Document name:
Agile Working Policy
Document type:
Policy
Staff group to whom it applies:
All staff within the Trust
Distribution:
The whole of the Trust
How to access:
Intranet and internet / ward folder
Issue date:
April 2011
Next review:
October 2011
Extension agreed to January
2012 by EMT 8 September 2011
Extended Management Team
7th April 2011
Approved by:
Developed by:
Director lead:
Contact for advice:
Agile Working Project Manager
and the Agile Working Policy
Group
District Service Director
Calderdale and Kirklees
Agile Working Project Manager
Contents
1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 3
2 Background...................................................................................................... 3
2.1
2.2
3
4
5
6
7
Workstyling.......................................................................................................4
The Benefits .....................................................................................................5
2.2.1
Trust Benefits ..................................................................................................... 5
2.2.2
Staff Benefits...................................................................................................... 6
Purpose and Scope of the Policy ..................................................................... 6
Principles of Agile Working .............................................................................. 7
Housekeeping Rules ........................................................................................ 8
Impact on Employment ...................................................................................10
Duties within the Organisation ........................................................................11
7.1
7.2
Managers .......................................................................................................11
Staff................................................................................................................12
8 Development of the Policy ..............................................................................13
9 Managing the Risks Associated with Agile Working .......................................14
9.1
9.2
9.3
9.4
9.5
9.6
9.7
10
11
12
13
14
Elegibility Criteria and Authorisation ...............................................................14
Health and Safety (including risk assessment of the home environment) .......14
Data Protection, Security and Confidentiality of Materials ...............................15
9.3.1
Confidentiality Issues ....................................................................................... 15
9.3.2
Security Issues................................................................................................. 15
9.3.3
E-mail, Internet and Intranet Facilities ............................................................. 16
Performance Management Arrangements ......................................................16
Allocation of Equipment and Other Financial Support .....................................17
Insurance, Mortgage and Tenancy Arangements ...........................................17
Council Tax and Business Rates ....................................................................17
Review and Revision Arrangements ...............................................................18
Dissemination and Implementation .................................................................18
Process for Monitoring Compliance and Effectiveness ...................................18
Document Control and Archiving ....................................................................19
Associated Documents ...................................................................................19
Equality Impact and Assessment Tool ............................................................21
Version Control ...............................................................................................25
Checklist for the review and Approval of Procedural Document .....................26
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1
Introduction
South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (the “Trust”) recognises
the need to develop modern working practices to enable employees to maximise
their performance and productivity whilst maintaining a good work life balance. In
addition, new technologies are making it easy to access information remotely,
work from a variety of locations, whilst promoting a more joined up service. In
order to ensure that the Trust’s Vision, Values and Goals become a reality the
Trust must also continue to attract, develop and retain high quality staff.
The introduction of agile working across the Trust will not only realise financial
gain for the organisation, but provide an enhanced working environment for staff,
as well as improving service delivery. Agile working also links to the Trust’s vision
for Sustainable Development; placing emphasis on the importance of sustainable
economic growth and the health and well-being of both staff and service users.
The benefits of improved work life balance and reduced travel make a direct
contribution to this strategic priority.
Agile working is the term used to describe how employees can work flexibly from
any location, whether it is from a Trust building, within the community and client
sites or by varying degrees of home working and regular hot-desking.
Although the nature of most of the roles within the Trust cannot be classed as
totally flexible, there is considerable scope in many cases for some form of agile
working. The different ways in which agile working can be undertaken is
dependent on the demands and needs of the role, the individual’s preferences
and circumstances and the department an employee is engaged in. It is possible,
with careful planning and a degree of best practice evaluation, for staff to carry
out their duties from a variety of different locations.
2
Background
Agile working provides staff with more options with regards to where and when
they undertake their roles by introducing an element of choice which will ensure
that the needs of the service user are best met. Agile working allows staff to
influence how they carry out their role and promotes varying levels of flexibility
within the workplace. It must be noted however, that there is no expectation for
staff to work at home and managers cannot force any member of their team to do
so. It has been recognised that personal circumstances or personal preference
may influence an employee’s decision with regards to home working. In such
cases where an individual does not want to work at home, other elements of
agile working must still be considered, for example remote working and hot
desking.
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Agile Working is being rolled out via a phased approach across the Trust, with
the expectation that implementation be complete by November 2012. As some
roles are more flexible than others, agile working will be adopted at varying levels
within services and across the Trust as a whole.
After consultation and assessment by the relevant manager, a ‘workstyle’ is
assigned to each staff member in scope and an technological solution is
implemented, in order to support the transition to the new more agile way of
working. An agile working environment not only relies on a new ICT
infrastructure but also on staff engagement to ensure the successful adoption of
this new way of working. In this respect, a huge culture shift must be achieved
via the use of appropriate change management techniques; a key component in
successfully embedding the agile working principles across the Trust.
2.1 Workstyling
The matrix below defines the 4 workstyles for Trust staff, as defined under the
Agile Working Principles to clarify the concept of Agile Working.
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Those who fall in the low mobility range (ie Fixed or Home) are generally at a
desk or in a ward area for approximately 90% of the time. They rarely attend
meetings or work from alternative locations. This may be fixed in the office or
ward area or fixed at home, depending on the role. Additional considerations and
processes must be in place for Homeworkers and a supporting policy will be
developed in the future, to ensure a consistent approach to home working is
embedded across the Trust.
Staff who have a more mobile workstyle are usually able to work from a variety of
locations. Flexible staff are those who spend most of their time working in an
office environment although may frequently be away from a desk attending
meetings, working from other Trust sites or working occasionally from home.
Similarly clinical staff, who tend to spent a lot of time in service user’s homes, will
also be ‘flexible’. In this respect, a high proportion of Trust staff will be
categorised as flexible and the degree of flexibility is to be determined by the
member of staff and their manager.
Mobile staff have a designated base (as with flexible staff) but are generally
working out in the field eg home visits, hospital visits, transporting service users
etc. This cohort of staff have less of a requirement to be at base and may chose
to undertake office duties from an alternative building that may be closer to their
current location, or from home.
2.2 The Benefits
Undoubtedly, the key corporate benefit is a reduction in costs and ultimately, the
successful implementation of agile working will allow for savings to be made
Trustwide whilst contributing extensively to more cost effective and efficient
service provision.
In addition, the introduction of agile working will be of benefit to the Trust and to
staff in the following ways:
2.2.1
For the Trust agile working can:

