Ask your union: Issue 2 - April 2023 | Accord Magazine

Hybrid working

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Why aren't management listening to us and letting us make our own ways of working?

We’re now expected to go in the office two days a week. Most of our work is done in isolation or on Teams calls with other areas. A lot of people find it unnecessary to go in the two days but when raising our concerns we felt it frowned on by management.

With petrol nearing £2 a litre, environmental costs of running a car, the cost-of-living crisis, the improved work life balance, why aren't management listening to us and letting us make our own ways of working?

Answer:

LBG has made it clear that it has no intention of moving to a model that allows all colleagues to work from home, the consequences of which would be selling off its property portfolio.

Rather than ordering everyone back to offices to work their contracted hours, however, (which, contractually they could do) they have taken a much less rigid approach and asked managers to work with their teams to get the best fit for colleagues and the business.

It needs to be remembered that setting colleagues up to work from home was never intended to be a permanent feature of employment. It was a concession to keep people safe and working during the pandemic. Most colleagues are not contracted ‘home workers’. They are under contract to work from an office. So, a refusal to return when asked would likely put them in breach of contract.

There will be some colleagues who have significant personal reasons why they can’t return to their office. And we will advise and support them.

There’s no getting away from the environmental impact of bringing people back to offices. Of course, the more people who travel to and from work the higher the indirect emissions from travel and energy transportation.

But the business is confident that its investment in its own operations (direct emissions from its estate and activities in its control e.g., heating, electric, car fleet) coupled with the benefits it perceives that flow from working in an office (building relationships, social connection, learning and development, problem solving, etc.) keep it on track to deliver on its green future plan and strategy for growth.

So, the hybrid model is LBG’s preferred way of working. That beats being ordered back to the office full time, but we understand it’s not the outcome that suits every colleague. Again, that’s why we’re working with individual members who can’t return for significant personal reasons.

We’re interested in members’ experiences of what happens on the days they attend an office. Do they add the value that LBG is seeking? Send details of your experience to [email protected] including which part of the business you work in.

Branch refurbishment

Our branch is due to close for 10 weeks for refurbishment. Staff will be sent to surrounding branches for their shifts. Due to childcare issues, if I’m sent to other towns, I will have to leave earlier than usual to be able to collect my daughter. I’ve been told I’ll have to make the time up. This doesn’t seem fair. Can you help?

Answer:

The branch you’re asked to go to during the refurbishment will need to be reasonable. Both in terms of distance from home, your working pattern, your outside work commitments etc.

Your manager should look at your individual personal circumstances and talk to you about what’s do-able. You shouldn’t be out of pocket so any additional travel costs will need to be discussed and agreed. Travelling time may also need consideration.

You will need to be clear in your 121 when the move is discussed about what you can do as well as what you can’t.

If, once you’ve had that discussion, you feel you’re being unfairly treated, please get back in touch so we can look at your individual circumstances and what’s being asked of you.

King’s Coronation

I’m so disappointed at the banks decision to remain open during the historic events on Saturday 6th May. My colleagues and I believe that all staff should have the opportunity to experience this occasion and join in celebrations with friends and family. I hope that you have expressed a similar opinion to the management of Lloyds Banking Group.

Answer:

We weren’t consulted about this.

The rationale we’ve been given is that it’s important that branches remain open to serve customers who need to access help on the day, and that the business is comfortable that branch managers will do their best to be flexible where possible for those colleagues who want to be able to watch the events, e.g., allowing colleagues to swap days or take annual leave.

We’ve asked Lloyds Banking Group to reconsider its decision regarding opening branches on 6 May following feedback from members, but it’s looking unlikely that the position is going to change. And the intel from other high street banks is that they are adopting the same approach.

Dependant’s Leave

My young son is going into hospital for an operation and I’ll need a few days off work to be with him. I’m told I must use my holiday entitlement. Is that right?

Answer:

The business offers paid and unpaid leave covering serious situations like this – called ‘compassionate leave’.

Most often compassionate leave relates to bereavement, but it can be offered where events in a colleague’s life cause significant upset, and I imagine an operation on your young son is most upsetting.

Line managers can agree an amount of paid leave appropriate to a colleague’s circumstances, taking account of the personal impact.

Normally, colleagues should be given at least one or two days paid leave.

Have a chat with your line manager to see what they are prepared to do for you. Get back in touch if you don’t feel you’re being treated fairly in the circumstances. We hope all goes well for your son.

A toy plane sat on top of a calculator and notepad

Bank Holidays

I’m a part-timer and I’m so confused about how LBG allocates and deducts hours in lieu of bank holidays. Is there a simple way of explaining it?

Answer:

Firstly, let’s work out your entitlement. It’s determined by where you work (there are different allowances in different jurisdictions). Let’s take England & Wales this year as an example.

There are 9 bank holidays:

New Year’s Day
Good Friday
Easter Monday
First Monday in May
Monday 8 May – Bank holiday for coronation of HM King Charles
Last Monday in May
Summer bank holiday
Christmas Day
Boxing Day

For a full time member of staff (working 35 hours), that means 63 hours will be added to their contractual holiday entitlement (9 x 7 = 63).

To work out your entitlement as a part-time member of staff, you need to pro rate a full-timer’s entitlement.

For example, if you work 20 hours, you’ll be entitled to 20/35ths of 63 hours = 36 hours. So, 36 hours would be added to your contractual holiday entitlement.

There’s often confusion about how many hours should be deducted from the combined contractual and bank holiday entitlement for part-timers.

If a bank holiday falls on a day which you would normally work, then the number of hours that you would normally have worked on that day should be deducted from your combined entitlement.

Some colleagues may find that the number of bank holidays that fall on their working days exceeds their entitlement. This is most likely to happen where working patterns for part-time colleagues include a Monday, as most bank holidays fall on this day.

Instead of deducting these hours from their combined entitlement, a colleague can agree with their manager to work back any deficit in hours at an appropriate time.

Hope this helps you to work yours out. If you want to chat it through, get in touch via [email protected]