Chapter 2 - The Insolvency Service

Chapter 2
Flexible Working Patterns
To support staff in effectively balancing work with outside
commitments, we provide a number of alternative working
arrangements. All staff have access to the flexible working
hours scheme which enables them to vary their times of
arrival and departure from work, vary the length and
timing of their lunch break and take time off if they work
extra hours. 14% of all staff work part-time, with
representation being fairly evenly spread across
administrative and middle management grades.
Currently 13 members of staff (7 in 2004-05) spend their entire working week
at home. The Service supports this working arrangement by providing the
necessary IT, communication and office equipment. In addition 27 staff (18 in
2004-05) have a compressed hours arrangement whereby they work full time
hours over a 4-day week or 9-day fortnight.
Flexible working, where staff spend part of their week working in the office
and part of the week from home, was introduced in The Service in 2002. The
number of staff working in this way continues to grow with 90 staff
participating in the scheme. Flex workers are provided with appropriate IT
and telephone facilities to support their working arrangements. In addition
The Service has also been able to support a number of requests for ad-hoc
flexible working arrangements made under the Flexible Working Regulations
2002.
Employee Involvement
The Service places great importance on effective communication with staff.
This is achieved in a number of ways including:
a Core Brief following the second bi-monthly Directing Board meetings
which is cascaded to staff and discussed at monthly team meetings;
a system of notices to staff, identified by subject and available on The
Service's Intranet;
Performance Agreements for individual staff members as an integral
part of the business planning process;
involvement of staff in the preparation of office/section business plans;
circulation of key documents e.g. the Agency Annual Report, the
Corporate Plan;
a Leadership Group consisting of the senior management of The
Service which meets 4/5 times a year and which agrees key
messages to be cascaded to staff following its meetings;
a Communications Forum for HQ Managers and communication Focus
Groups involving staff at all levels;
briefing of all staff following The Insolvency Service annual
conference;
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