The Scottish Government’s “ultimate” hybrid-working goal is for 60% in-office attendance, documents released under the Freedom of Information laws have revealed.
Four documents have been released by the Scottish Government in response to a FoI request internal communications on and assessments of the new hybrid working policy.
The final version of the policy – which is for core Scottish Government staff – was announced internally on 7 May.
One of the documents, containing details of a draft version of the policy dated 17 April, says staff in roles suitable for hybrid working will be expected to spend a minimum of 40% of their working week in the office or in person with stakeholders from October onwards.
It says this expectation will, however, be estimated over a month, “as business rhythms don’t always follow a smooth pattern”.
The document says 60% is the leadership’s “ultimate aim”.
The draft version of the new hybrid-working policy says staff who have existing home-working arrangements or reasonable adjustments in place can continue with those arrangements, and that any officials facing “significant barriers” to working in person 40% of the time can discuss potential adjustments with their line manager.
It also says staff who wish to be based in the office all the time can continue to do so.
Explaining the basis for the policy, the document says: “The Scottish Government continues to value the benefits that can come from hybrid working – a blend of working in person with colleagues, primarily in Scottish Government premises, with stakeholders at Scottish Government or other work venues, and from home – and will continue to offer these arrangements for suitable roles”.
It also says the executive team – made up of the Scottish Government’s permanent secretary and directors general – has agreed that “it is essential the policy reflects what [the first minister] wants for the organisation”.
A summary of evidence behind the new policy cites research from Leesman of 1.4 million employees in more than 9,000 workplaces and 122 countries; Andy Lake, former smart-working adviser to the Cabinet Office; and Prof. Nicolas Bloom of Stanford University.
The move to 60%
The document acknowledges "further work is needed to ensure the transition to that 60% model is successful".
The document contains a letter from Lorna Gibbs, senior responsible owner for the hybrid-working review, in which she said it would be “helpful” if the Scottish Government’s perm sec and DGs “could agree to a position that we would give at least six months’ notice of moving from 40% to 60%; and that any move to 60% would also be subject to further consultation with our trade union partners”.
This would “signal to staff that we will not change the goal posts without further consideration and engagement”, Gibbs said.
Another document – which contains emails between 17 March and 29 April in which Scottish Government directors general discuss potential tweaks to the draft hybrid-working policy and the proposed comms around it – shows differing views among the DGS on how to go about moving to 60%.
Both Gregor Irwin and Caroline Lamb, DGs for economy and health and social care respectively, disagreed with the proposal from Gibbs.
Irwin said the government should “fully commit now” to moving to 60% rather than calling it “our ultimate aim”, tell officials the exact timing is “TBD” and give three months’ notice. He said officials should only commit to consulting with unions “as the implementation of the policy progresses”.
“The risk, otherwise, is that it just gets drawn out,” he added.
Caroline Lamb, DG health and social care, said three months’ notice would be “reasonable” as colleagues will already be in the office 40% of the time, adding that “as we are engaging on an ongoing basis I don’t think another consultation is required.”
Others took a more relaxed approach.
Shona Riach, DG strategy and external affairs, said: “I think that the language as currently pitched is clear that this is a direction of travel but also provides reassurance that we won’t make the next step without giving everyone time to adapt.”
Alyson Stafford, DG Scottish exchequer, said: “…perhaps it would be better to say 40% initially and then it will be reviewed, with the ultimate aim of increasing to 60% at a point to be determined in the future.”
And Lesley Fraser, DG corporate, added: “I would prioritise the practical implementation of the initial 40% this autumn and aim to do that as well as possible…I would link a subsequent move to 60% to a future review and learning, if colleagues agree.”
Can offices handle 60%?
The evidence document says there is “significant capacity in many buildings”. It says all workplaces can support the 40% model and all but Atlantic Quay 5 can support a 60% model without dictating which days individuals or directorates attend.
Rennick raised concerns in his email about facilities in some other offices, including desks with sockets and other equipment that doesn't work at Victoria Quay and a hot-desk room with no wifi at St Andrew's House.
He said another critical outstanding issue is whether civil servants can work from offices other than the one they are contracted to, and the position of those who do not live within a commutable distance of their contracted office.
‘It shouldn’t read like a diktat’
In Stafford’s email, she argued the policy statement could “more clearly and positively” set out benefits of in-office working such as "building solid relationships”, and extra opportunities for learning and development – enabling the development of softer skills and “the craft of being a civil servant”.
She suggested tweaks so that it “doesn’t solely read like an imposed at ET level diktat to be present in an office”.
Some of the DGs, meanwhile, raised the need to clarify what constitutes a “significant barrier” to 40%.
Irwin asked: “Is there a risk that this would apply (or appear to apply) to anyone who believes their commute is too long? We need to be flexible and we do not want to be too prescriptive, but equally we need to set some parameters.”