Support continuity of service and the efficient functioning of
the Trust.

Increase availability of limited expertise or resources.

Aid the retention of skilled and experienced staff whose
personal circumstances change and who may otherwise
leave the Trust.
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2.2.2.
3

Enable learning and development activity to be undertaken
remotely, including e-learning.

Enable the Trust to respond to an individual’s need for
flexibility in working arrangements, for example to support
staff with responsibilities as carers.

Enable disabled employees to retain their existing
employment and support the recruitment of disabled
applicants.

Provide alternative solutions to short or longer term office
accommodation issues.
For staff agile working can:

Enable them to work more effectively on a particular piece of
work, where concentration is important, by avoiding the
interruptions that are part of the office environment.

Provide a solution to a temporary problem where travel to
the office is not possible.

For peripatetic staff, reduce the time spent travelling to a
specific base in order to access clinical or administrative
systems.
Purpose and Scope of this Policy
The Agile Working Policy sets out an overall framework, enabling the Trust’s
workforce to carry out duties in a more efficient and effective way. The
framework, as set out by the policy, provides a medium for consistency and fair
practice when implementing and maintaining an Agile Working Environment.
This policy will enable both managers and staff to gain a better understanding of
agile working and understand the basic principles, which can then be considered
and applied to specific roles. More detail of how to apply the principles of agile
working can be found in the guidance papers – Agile Working: A Manager’s
Guide and Agile Working: An Employee’s Guide.
This policy covers the provision of facilities by the Trust to enable staff, working
for (or on its behalf), to have secure and reliable access to any of the Trust’s
information systems which they have been authorized to use. Agile working
enables staff to access such systems remotely (ie away from base) which in turn
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results in the more timely updating of systems, more faster and informed decision
making and overall improved efficiencies.
It is recognised that within integrated services Trust staff will be working
alongside staff employed by the Local Authority. Local Authority staff will need to
refer to their own organisational policies or appropriate joint protocols regarding
agile working.
This policy outlines the key elements of managing and further developing agile
working within the Trust.
4
Principles of Agile Working
In order for agile working to become successfully embedded within teams, a
formal, mutual agreement must be reached between the staff member and
manager with regards to the logistics of the agile working arrangement.
When considering the practicalities of agile working and in particular during initial
discussions between manager and employee, both parties must be mindful of the
following principles:

Some options may not be operationally practical for certain jobs.

Operational feasibility and quality standards, including Health and
Safety, Information Governance, legislative and security of
equipment requirements, must not be compromised.

