Work-life balance
Bury Council values all of its employees and recognises that the introduction of more flexible ways of working gives employees the chance to improve their work/life balance.
Work/life balance initiatives form a menu of available options for staff to consider, so that employees can find an option that enables them to more easily combine work with their other responsibilities and aspirations, whilst meeting the needs of the organisation.
Not every option will be suitable for every member of staff and job role, however, each job should be looked at individually. The needs of the service are paramount and service provision should not suffer in any way as a result of work/life balance.
All applications are considered in line with service requirements and decisions made at the discretion of the Chief Officer, following consultation with the Director of Personnel as appropriate.
Job sharing
Job sharing involves the voluntary sharing of a post with two (or occasionally more) employees. The job sharers share the responsibilities/duties of a post, the salary and any other benefits on a pro-rata basis to the hours worked.
Job sharing offers flexibility and more time at home for personal reasons, for example, caring for children or elderly relatives.
Most posts in the Authority can be considered for job sharing. Applications to job share will be considered in line with service requirements.
Voluntary reduced hours
Voluntary Reduced Hours (V Time), allows employees to voluntarily reduce their contractual hours to enable them to have more time for personal, caring or family commitments.
Hours can be reduced on a permanent or temporary basis depending on individual circumstances. In effect, employees who reduce their hours are classed as part time and pay/holidays are adjusted pro rata to the hours worked.
Reduced hours must be agreed to meet both operational and personal demands.
Individual homeworking
Individual homeworking allows employees to apply to work from home on an ad-hoc basis, permanent basis for part of their working hours or temporary basis for all of their working hours. During periods of homeworking an employee's base is still in the workplace.
Homeworking is suitable for employees whose work is normally carried out in the workplace and requires sustained concentration away from the interruptions received in an office environment. Working from home is also suitable if you are experiencing difficulties travelling to and from work.
Applications will be considered in line with service requirements.
Purchasing annual leave
The purchasing of annual leave gives employees the opportunity to increase their annual leave entitlement at the beginning of the financial year by reducing their salary accordingly. Employees will be able to purchase up to two weeks (10 days) extra annual leave. The amount of entitlement that can be bought by part time employees will be pro-rata dependent upon their hours worked.
When an employee increases their leave entitlement the reduction in salary will be spread evenly over the year in either monthly, weekly or 4-weekly payments.
Voluntary term time working
Term time working relates to school term times. Employees work during school term times and take unpaid leave during school holidays. Only working during the school terms will enable employees meet family or caring commitments.
Compressed hours
Compressed hours allow employees to work their contractual hours over fewer days per week / fortnight / month. The maximum hours that can be worked in a week are 48 with a 20 minute break to be taken within each 6 hour period.
Annual hours
Annual hours contracts are when employees work a set number of hours over 12 months rather than work a standard number of hours per week. Annual hours enable employees to meet any seasonal variations or 'peaks and troughs' of the service.
Flexible work base
This is appropriate for groups of employees who work off site for a large proportion of their working day. Employees can work in a mobile fashion enabling them to carry out work previously undertaken at their office base at home or a clients base. This will provide employees with greater flexibility and freedom from interruption if needed. It will also save time travelling to and from client bases and their work base.
Career break
A career break is a period of unpaid leave which can be applied for by all employees who have at least 2 years service with the Authority. Employees can apply for a career break of a minimum of 3 months and maximum of 1 year giving at least 3 months notice.
