A post-pandemic plan being developed by the Northern Ireland Department of Finance and trade unions will involve thousands of Public Servants switching to blended working under an enduring working-from-home policy.
The plan is expected to be finalised in the coming months.
However, the Department stressed this did not mean all staff would be shifted to remote working.
General Secretary of the Northern Ireland Public Service Association, Alison Millar said the new policy must take into account those who were unable to work from home.
She said a survey had found a significant number of staff favoured a blended approach, allowing them to work both in the office and from home.
“The approach will also need to be voluntary,” Ms Millar said.
“At this point in time we’re working through the detail of a working-from-home policy to ensure health and safety issues and work-life balance are properly addressed in the policy,” she said.
Ms Millar said some people in the survey had already indicated that working from home was not for them “whether that’s for caring responsibilities or they don’t have the appropriate space in their home”.
“A lot people are also saying the social interaction of office work is important, so I think that’s the reason people are saying ‘I don’t want to go back to five days a week in the office’, but a blended approach would suit many people,” the General Secretary said.
In a statement, the Department of Finance said the circumstances would depend on the individual and their role.
“There are no plans to shift all Civil Servants to remote working,” the Department said.
“Going forward, the Northern Ireland Civil Service will be adopting a blended approach to home/remote working depending on the individual Departmental requirements and job role,” it said.
Plans for Public Service regional hubs in Ballykelly and Downpatrick have already been announced.
Separately, a Department spokesperson said the plan was “not about closing existing central sites”, and a “significant Civil Service presence” would continue in the Belfast City Centre.
“These hubs will enable Civil Servants to work closer to home, reduce travel time and promote regional economic balance,” the spokesperson said.
Belfast, 30 March 2021