Managers should choose to consider a particular arrangement or
set of arrangements to improve and enhance service delivery.

Contractual changes to terms and conditions of service can only be
agreed following careful consideration of the implications and
proper understanding of the individual’s circumstances and with the
agreement of an HR Manager.
The four workstyles of agile working are covered within the remit of this policy
and are not designed to replace the concepts outlined within the Guidance on
Flexible Working Time Document, which still remains available for all employees.
The most appropriate workstyle will be recommended by the manager, upon
completion of a Workstyle Allocation Form. An initial discussion will then be held
with each employee in their team, to ensure staff fully understand the concept of
workstyling, how this will affect them and most importantly, consider the best
practical and operational arrangements for working in this way. The agreed
workstyle is to be recorded on a Workstyle Profile Form which must then be
signed by both parties and retained in the staff member’s file.
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Once an employee’s workstyle has been agreed, an Agile Working Agreement
Form must be completed, signed by both parties and retained in the staff
members file. This form records the finer details of the arrangement (for example
expected work outputs, arrangements for communication and support etc) whilst
the checklist format ensures that each member of staff receive the same
information and advice.
The Workstyle Allocation Form, the Workstyle Profile Form and the Agile
Working Agreement Form can be found in the Appendices of the Agile Working:
A Manager’s Guide.
Although agile workers will not necessarily work standard office hours (unless the
role dictates this), it is essential to plan and agree a work programme for others
(eg the manager, the rest of the team and colleagues) so they are aware of the
individual’s working pattern, where they are located and know when and how to
contact them. The hours of work must be agreed in advance allowing employees
who are using their homes as part of their agile working arrangements, to have a
right to privacy out of hours and be able to separate their working and home
lives.
The ability to work occasionally from home allows employees to manage their
domestic responsibilities eg delivery of goods, assisting with childcare
arrangements (for example allowing parents to complete the school run and
make up their time later in the evening), providing this does not have a negative
impact on the individual’s ability to carry out their work, or on service delivery.
Employees must note that the ability to work from home is not a substitute for
childcare or similar carer responsibilities. It is the staff member’s responsibility to
ensure adequate provision is in place, should they choose to work from home.
5
Housekeeping Rules
Hot desks There are varying definitions of a hot desk and organisations can choose to
adopt the best suited definition for their services and staff. The Trust has agreed
that in respect of agile working, a hot desk refers to a designated work space for
any employee to use at any time. Where applicable, designated banks of hot
desks should be used by visiting staff, or alternatively individuals should
approach a team member to ask if they may work from a free desk within that
team zone.
Team ‘zones’ refer to a designated area where staff work when at their base.
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Staff must remember that they can work from any Trust location and managers
must ensure staff feel comfortable when ‘touching down’ at temporary desks and
zones.
Clear desk principles As all desks may be used by any member of the Trust, adopting clear desk
principles will assist with the changes in working practice; in that staff will feel
more comfortable working from a desk that has not been personalised. There is
an expectation therefore, that when an individual vacates a desk to enable usage
by another member of staff, it will be left clear, with no materials left other that the
standard IT kit provided by the Trust. Please refer to the Agile Working: A
Manager’s Guide for more detail of how this can be implemented.
Room booking for meetings It is envisaged that once agile working has been implemented Trust wide, a
central room booking system will be introduced. However, until full
implementation is achieved, staff must continue to book meeting rooms via
existing methods.
Front line service provision Agile working must not affect the provision of services and therefore managers
must ensure that they have systems in place to maintain suitable office presence,
as required and to monitor the level of available front line staff on duty at any one
time.
Designated Base All staff will continue to have a designated base for travel claims purposes,
although they may choose to work from an alternative location to allow for
improved efficiency and a more effective service.
The agile working desk ratio The Trust will adopt the agile working desk ratio principles to assist with the
successful implementation of agile working and to enable potential estate
rationalisation, going forward.
Fixed worker – desk ratio is 1:1 – each fixed (office) worker has their own desk
although during periods of absence, this desk may be used by other staff.
Flexible worker – desk ratio no more than 7:10 – for every 10 members of staff
the number of desks will not exceed 7
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Mobile worker – desk ratio no more than 4:10 – for every 10 members of staff the
number of desks will not exceed 4
There are no desk ratios for Home Workers as the expectation for them to be
working at home and spending minimal time in a Trust building; perhaps only
returning to base for team meetings or supervision.
Suggestions for more local housekeeping rules can be found in the Agile
Working: A Manager’s Guide.
6
Impact on Employment
Consideration must be given to the legal implications associated with agile
working. Below summarises the key points; please refer to the Guidance on
Flexible Working Time document for more details.
It is essential that managers consult with a Human Resources Manager when a
significant change is made to an employee’s working arrangement e.g. the move
to full time home working. Advice can then be given on the impact of the working
pattern according to current legislation:
Agile working can be advantageous to those with caring responsibilities and
those with medical problems or disabilities, particularly when considering
reasonable work adjustments, in accordance with the requirements of the
Equality Act (2010). (See the Trust’s Managing Sickness Absence Management
Policy). However, individuals must be mindful that as previously outlined, agile
working is not a substitute for childcare arrangements.
The Working Time Regulations which places restrictions on working excessive
hours came into force on 1 October 1998 and must be considered in respect of
agile working. (See the Trust’s Flexible Working Time Guidance).
The Flexible Working Regulations apply from April 2003 (enacted through the
Employment Rights Act 2002). The Regulations give employees a statutory right
to apply for flexible working if they have parental responsibility (parents,
guardians, adopters) for children under 6 or a disabled child under 18. The
implementation of agile working therefore supports this Act.
The Trust as data controller for staff, member and service user person
identifiable information, must comply with eight, legally enforceable, principles of
good practice for all processing as detailed in the Data Protection Act 1998.
(Please refer to the Data Protection Act - Employment Records – Guidance for
Managers).
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Managers must be mindful that careful consideration and additional processes
may need to be put in place if one or more the following apply:


