed time, while being paid less in real terms, merely to satisfy an unevidenced desire for office presenteeism.
Hard-working civil servants helped to keep this country moving during the Covid pandemic, some in the workplace and some adapting to working at home. Homeworking brings huge benefits by cutting down the amount of travelling time and expense incurred unnecessarily and reducing the nation's carbon footprint.
There is no evidence that increasing the amount of office working will lead to increases in productivity or better working. Indeed as we enter the flu and Covid peak season, packing more staff into the office is just a recipe for increased sick absence.
Local trade union representatives are robustly engaging with management and focusing in particular on the importance of protecting existing staff flexibility, as well as challenging any use of tone and language which promotes a culture of ‘presenteeism’.
We are also highlighting the:
- Devastating financial impact upon lower paid staff in particular.
- Potential for detriment on disabled staff and those with caring responsibilities.
- Obvious practical constraints presented by the current lack of sufficient office space.
- Need to comply with public health guidance recommending that those with infectious illnesses should not attend offices.
As DLUHC members of staff we therefore call on our Permanent Secretary and her Executive Team colleagues to maintain the current ‘two days a week on average’ attendance policy and recognise the benefits of flexible working to the work of our department and the wellbeing of its staff.
Please share this petition with as many colleagues as possible. If they’re not already members of PCS, encourage them to join at mypcs.pcs.org.uk/onlinejoiningform
Updates
December 2, 2023
we just hit 500 signatures and im honestly blown away by the support. thanks for keeping the momentum going because this really shows how many people are fed up with the office mandate.
November 30, 2023
we just hit 100 signatures and im honestly blown away by the support. this shows that so many of us are on the same page about this office mandate.
Reached 500 supporters
November 30, 2023
Reached 100 supporters
November 29, 2023
November 26, 2023
we are almost at a hundred signatures and the momentum here is honestly wild. if everyone who sees this sends the link to just one coworker we will hit that mark by tonight.
157 Comments
This will burden those with disabilities, and even milder health conditions that are managed within the current flexibility. It's also frustrating that this has been pitched as CS wide when in reality it is delegated and other departments are not following suit.
Clearly a political decision, not evidence based or data driven. Completely unfair to the CS who kept the country running REMOTELY during the pandemic and to the new staff who applied under the impression it was 40% office attendance.
As a person with a neurodiverse condition, the flexibility of the last few years has revolutionised the way I work. I feel that is being taken away and I am being forced to conform to a 'civil service way of working' that does not give me the space to do my best work
If I presented a policy proposal to senior leaders with the level of evidence and analysis as has been the case here, I would be laughed out the room and never trusted to make policy proposals again. Why are there higher standards for my policy making than the heads of departments?
we don't have the capacity to all go into the building at the same time - we don't have access to enough meeting rooms or quiet areas for 2 days, never mind more. We are more productive when we don't have to travel through rush hour systems.
I started working at the civil service this September with the expectation that I will be at the office 40% of the time. I signed a tenancy contract for 2 years with this in mind. Now that means more commuting, higher expenses and no salary increase to reflect the changes.
Anonymous
I am the only one in my team who is Leeds based.
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This will burden those with disabilities, and even milder health conditions that are managed within the current flexibility. It's also frustrating that this has been pitched as CS wide when in reality it is delegated and other departments are not following suit.