Empowering teams to manage their own work patterns

1. Empowering teams to manage their own work patterns Local Government FM Network 31 October 2006

2. Who we are: • Non-departmental public body (funded by Scottish Executive) managing legal aid in Scotland • Approx 330 employees • Central Edinburgh main office base

3. Our people Profile in 2001/02 • 65% female • 13% part time Job levels* • 74% Administrative Officers & Assistants; Senior Admin; Junior supervisory roles • 26% Specialists; Assistant Managers Managers; Solicitors; Directors etc. *balance shifting

4. Background – 2001 • “flexi-time” swipe card system • employees liked flexitime Questions • Core hours meet business requirements? • “Faceless” system (managed by whom)?

5. Other challenges and/or opportunities • Overheated labour market (financial sector £) • High employee turnover • Career advancement limitations and young workforce • Accessibility of public services & online service • Equality and part-time working; flexible working

6. Work-Life Balance Project

7. The “Deal” If willing to: With team colleagues: plan cover needed and hours of work; communicate plans; compromise; capture team measures; monitor success of arrangements. Then: Existing rules around working hours and time capture abolished + extended opening hours. “NO HIDDEN AGENDA”

8. About our project – Phase 1 • “Our Principles” agreed • teams invited to submit proposals • “team surgeries” • implementation plans (features; rules; measures) • 19 pilots (154 employees) established for 6 months

9. Lessons learned from Phase 1 - by 2002: • no single model that “works” for all • empower teams; keep fluid • equal access = same work patterns • impossible to determine future solutions. But……

10. Corporate Overtime costs - 50% less Self-Cert. sickness - 19% less Recruitment/agency costs - 72% less Employee turnover at junior grades reduced Recruitment “time to fill” reduced More part-time and over 40’s More on these later…… Teams Productivity and morale gains in every team “feel trusted” “I feel empowered” “This group of individuals is now a team” “more flexibilityto meet deadlines Phase 1 Outcomes - against baseline measures from previous year

11. No “magic solution” • Still needed to test: - everyone doing it? - beyond the “honeymoon period” But: • No going back- great for employees; great for business! ↓ “PHASE 2” 2003 -04

12. By end of Phase 2 in 2004, also learned: • team-rostering = real flexibility for “real life” • alternative “fixed” patterns = inflexibility • flexibility cannot mean doing what feel like on any particular day. • effective planning & delivering on plans to be firm feature of “flexibility deal” (management role clearer) • always need to review to keep fit-for-purpose.

13. What could we commit to beyond “the project”…. • What would be sustainable? • How could we define “flexibility” in contracts?

14. Our Model 2005 onwards: • Equality of Access – avoidance of a two- tier workforce • “Contractual Core Hours” • Access to flexibility as a benefit in line with Board’s guidance and procedures

15. Journey – continued…. • 2005 – revised contracts; roll-out of time planning and recording system (+ external recognition for work done) • October 2006 – Remote Working Project “To develop the Board’s approach to remote working in a managed way in line with technological capabilities and to ensure business process improvements”

16. Remote Working Project Scope From PID: • Property & accommodation • Workforce fragmentation • Technologies • Current employment practices …….from the start point of a more flexible culture

17. Has it been worth it? • for us as an employer? • for our employees?

18. Corporate Measures • Overtime costs down by 12.8 w.t.e. or £144k • In whole time equivalent deployed: • Baseline pre-phase 1 - 2001/2: 17.9 wte • After phase 1 - 2002/3: 10.1 wte • After phase 2 - 2003/4: 5.1 wte 05/06* 8 w.t.e. • In total costs: • Baseline pre-phase 1 - 2001/2: £231,756 • After phase 1 - 2002/3: £126,425 • After phase 2 - 2003/4: £ 87,023 05/06* £134,629 *(Civil Applications System project)

19. Corporate Measures 2 • Employee self-certified absence down: • Baseline pre-phase 1 - 2001/2: 4.4 days per w.t.e. • After phase 1 - 2002/3: 3.7 days per w.t.e. • After phase 2 - 2003/4: 3.3 days per w.t.e. 05/06 2.9 days per w.t.e. • Employee turnover lower by 6% • Baseline pre-phase 1 - 2001/2: 16.4% • After phase 1 - 2002/3: 14.8% • After phase 2 - 2003/4: 9.8% 05/0612.7%

20. Corporate Measures 3 • Ability to attract part-time workers improved • Baseline pre-phase 1 - 2001/2: 13.0% part-time • After phase 1 - 2002/3: 16.3% part-time • After phase 2 - 2003/4: 19.4% part-time05/06 18% • Ability to attract more mature staff improved • Baseline pre-phase 1 - 2001/2: 19% aged over 40 • After phase 1 - 2002/3: 31% aged over 40 • After phase 2 - 2003/4: 29% aged over 40 05/06 40% …..and for our employees…..

21. General themes:

22. Individual stories: Hazel Ed Iain

23. Some final key points • no “quick fix” • identify objectives; framework; measures • empower & trust • give it time – be patient • support/facilitate - keep on track • measure, analyse & prove business case

24. Moira Williamson williamsonmo@slab.org.uk