Burden of Additional Costs
Detrimental affect on ability to meet
Service User demands

Inability to reorganise work among
Existing Staff
 Inability to recruit additional staff
7


Detrimental impact on quality
Insufficiency of work during the
periods the employee proposes to
work
 Detrimental impact on performance

Planned structural changes
Duties within the Organisation
The Executive Management Team (EMT) are responsible for approving this
Policy.
Responsibility for the development and implementation of this policy lies with the
District Service Director for Calderdale and Kirklees, together with the Agile
Working Policy Sub Group, led by the Agile Working Project Manager.
7.1
Service and Team Managers’ responsibilities are:

To be responsible for their own and staff member’s adherence to
this policy.

To periodically review the agile working arrangements for staff
within their area of responsibility, in line with the policy and
guidance.

To ensure that all staff within their area of responsibility receive a
copy of the policy and guidance, with an Agreement Form being
completed and retained for each staff member.

To ensure the concepts of managing by outcomes (as referred to in
the Agile Working: A Manager’s Guide) have been successfully
explained to all staff within their area of responsibility and
appropriate methods to monitor output have been mutually agreed.

To ensure flexibility, openness and constructiveness in relation to
discussions and agreements about agile working with staff within
their area of responsibility, whilst remaining focused on the needs
of the service.
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7.2

To ensure all staff are aware of their responsibility to adhere to the
Trust’s agile working housekeeping rules.

To ensure all staff aware of their responsibility to adhere to the
Trust’s existing policies linked to agile working.

To ensure all the necessary actions have been carried out as
identified in the Agile Working: A Manager’s Guide.
Individual Trust staff’s responsibilities are:

To ensure they are familiar with the content of this document.

To comply with all conditions contained within this document, for
example regarding confidentiality, data protection, health and
safety, working hours etc, in a reasonable, constructive and
appropriate manner.

To have joint responsibility with their manager in agreeing their
level of agility and how they will carry out their role in a more agile
way.

To ensure flexibility, openness and constructiveness in relation to
discussions and agreements about agile working with their
manager, whilst remaining focused on the needs of the service.

To adhere to the Trust’s agile working housekeeping rules

To adhere to the Trust’s existing policies linked to agile working.

To liaise with their manager for advice or clarification as required.

To report to the Trust immediately once known, any loss, theft or
damage to Trust IT equipment or the loss of confidential
information.

