Confirming your Ways of Working

Definitions of work modes can be viewed here. Please note that the decision will be made based on the role and with business need in mind. This conversation can happen as part of regularly 1-2-1s or team meetings depending on what is appropriate for the line manager and employee. 

2. Manager logs work mode in iTrent- Following this conversation, managers should log onto iTrent People Manager and update the work location for each member of their team. Please follow the guidance on how to do this in iTrent here. The deadline for managers to submit work modes in iTrent is Friday 28 October.

3. Divisional Director approval- HR will provide each divisional director with a report showing the work modes for all employees within their directorate. Directors will then give final sign-off on the work modes. Should a work mode not be approved by a director, the manager should be notified and a further conversation will take place with the team member.

4. Letter of amendment- Once approved by directors, HR will update employee records on iTrent, and issue an electronic contract amendment letter via iTrent employee self-service to all employees to confirm their new work mode. This letter is expected to be sent to colleagues in early December. 

5. Confirmation of work mode- On receipt of the contract amendment, employees will be asked to e-sign and confirm their new work mode. This process will take place in iTrent (alternative arrangements will be made for employees unable to access the digital letters). Once confirmed by the employee, a copy of the signed letter will be saved on the employees HR file.  

Will hybrid workers be issued with a new contract? Our current contracts are for on-campus working, so it is necessary for colleagues defined as hybrid workers to be issued with an amendment to their contract, which they will be asked to e-sign via iTrent. We will make alternative arrangements for those colleagues who prefer to receive this amendment in hard-copy.

What will be my primary campus location? Your primary campus location will remain unchanged and as a hybrid worker you will still be assigned to either Streatham, Penryn, RD&E Truro or St Luke’s.

At different times of the year, there may be different expectations for colleagues to be on campus- does the policy reflect this? Absolutely, for hybrid workers we have purposely not defined in the policy the time colleagues are expected to be on campus vs at home as business need should be at the heart of these decisions. We also realise that due to business need the time spent on campus might change throughout the year for example during freshers, graduation and clearing.

How will the changes to work mode affect recruitment? Our recruitment processes have already been updated to provide for managers to state whether roles are appropriate for hybrid and in some cases remote working.  When issuing employment contracts we are now stating what work mode new employees will be.   

If I am a hybrid worker, will my employment contract detail exactly how much time I should spend working at home and on-campus? The exact ratio of home to on-campus working will not detailed in your contract. Managers will agree locally with their colleagues and across teams how to coordinate on-campus working in line with business need and needs of our academic community throughout the year.

I have joint reporting lines - how will this decision be made? If you are line managed jointly by more than one member of staff (e.g. you are an embedded PS colleague embedded in a Faculty) the decision regarding work mode will be made with the agreement of both line managers.   

Will line managers be expected to monitor colleagues time on campus and at home? Our hybrid working policy encourages a culture of trust focused on measuring productivity, by our results and outcomes, rather than our physical presence. There will however be an expectation from managers that hybrid workers spend a proportion of their working week on campus.

Can I claim expenses to travel to work if I am a hybrid worker? No. Hybrid workers cannot claim travel expenses to travel to their primary campus. HMRC regard this as home-to-work travel, which is the responsibility of employees. All other arrangements still apply as set out in the University’s expenses policy.

Does the University’s insurance cover me when I am working from home? Yes, the University’s public and employer’s liability insurance extends to home working. Please check the detailed guidance on our ways of working pages for advice and reassurance.

For Hybrid workers with DSE requirements will they get equipment at both home and in the office? We want to ensure that employees have adequate equipment in both work locations and are provided for. Please visit the Health and Safety DSE webpages for further guidance. 

What IT equipment can I expect to be provided with?  IT has created a recommended list of IT equipment for employees based on their defined work mode. Should an employee require additional IT equipment to perform their role effectively they should speak to their line manager.

Is there any support or guidance for managers on managing hybrid teams or having hybrid meetings? The learning and development team already have guidance on this area on their website.

I have reasonable adjustments in place as recommended by Occupational Health, will these be affected? No, your current arrangements still apply. Any further changes to reasonable adjustments should go through the usual occupational health referral process through your line manager.  

Are my current flexible working arrangements affected? If you have an agreed flexible working arrangement in place (agreed under the right to request flexible working), this remain in place and will continue to be implemented alongside your agreed working pattern. Colleagues may wish to discuss this with their line manager as part of the implementation of the new ways of working.