Government spend a huge quantum on a large public service at present .These include good buildings, computers, air conditioned at times etc. Public service generally sticks to rules and procedures. In urban cities traffic snarls are adding to the woes of the public servants and public at large leading to calls for varied public service working hours. What this article asks and presents is ways of working which is different from the current practices.
Service will be more efficient and a better place to work, where people focus on outcomes not process, are empowered by technology, work flexibly and cost-effectively, collaborate more effectively with other teams in their own department and other departments and maximise productivity and innovation while reducing environmental impact.
Smart Working is about taking a comprehensive and strategic approach to modernising working practices across Government.
The outcomes of adopting Smart Working
Greater productivity and services delivered more effectively, the costs and environmental impacts of work reduced as space is shared and used more intensively, people having more choice about, when where and how they work, supported and connected by effective and appropriate use of technology and people have the opportunity to lead more balanced and healthier lives.
In many cases, employees will blend different smart/flexible working options, according to the need of the tasks in hand. Enabling this involves a substantial move away from the idea that an individual applies for and is granted a single particular alternative work style that is set in stone. All the options are important in terms of equal opportunities and diversity.
Rethinking meetings
A common complaint within the Public Service is of having too many meetings or of a ‘meetings culture’.
New ways of working provide an opportunity to replace physical meetings by online interaction, replace ‘formal meetings by shorter interactions, in person, online or mixed physical/virtual. Reduce the number of people at a meeting for the whole session, calling people in remotely when needed, or having them primed to respond to questions by instant messaging if needed. Managers should consider setting targets for reducing the numbers of meetings, to liberate more time for other kinds of work.
Smart Working is based on the following principles
• Work takes place at the most effective locations and at the most effective times, respecting the needs of the task, the customer, the individual and the team
• Simplified collaboration and connectivity virtually everywhere means sharing information and working with others regardless of location
• Space is allocated to activities, not individuals and not on the basis of seniority
• A Flexibility First approach where flexibility is the norm rather than the exception. Everyone is assumed to be capable of Smart Working without assumptions being made about people or roles
• The processes people are asked to work with are continuously challenged to make sure they are fit for purpose
• Managing performance focuses on results and outcomes rather than presence
Flexible place and flexible time
Smart Working incorporates the full range of flexible working options. These broadly fall into two areas: flexible place and flexible time.
1. Flexible place options include:
• Mobile working: Employees who work in many places need to be empowered and equipped to work when travelling, in public settings, and touching down in offices as needed.
• Sharing space in the office: Employees do not have a permanent desk, but choose a work setting appropriate to the task in hand.
• Working from other offices: Staff may choose to work from other offices – offices belonging to the organization, partner/client offices, as appropriate.
• Working as virtual teams: To prevent relocation or frequent travel, staff work flexibly as virtual teams, using online communications and collaboration techniques.
• Working from home: When employees regularly work from home it is typically for 1-2 days per week. Some roles may be based at home full-time. More mobile staff may work using home as a base rather than, or as much as, using the office as a base.
2. Flexible time options include:
• Flexi-time: employees can vary start and finish times. Sometimes this is limited by a ‘core hours’ requirement.
• Time off in lieu (TOIL): TOIL is a form of flexible hours working that allows hours to be varied across days, by paying back extra hours worked on one day with time off on other days.
• Annualised hours: employees are contracted annually to work a set number of hours, which can be worked flexibly over the 12 month period. This is useful for coping with peaks and troughs in work, as well as for meeting personal requirements.
• Compressed working weeks: employees work their standard working hours in fewer days – e.g. one week’s hours worked in four days, or two weeks’ worked in nine days. There are a range of patterns of varying complexity.
• Term-time working: this enables staff who are parents to work around school terms and holidays.
• Part-time working: It is typically associated with parenting responsibilities, but surveys indicate this is an option of interest to older workers who are thinking in terms of phased retirement.
• Jobshare: this is a particular form of part-time working, where two (or occasionally more) people share a full-time job.
• Self-rostering: teams take control of their own shift patterns and cover arrangements, which can be especially valuable in roles that are very location-specific or have a ‘hands on’ requirement.
• Career breaks: the option to have a career break or sabbatical to pursue professional or personal development
Desk-sharing and clear desk protocols
The following are suggested protocols that can be adopted or adapted to ensure that space-sharing works effectively:
1. Use of space is determined on the basis of the activities being carried out.
2. Space is not to be allocated on the basis of seniority, habit or personal preference.
3. Where team priority zones are designated, this should be seen as non-exclusive team-space, available also to other employees of the organisation as the need arises.
4. Non-team members working in specified team areas should be made to feel welcome. This will help to break down silos and encourage cross team working.
5 If plans change, rethink space requirements and move to a more appropriate work setting.
6. If a desk or other work area is to be left unoccupied for more than 2 hours the desk should be cleared for use by others.
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