(July 2016 Guidance responding to ongoing disruption of Southern Trains)
Supporting staff with travel difficulties
It goes without saying that all staff will be doing their best to make it to work at their normal time and that a more flexible approach to start/end times would be helpful for staff who live on train lines that are persistently affected by cancellations and delays. Clearly there will be some front line services where promptness is more crucial, therefore, where the travel situation is having an impact, you should discuss and plan with the individual and your team about how best to ensure operational cover between colleagues who are and are not affected by the disruption.
Where it is easier for staff to travel at earlier or later times than usual, managers should consider agreeing a temporary shift in hours until such a time as the situation improves, or operational requirements necessitate an attempt at working to the normal schedule. This needn’t go through HR and managers should feel comfortable agreeing such temporary changes at a local level. That said, advice can and should be sought from the HR Division where managers need support in making such decisions.
Working from home
For some staff, an increase in ad hoc working from home may be both feasible and beneficial, if work days are frequently truncated due to lateness and/or a need to leave early to account for a longer journey time. Managers should, as always, use their discretion, but are encouraged to look favourably on such requests where there are no operational barriers preventing occasionally home working.
Further advice
Of course, please contact your HR Partner or HR Adviser if you would to discuss this further.