Incorporating health and well-being into mobile working

1. Incorporating health and well-being into mobile working Nadine Anderson Roxana Spencer 8 June 2011

2. Workstyles • Fixed workers All fixed workers are assigned desks with desktop computers and are expected to spend 90% of their time in the office. There are 9 desks for every 10 workers • Flexible workers All flexible workers have been assigned laptops and are expected to spend at least 50-60% of their time out of the office. • Mobile workers (70% out of office) All mobile workers have been assigned laptops and are expected to spend at least 70% of their time out of the office.

3. Work Settings • Apart from those who have specialist requirements/equipment agreed by Health and Safety no one will have their own desk. • When the use of any desk is complete, the space must be left ready for the next user. • Each person will have 2 linear metres of storage for team/case files and a ½ metre personal locker space

4. Desk space • Traditional hot desks Assigned desk for fixed workers • Mobile/flexible hot desks Non-assigned, non-bookabledrop-in space for staff who need a desk for a short period or for the whole day All desks will have: • Chairs which meets the requirements of at least 95% of employees. • Phone, network cable, monitor, monitor arm, keyboard, mouse, power above the desk

5. Stressors • Paper files v electronic documents • IT skills/ Confidence in technology • Office base v working in remote offices • Isolation • Out of the loop • Working environment • Differing comfort and hygiene standards/expectations • Confidence in carrying out DSEassessments - reasonable adjustment? • Personal space v Hot desking • moving from having their own desk to desk sharing • Personal office v Open plan office • Noise levels • Confidentiality • Presenteeism v managing remotely • Poor performance management • Setting SMART objectives

6. Protocols - Noise • Respect colleagues whilst in an open environment. • Loud and animated conversations should be conducted in an enclosed meeting area so as not to disrupt others. • Being conscious of noise and other disruptions to adjacent work areas.

7. The Quiet Room • There are Quiet rooms situated on most floors. • Non-assigned, non-bookablespace for use by staff to facilitate conference calls, and work that requires privacy.

8. Break areas • There are tea points on each floor • Intended for people to get away from the desk where they are working • For frequent gatherings that form during breaks. • Ad hoc discussion with colleagues in an informal environment • Communication points

9. Health, Safety and wellbeing – working remotely • On each desk there will be a DSE assessment guide. Staff will be trained on how to carry out a desk assessment. There is also H&S intranet which provides further support and contacts. • Procedures in place to ensure that managers and colleagues know where individuals are (e.g. outlook calendar regularly updated at all times with contact number and location) • HR policies including Lone working and team protocols e.g. Child protection visits

10. Health, Safety and wellbeing – working remotely • Reminding employees that if someone attempts to take their mobile or laptop they should not resist, the equipment is insured and their safety takes priority. • If an incident has taking place off site phone the manager is contacted immediately and the accident log book updated accordingly. • Ensure that before visiting or meeting with clients that staff check the Red file on the intranet for potential violent residents.

11. Support for mobile/flex workers Training for managers & staff stress awareness; managing remotely; performance management; personal safety etc. EIA / DSE / Advice re: at risk groups Disabled; reasonable adjustments Returning to work from sickness; Rehabilitation programmes adjustment Lone workers; monitoring & reporting, equipment Sickness monitoring

12. Health & Wellbeing in Croydon Overall responsibility for Health & Wellbeing is the in house Occupational Health Service Wellbeing Strategy and Health Promotion Programme EAP: Web site, Counselling, CISD, stress management Redeployment & redundancy support Corporate restructure support programme Culture change programme