Flexibility at IPO

We are aware that for working parents the pandemic has had additional challenges with home schooling having an impact on the working day. We have encouraged people to work flexibility, even working outside the normal working day if it helps. For those who aren’t able to complete their normal working hours, line managers have been able to authorise special leave to make this time up.

Returning to site

Initially 96% of employees were working from home, with only those whose jobs could not be done from home working from the office. However, we identified that the wellbeing of some staff could be improved if they were to work from the office (e.g. lack of space at home, family reasons). Therefore, since August 2020 a number of wellbeing returners have also been authorised to work from the office. So that they have support at close hand should they need it, a member of the mental health first aid team also attends site on a rota basis.

To keep our people safe, our sites have been risk assessed and are covid safe. We have maintained 2 meters between desks, have increased cleaning schedules and made PPE equipment avaliable to all staff attending site.

The Future

We are currently thinking about what the site and our working patterns may look like in the future. We think that wellbeing will be an important issue for a while yet and we’ve started to think about the longer-term mental health problems resulting from the pandemic and what we can do to support people. This is likely to form a corporate priority for 2021/22.