To ensure all the necessary actions have been carried out as
identified in the Agile Working: An Employee’s Guide.
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8
Development of the Policy
Prioritisation of work
This document has been developed to provide a medium for consistency and fair
practice when implementing and maintaining an agile working environment. It will
help enable the Trust and its employees to realise the benefits associated with
Agile Working.
Consultation and Communication with Stakeholders
This policy was developed in consultation with Human Resources, the Agile
Working Project Team and Policy Sub Group, Equality and Diversity
Management and StaffSide representatives.
Also involved in the development of this policy were members of the Agile
Working Project Board, the Information Governance Trust Action Group and the
Trust’s Moving and Handling Adviser.
Identification of Stakeholders
Stakeholder
Executive Management
Team
Level of involvement
Consultation, final approval
Agile Working Project Board
Agile Working Project Team
Allocated Project lead, development,
consultation
Development, consultation,
dissemination, implementation,
monitoring throughout the Pilot Phase
Consultation, feedback from staff
Human Resources
Development, consultation
Staff Side
Consultation
Equality and Diversity
Manager
Consultation
Information Governance
Trust Action Group
Development, consultation
Moving and Handling Adviser
Development, consultation
Agile Working Project Policy
Sub Group
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Equality Impact Assessment
See Appendix 1
9
Managing the Risks Associated with Agile Working
While the ability of the Trust to have assured, secure remote access facilities can
provide the opportunity for the increased development of agile working practices,
it also gives rise to the potential for increasing risk in some areas. These include:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Eligibility criteria and authorisation
Health and Safety (including risk associated with the home
environment)
Data Protection, Security and the confidentiality of materials
Flexible working arrangements and performance management
Allocation of equipment and financial support
Insurance arrangements
Council Tax/Business Rates
The risks associated with the agile working issues above will be mitigated by the
procedures outlined in this section and the relevant section within the Guidance
for managers and staff.
9.1
Eligibility Criteria and Authorisation
There are certain criteria which must be considered by both the manager
and staff members prior to agreeing upon the degree to which agile
working can be adopted by a particular member of staff. The Agile
Working: A Manager’s Guide provides a full breakdown of the criteria for
consideration.
9.2
Health and Safety (including risk assessment of the home environment)
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HSWA) places specific duties on
employers, self-employed people and employees; with employers having
a duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of their employees.
In addition, staff and managers who occasionally work from home have
individual responsibilities under Health and Safety regulations. Staff must
complete a Workstation Assessment at home which must then be
authorised by their manager. For further details on undertaking a
Workstation Assessment, please refer to the Trust’s Display Screen
Equipment Policy or seek specialist advice.
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Managers should seek advice regarding any specific concerns around
health and safety issues as sign off for agile working will not take place
until all the Health and Safety requirements have been appropriately
addressed.
Managers and staff need to agree on a number of Health and Safety
practicalities and assess the potential risks, including but not exclusive to:



Lone Working
Personal Safety
Moving and Handling
9.3 Data Protection, Security and Confidentiality of Materials
9.3.1 Confidentiality Issues
Not all information used contains personally identifiable details but
some information will still be confidential to the Trust. Staff must
ensure they hold only the minimum level of confidential information
remotely. The risks associated with a particular employee working
occasionally from home will depend on the nature of the work, the
type of records used and the access required and the employee’s
home circumstances.
The employee will have to take responsibility for the confidentiality
of any records held remotely (either in paper or electronic form) and
for their transportation to and from base. Any spare documents, for
instance amended documents, must be disposed of according to
Trust policies. The employee must satisfy their line manager that
the precautions taken are adequate to protect the Trusts
responsibilities with regard to the Data Protection Act.
The manager will need to satisfy themselves that the risk
associated with agile working have been adequately dealt with and
this policy and procedure should be read in conjunction with the
Trust’s Confidentiality Policy and Records Management Policy.
9.3.2 Security issues
Personal confidential information held on electronic devices such
as computers, mobile phones, PDA’s, encrypted memory sticks
(SafeSticks) must be held securely, whether being accessed at
base, from another Trust site or remotely (including at home).
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Managers must ensure their staff:






Know their responsibilities under the Data Protection Act and
the Trust’s IM & T Security policy.
Never leave a computer with personal confidential information
on screen.
Never leave your computer ‘logged on’ when unattended.
Ensure that rooms containing computers and other equipment,
are secure when unattended, with windows closed and locked
and blinds or curtains closed.
For staff who may work from home occasionally, home
security must be at the same level as at work.
Do not hold person identifiable information on electronic
devices.
9.3.3 E-mail, Internet and Intranet Facilities
Use of these facilities is encouraged, subject to certain conditions
as described in the Trust’s Network security, Information Security,
Internet, Encryption and E-mail Policies. In particular, facilities may
not be used for the viewing, receipt or distribution of material that
might be considered offensive, that breaches copyright or other
legislation or that might bring the Trust in to disrepute for any
reason. Trust facilities may not be used for business purposes,
other than legitimate Trust business. Access to the Internet, other
than for legitimate Trust business, is prohibited except during offduty hours (i.e. before or after your shift, or during official breaks).
Staff must not use their personal email address except in
exceptional circumstances. When working remotely, staff must not
connect Trust IT equipment directly to the internet without the use
of a Trust Virtual Private Network (VPN) token to ensure that data
held on the IT equipment, as well as the Trust computer network, is
not compromised.
Failure to adhere to Trust policies may lead to withdrawal of the
facility and/or disciplinary action being taken.
9.4
Agile Working and Performance Management Arrangements
Both managers and staff must ensure that appropriate performance
management arrangements are in place prior to agile working sign off. As
detailed further in the Flexible Working Time Guidance, any type of flexible
working needs to be regularly reviewed so that both service and individual
needs are being met.
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The Agile Working: A Manager’s Guide provides details of such
arrangements; consideration of which will ensure that:



