Overarching principles

The overarching principles for how dynamic working operates at º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ are:

  • Provided it is operationally viable, managers must empower employees who want to work remotely to do so and discuss dynamic working with new staff.
  • Dynamic working arrangements must be equitable and based on mutual trust and flexibility. Care must be taken to ensure that no one is disadvantaged because of the working pattern that they, or others, have agreed, such as additional roles being assigned to colleagues who work on campus more than others.
  • Dynamic working is a non-contractual, informal arrangement between Line Managers and employees to provide flexibility in where and, to some degree, when work can be carried out. Managers will determine the proportion of an employee’s role that needs to be performed on campus, considering both the operational needs of the role, the team’s effectiveness and the need to develop and maintain a positive team culture. Employees can apply for a fixed change to work patterns via the flexible working policy, however there is no automatic right to this.
  • Managers and their teams must determine how best to ensure that strong communication and team cohesion remains a priority where dynamic working is in operation.
  • Within their normally contracted working hours/days, employees must be available to attend campus meetings and events if and when required to do so, including at short notice. However, where attending in-person presents problems, it is reasonable for employees to request an online meeting instead and the manager should consider this in light of the circumstances. Ultimately, if the manager determines that the employee must attend in-person, this must be adhered to. 
  • Employees should indicate when they are working from non-campus locations by blocking out the time as “working elsewhere” in Outlook. 
  • The place for remote work may include suitable non-home location(s). Employees must ensure their off-campus setups comply with DSE standards and University IT and information security procedures.
  • Employees have the right to work fully on campus if they want to. As such, the University will not fund equipment or furniture for home-working, unless there is an occupational health recommendation to do so.
  • Employees who are dynamic working cannot have a desk allocated on campus for their sole use (unless there is an occupational health requirement). 
  • Employees must have access to an appropriate desk, chair and IT setup when they work on campus (and have reasonable adjustment requests considered and applied as appropriate). 
  • Employees should have regular opportunities to co-locate with their team members.
  • Managers and employees should, in the first instance, work together positively to resolve any perceived issues around dynamic working, however employees may seek advice from their HR partner if they feel that they are being treated inequitably.  
  • Dynamic Working can be revoked for individual employees in the event their performance suffers as a direct result of these arrangements, or a manager/HR has cause to believe that home-working is detrimental to an employee’s health, safety or wellbeing. Managers should set clear expectations and agree a period of time during which issues must be resolved before revoking dynamic working. Should the needs of the University change, it may also be necessary to revoke dynamic working for employees, however this must be done in a considered and equitable way.