Building Flexibility into New Work Routines West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service Area Manager Bob Anderson

The Need for Flexible Working FRS achieving 2004 Spending Review target of £105m gross cashable savings in 2007/08 Ongoing need to provide value for money and efficient use of resources through future CSR and CAA Additionally requirements placed upon all employers to consider adopting flexible working arrangements Plans to extend flexible working rights to parents of older children (possibly 11 or 16 ?)

West Yorkshire In West Yorkshire we have introduced a number of changes Flexitime system New rotas for FDS Non standard day crewing for USAR However largest change has been moving to 11/13 shifts for 2,2.4 based staff, along with new work schedules. At present not as radical as some FRS but will deliver 284,000 extra productive hours equating to £2.8m. Initially strong undercurrent of opposition from staff to changes, Equality Impact Assessment essential Particular attention was paid to building in flexibility to ensure minimum industrial relations issues

Change Management Issues Current 2,2,4 shift lengths in place for 30 years – Significant change for some staff Justification – have sound business case Consultation – The Information and Consultation of Employees Regulations (2004) give employees right to be informed and consulted regarding substantial changes (three months minimum) EIA Statutory notice period in addition to consultation Try to reach agreement - imposition of change will be resisted

Consultation and Communication Produced change initiation document that defines purpose, solution and benefits of change Given to employees at beginning of consultation Undertook meaningful communications and consultation taking into account views of employees Establish dialogue with employees and rep bodies, made aware that views would be taken into account before final decisions made During communication and early consultation the key issues that arose were around childcare and caring responsibilities

Building in Flexibility Jan 07 - agreed 11/13 with FBU in principle, on basis that a Management / FBU Joint Working Party set up to resolve individual issues Sent out e mail to all staff requesting details of difficulties arising from new shift times Examples ….Mum 86 hospital with dementia, Dad 86 cannot walk, I call at 0800 and 1800 each day on duty days to dress and take to hospital….. ….I am lone parent presently I use a childminder from 8-9 and , they do not work beyond this !..... ….I will have to leave home at 0730, there is no one to look after my child for this extra hour before school….

Management / FBU Working Group 1 st Meeting 19/4/07 – 14 individuals with problems 2 nd Meeting 17/5/07 – 7 further individuals 3 rd Meeting 21/6/07 – 35 in total out of 1600 wholetime staff Each looked at on a case by case basis on information provided by individuals. A number of cases rejected or easily resolved. A smaller number identified as genuine and difficult which would cause difficulties for staff to meet both FRS and home commitments

Solutions Where genuine difficulties arose agreement was reached at the JWP to produce a flexibility protocol to allow staff with genuine child care / caring responsibilities to request to alter start and finish times on any particular day. –Where permission granted by SM any deficit of time to be made up. –Appropriate for one off and short term situations –Watch staffing shortfalls caused by this to be made up by alternative means e.g. overtime, detached duties –Only to be used for genuine caring situations and records to be kept.

‘Buddying’ Policy A separate ‘buddying policy’ was also agreed. To be used where all other means exhausted and is appropriate to the situation Individuals can enter into agreement, over a period of time, with member of opposite watch to provide cover for 1 hour. Must have approval of SM and DM Arrangements only continue until alternatives made and should be reviewed on a regular basis Managers to give ‘sympathetic consideration to requests’

Results Clear business case for making changes but had to take account of Flexible Working obligations Applied best practice in change management -Information provision -Communication -Consultation -Provisional agreement -Joint Working Party to identify and resolve genuine individual cases End Result smooth transition, very little unrest and no industrial action