9.5
an agile workforce does not affect service delivery
communication between managers and individual staff
members continues
the Trust’s benefits are realised.
Allocation of Equipment and Other Financial Support
The initial technology to assist with the implementation of agile working
will be provided via the Agile Working Project Budget. A standard ‘IT kit’,
as outlined in the Agile Working: Employee’s Guide, will be allocated to
each agile worker. Post implementation, additional equipment should be
funded through team/service budgets.
Specialist equipment will be provided to individuals should a Workstation
Assessment deem this necessary; however, this equipment will be
provided at the place where they predominantly work and not across
multiple sites.
9.6
Insurance, Mortgage and Tenancy Arrangements
There may be insurance implications if staff choose to work occasionally
from home. If the individual and manager both agree to the inclusion of
occasional home working within the employee’s agile working
arrangement (this could be on an ad hoc basis or a more formal
arrangement eg two days per week) then the individual must contact their
Insurance Company to confirm there are no restrictions on their domestic
policy relating to occasional home working. Failure to inform domestic
insurers may result in home insurance cover rendered invalid.
Similarly, staff must also contact their mortgage provider or landlord as
some mortgage and rental agreements do not permit any form of
homeworking to take place on the premises. It is the responsibility of the
employee to check their circumstances.
9.7
Council Tax and Business Rates
If a member of staff has been categorised as a homeworker (ie spend at
least 90% of their working time at home, with their home as their base),
then business rates may apply to the designated ‘office’ space/area/room
of their home, with the remainder of the property continuing to be liable for
council tax.
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The Valuation Office Agency website, www.voa.gov.uk provides more
information on this issue, together with examples of when business rates
may apply. If a Trust Manager or employee requires further advice
regarding this issue they should contact the local Valuation Office.
10
Review and Revision Arrangements
This policy will be reviewed on a regular basis by the Agile Working Project Team
throughout the project lifecycle. Once formal project closure has taken place, the
policy will be reviewed in line with HR processes.
11
Dissemination and Implementation
This document can be found on the intranet and website Document Store. Given
the geographical spread of the Trust the only way to ensure staff access the
current version is that it is only available on the intranet /website.
The implementation of the Agile Working Policy will be supported by all
managers of staff, together with advisors within the Corporate Support Services
such as Human Resources, Performance and Information, Estates and Facilities
etc. During the Trust wide implementation of Agile Working, the Project Team
and designated Project Manager will also work to ensure the successful
implementation of this Policy.
Agile working is to be rolled out across the Trust via a phased approach and it is
expected that the new ways of working will be introduced to each BDU, one at a
time over a 2 year period. The implementation of agile working will be complete
by November 2012. Training schedules will be dictated by the roll out plan,
however all staff shall receive the standard IT kit following completion of the
training programme. Arrangements have been made to ensure the IT helpdesk
continues to offer support and practical guidance for all staff.
12
Process for Monitoring Compliance and Effectiveness
A formal benefits realisation process has been developed in order to monitor the
effectiveness of agile working within the Trust. This will also monitor the uptake
of the new working arrangements and assess the effectiveness of this policy.
In order for a robust set of Key Performance Indictors to be established, ongoing
monitoring of the Early Adopter teams must be conducted. The data gathered
and analysed during this exercise will provide invaluable information to assist
with the production of a final Dashboard of KPIs. Following project closure this
Dashboard will be monitored by Service Managers using data provided by both
Performance and Information and HR.
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Incidents relating to agile working must be reported in the normal way and will be
monitored and reported to the Health and Safety Trust Action Group via the Datix
system or to the Information Governance Trust Action Group, as necessary.
13
Document Control and Archiving
This policy will be available on the intranet in read only format and a central
paper copy will be retained in the corporate library.
A central electronic read only version will be kept by the Integrated Governance
Manager in a designated shared folder to which all Executive Management Team
members and their administrative staff have access.
This policy will be retained in accordance with requirements for retention of nonclinical records.
Historic policies and procedures
14

A central electronic read only version will be kept in a designated
shared folder to which all Executive Management Team members
and their administrative staff have access.

