Improving Working Lives

Improving Working Lives

GUIDELINES TO FLEXIBLE ALTERNATIVE WORKING PATTERNS

INTRODUCTION

The NHS invests £2 billion every year, on training for staff. Every year that a trained member of staff subsequently spends outside healthcare detracts from the value of that investment and drives up the costs of recruiting and training new staff.

There are various reasons why people leave and do not come back, but being unable to work because of inflexible hours should never be one of them

A flexible, caring health service which can accommodate all the different aspirations of a work/life balance will create an improved blend of skills and experience as a result.

There are a range of options that enable members of staff to alter the balance between work and life away from work. The same options can also give the employer more scope and flexibility in how they staff their workplaces for the changing demands of a 24 hour 365 day service.

TRUST’S STRATEGY

The Human Resources framework is in line with government initiatives to improve the quality of working lives and hence improve recruitment and retention.

Vision

· To develop employment terms to reflect the needs of the Trust which are in line with the national agenda

· Ensure a high quality workforce in the right numbers with the appropriate skills and diversity

· Reduce the vacancy rate and turnover

· Improve the quality of working lives through flexibility and improved facilities

· Develop staff involvement opportunities to reflect a more inclusive culture

MAKING THE CASE FOR CHANGE

The initiative to change an existing working pattern may come from members of staff or as a management strategy. In either case it should be tested against a range of criteria’s: Such as, will it …..

· help retain staff?

· attract staff into areas of shortage?

· help build a more diverse range of skills within the team?

· help balance staffing levels and activity levels more efficiently?

· improve morale?

· help to reduce sickness and absence rates?

· enable staff to extend their working careers? and,

· Does it meet the standards of a responsible employer?

There are several considerations to be made when a member of staff requests to work flexible, alternative or reduced hours outside recognised patterns, eg

· Will a minor adjustment to existing arrangements, such as a different start or finish time meet the needs of the member of staff?

· If the hours for one member of staff are reduced, how will the extra work be covered?

· Is the change in the interest of the department/ward?

· What are the implications if the request is refused?

OPTIONS

Flexing working patterns to suit the changing circumstances of people’s lives is one important way of securing a sufficient number of effective, well-motivated employee’s. Better retention of existing staff and improved recruitment to a service that is seen to be sensitive to employee’s needs is ultimately a benefit to patients.

As working lives unfold, the needs of the employee changes, from the young worker establishing a career but has other ambitions to fulfil; to the parent of young children; during middle age some may have eldercare responsibilities; and those approaching retirement but do not want to give up work altogether.

By breaking down existing conventions of how a job should be done, and between what hours, it also becomes more feasible to deliver care in patterns that extend access for users.