Working From Home policy

Purpose of the policy

The Company wishes to enable all employees to balance home and work life as far as possible but also recognises the commitment we have as a business to meet the needs of our clients and their commercial demands plus other external stakeholders. The Company will also consider the impact on the employee’s colleagues of the potential change to working arrangements.

This policy refers to employees who wish to make a permanent change in working arrangements on a long term basis.

Definition of working from home

Working from home can include:

• Mobile working with a base at home to travel to the employer’s different premises and customers.
• The office as the main place of work with working from home occasionally.

How to apply

If you want to be considered for home working you should apply in writing to your line manager. Each case will be considered according to the factors listed below. There may also be exceptional or one-off circumstances to be taken into account.

Is the role suitable for homeworking?

The company will assess whether you can perform the role just as well away from the business working on your own.

Are you eligible to work from home?

• You may request to work from home as a reasonable adjustment to your duties, in cases of sickness or disability.
• You may request to work from home if you are making a flexible working request.
• You must have completed your probation period and a satisfactory length of service, together with the required training for the role before you will be considered for working from home.
• You must be achieving at least satisfactory performance, and you must also be demonstrating the required attributes. These include self-motivation, discipline, the ability to work without direct supervision and the ability to complete work to deadline.
• If you are subject to any disciplinary warnings you will not be considered for working from home.

Is the home suitable?

You need to demonstrate you have a safe and reasonable space in which to work, including privacy, security and an internet connection able to support the business systems.

The Company has a duty to ensure that health and safety requirements are met while you are working from home. The Company will therefore refuse any home working request if there is any question over the suitability on health and safety grounds, or if we are unable to verify the suitability.

What the Company will provide.

In cases where working from home is approved, the Company will make provision of a laptop and mobile phone (if required for the role).

These items are for your sole use while on company business, and not for personal use.

 Mortgage, leases and insurance

You are responsible for telling your mortgage provider or landlord and home insurer of your intention to work from home. You should check that there isn’t anything preventing you from working at home – for example, in your mortgage agreement, lease or insurance. If any of these conditions apply, the Company may reasonably refuse the request.

Moving home

If you move home while the working from home arrangement is in force, the Company will carry out a review to ensure the new home is still suitable.

Your management while working from home

While you are working from home you will be managed consistently and given the same opportunities for training, development and promotion.

Your performance will be monitored in the same way and you will be expected to demonstrate the same levels of teamwork and communication as if you were in the office. Should there be any changes or performance issues, the Company would review the working arrangements.

There is no change to your core working hours while working from home.

There is no change to the arrangements for sickness absence reporting, time off or holiday requests while working from home.

Attendance at the office

When a working from home policy is in force the Company may expect you to attend at our premises on days you would normally work from home. These reasons would be communicated and discussed with you in advance. Reasons may be any of the following (please note this list is not exhaustive)

• On site meetings with clients or suppliers
• Training and development
• Team and company culture building
• Social events

Security

While working at home you are expected to store and transmit company documents, emails and other information using secure methods. The confidentiality policy of the organisation applies.

Review of the arrangements

We will review the working from home arrangements regularly to ensure that they meet the business needs and your needs. If at any time circumstances change, we may change the agreement. Changes will be made in consultation with you.

The Company reserves the right to refuse the request for homeworking on any of the grounds above, or to vary it at any time. We will discuss any changes with you.

This policy/procedure is for information only; it does not form part of your terms and conditions of employment and may be subject to revision from time to time.