A central paper copy will be retained in the corporate library, clearly
marked with the version number and date on which it was approved
and date and title of the policy by which it was replaced

A version control sheet is included within Appendix 2
Associated Documents
The Trust’s Agile Working Policy has been developed in line with guidance
issued by the NHS Litigation Authority and with reference to model documents
used in other Trusts and Local Authorities and must be read in conjunction with:

The Trust’s Guidance on Flexible Working Time

IT Policies:
o
Information Email Policy
o
Information Security Policy
o
Network Security Policy
o
Internet Policy
o
Encryption Policy
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
Governance Policies:
o
Information Sharing, Confidentiality and Data Protection
o
Records Management
o
Disposal of Confidential Waste
o
Safe Havens

Health and Safety Policy

Risk Assessment Policy

Display Screen Equipment Policy

Lone Working Policy

Agile Working: A Manager’s Guide

Agile Working: An Employee’s Guide
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Appendix 1
Equality Impact Assessment Tool
Equality Impact
Assessment Questions:
Evidence based Answers & Actions:
1
Name of the policy that
you are Equality Impact
Assessing
Agile Working Policy
2
Describe the overall aim
of your policy and
context?
The overall aim of the policy is to lay down the
Trust’s approach to implementing and maintaining
an agile working environment
Who will benefit from this
policy?
The Trust and it’s partners
3
Who is the overall lead for
this assessment?
District Service Director for Kirklees and Calderdale
4
Who else was involved in
conducting this
assessment?
The Agile Working Project Manager, the Agile
Working Policy Sub Group, Staff Side and the
Trust’s Equality and Diversity Manager
5
Have you involved and
consulted service users,
carers, and staff in
developing this policy?
Members of the Agile Working Project Board were
initially consulted prior to the development of the
Policy.
Team managers were initially asked to volunteer to
be involved in the Early Adopter phase and a
workshop was held to identify and discuss any initial
issues or barriers.
These managers became the Project Team.
Consultation has taken place with the Project Team
and the Policy Sub Group, with both actively
contributing to the content of this policy.
What did you find out and
how have you used this
Initial concerns were around managing remote staff
and a manager guidance paper is being produced
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information?
which includes reference to this element of the
project. Similarly, an employee guide is being
produced to inform staff and ensure a smooth
transition to agile working. It should prevent any
negative impact on productivity during the
implementation stages.
6
What equality data have
you used to inform this
equality impact
assessment?
No equality data is available at this stage to inform
the process however, as part of the proposed
monitoring agreement with HR, this could be
developed going forward. The Staff Survey
indicates that staff regard the Trust as a good
employer in relation to existing flexible working
provision.
7
What does this data say?
N/A
8
Taking into account the
information gathered.
Does this policy affect
one group less or more
favourably than another
on the basis of:
Where Negative impact has been identified
please explain what action you will take to
remove or mitigate this impact.
If no action is to be taken please explain your
reasoning.
YES
NO
Race
N
Lack of relevance
Disability
N
Gender
N
Age
N
Agile working may create a
positive impact on this equality
group, promoting alternatives to
the standard way of working.
Conversely, staff with a disability
may feel that some of the elements
of agile working cannot be fully
adopted, which may lead to them
feeling excluded from a number of
opportunities available to their
colleagues.
Agile working may create a
positive impact on this equality
group, promoting alternatives to
the standard way of working
Lack of relevance
Sexual Orientation
N
Lack of relevance
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Religion or Belief
N
Lack of relevance
Transgender
N
Lack of relevance
Agile working may create a
positive impact on this equality
group, promoting alternatives to
the standard way of working and
allowing for their carer
responsibilities to be factored into
their work arrangement.
Carers
9
What monitoring
arrangements are you
implementing or already
have in place to ensure
that this policy:
 promotes equality
of opportunity who
share the above
protected
characteristics
 eliminates
discrimination,
harassment and
bullying for people
who share the
above protected
characteristics
promotes good
relations between
different equality
groups
Monitoring arrangements need to be agreed with
HR. Talks need to focus on the inclusion of Agile
Working within the Staff Survey – will we need a
new question (however there are financial
implications) or do the current questions cover all
aspects required? There is currently no monitoring
of data by group and so it is may be most effective
to monitor the impact of introducing agile working
via the Staff Survey.
This policy aims to standardise the approach to
agile working, ensuring consistency across the
Trust. This is further reinforced by the Guidance
material provided for both managers and staff to
ensure all staff are given the same information and
are provided with the same opportunities in respect
of agile working. Agile working allows staff to work
in alternative locations and thus encourages the
networking between staff who may not have worked
together prior to this being rolled out. Agile working
therefore promotes the development of new and
good relations between not only different equality
groups but between all staff as a whole.
Arrangements have been made with the Trust’s
Communications Department to publish storyboards
and case studies on the Intranet.
10
Have you developed an
Action Plan arising from
this assessment?
Discussions need to take place with HR to ascertain
how this can be monitored going forward to show
the most meaningful data.
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11
Who will approve this
assessment and when will
you publish this
assessment.
12
Once approved, please
forward a copy of this
assessment to the
Equality & Inclusion
Team:
inclusion@swyt.nhs.uk
Executive Management Team simultaneous to
Policy approval.
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Appendix 2
Version Date
Author
Status
Comment / changes
0.1
January
2011
Agile Working Project
Manager
Draft
For Comments from HR
0.2
February
2011
Agile Working Project
Manager
Draft
For Comments from Equality and
Diversity
0.3
March
2011
Agile Working Project
Manager
Draft
For comments from Staff Side
0.4
March
2011
Agile Working Project
Manager
Draft
For Comments from the Information
Governance TAG
0.5
March
2011
Agile Working Project
Manager
Draft
For comments from the Moving and
Handling Adviser
0.6
April
2011
Agile Working Project
Manager
Final
Draft
Final amendments.
To EMT for approval
Agile Working Project
Manager
Final
EMT approval received
1.6
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Appendix 3
Checklist for the Review and Approval of Procedural Document
Title of document being reviewed:
Agile Working Policy
1.
2.
4.
5.
Comments
Title
Is the title clear and unambiguous?
YES
Is it clear whether the document is a guideline,
policy, protocol or standard?
YES
This is a Policy – Guidance
papers have also been
produced to further support the
implementation of Agile
Working
Is it clear in the introduction whether this
document replaces or supersedes a previous
document?
YES
This is the Trust’s first Policy
with regards to Agile Working.
However, it may be that once
this Policy is approved, it
supersedes the Trust’s existing
Remote Working Policy.
YES
Clear definition of benefits
together with a dissemination
of a consistent message and
approach
Rationale
Are reasons for development of the document
stated?
3.
Yes/No/
Unsure
Development Process
Is the method described in brief?
YES
Are people involved in the development
identified?
YES
Do you feel a reasonable attempt has been
made to ensure relevant expertise has been
used?
YES
Is there evidence of consultation with
stakeholders and users?
YES
Content
Is the objective of the document clear?
YES
Is the target population clear and
unambiguous?
YES
Are the intended outcomes described?
YES
Are the statements clear and unambiguous?
YES
Evidence Base
Is the type of evidence to support the
YES
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Title of document being reviewed:
Agile Working Policy
Yes/No/
Unsure
Comments
document identified explicitly?
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Are key references cited?
YES
Are the references cited in full?
YES
Are supporting documents referenced?
YES
Links in place where reference
has been made to any existing
Trust Policies
Does the document identify which
committee/group will approve it?
YES
EMT
If appropriate have the joint Human
Resources/staff side committee (or equivalent)
approved the document?
YES
Approval
Dissemination and Implementation
Is there an outline/plan to identify how this will
be done?
YES
Does the plan include the necessary
training/support to ensure compliance?
YES
Document Control
Does the document identify where it will be
held?
YES
Have archiving arrangements for superseded
documents been addressed?
YES
Process to Monitor Compliance and
Effectiveness
Are there measurable standards or KPIs to
support the monitoring of compliance with and
effectiveness of the document?
YES
Is there a plan to review or audit compliance
with the document?
YES
Review Date
Is the review date identified?
YES
Is the frequency of review identified? If so is it
acceptable?
11.
Unsure
6 months (in readiness for
phase 2)
Annually post implementation
Overall Responsibility for the Document
Is it clear who will be responsible
implementation and review of the document?
YES
Director Lead for the Agile
Working Project
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Agile Working Policy
Status: Final Draft
Date: April 2011