Ways of working

See answers to questions about current working and what coming back to campus entails.

Sussex Ways of Working and Covid-19

We have now welcomed all staff back to campus, following the easing of Covid-19 restrictions. We have retained greater flexibility around working practices where possible, with many staff now working a hybrid model, as outlined in the Remote Working Framework.

Our Health and Safety team continue monitoring governmental and WHO data and guidance, and you can access advice and guidance on measures in place to manage the risk of Covid-19 here.

What ways of working are in place now?

Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic a greater proportion of roles at the University were successfully performed remotely. The Remote Working Framework [PDF 222KB] outlines our ways of working and was developed to incorporate learnings from the pandemic working practices and allow a better work life balance for staff, whilst meeting organisational needs, builds on Flexible Sussex.

This policy was first introduced in May 2021. Plans are in place to review and improve the policy during 2023, retaining increased levels of flexibility, so we can continue developing optimal working practices and a campus environment well suited to these ways of working

How are you ensuring campus is a safe work space for staff?

The safety of our staff and students remains our highest priority. We have, and continue to, take the safety of all staff and students very seriously.

There are a number of safety measures and risk assessments in place to ensure the safety of our community. Find out more on our Covid-19 Health & Safety resource pages. We also have vaccination guidance for staff.

Should you have any unanswered concerns about your safety related to on-campus working, raise these with your line manager in the first instance.

How is the university supporting those who have concerns about working on campus?

Coronavirus can make anyone seriously ill, but for some people, the risk is higher.

The university has a number of health and safety precautions to keep staff safe from Covid-19. If you have concerns about your safety at work, tell your line manager as soon as possible. This is particularly important if you have a health condition which may put you at higher risk.

When a manager is informed that a staff member has concerns about their safety, they will inform HR who will work with them to ensure the staff member is appropriately supported.

In most instances it is likely that you will be referred to Occupational Health for assessment. Occupational Health can provide clinical guidance on potential adjustments to an individual’s role or work environment that should be considered to minimise risk to their health at work. Letters from GPs or clinical specialists will be taken seriously and can also provide helpful guidance should staff have these to share, however, it is not necessary for staff to provide these to access support.

We ask staff in this situation, who have not already done so, or who experience an altered health situation, to speak to their managers as soon as possible so we can ensure we have sought and considered appropriate advice, to inform any considerations of how and where they are performing their roles in advance of any changes.

If for any reason someone is unable to speak to their manager about their health condition and concerns, or does not feel their concerns have been addressed, they should approach their manager's manager in the first instance, or their relevant HR contact.

Covid and your health and safety – questions and answers on staff safety and Covid-19

If I test positive do I still have to self-isolate?

If you do contract Covid-19, then please follow the guidance on our Health and Safety pages and the government’s Coronavirus website. You will be able to self-certify for the first 7 days of sickness, but will require a fit note for sickness absence in excess of seven calendar days.

Anyone needing to isolate and unable to attend campus can:

take sick leave if too unwell to work (please continue to follow the guidelines about reporting sickness absence)
work remotely where well to work
if well enough to work but not able to work remotely, either be assigned alternative duties or be paid up to five days’ sickness absence.

For some of us, self-isolation may impact our mental health and wellbeing adversely. Don’t forget that the University has Health Assured, our employee assistance programme, which gives you access to a range of helpful one to one support and self-help advice.

Please don’t struggle if you are in difficulty. Contact your line manager or a colleague and ask for help. If you can’t reach your manager or a colleague, please contact your HR Business Partner who will connect you with a colleague in your School or Division who can help.

A child or family member for whom I care has to isolate or is unwell with Covid-19 – what should I do?

In the event your dependant has to isolate and you are required to remain at home to care for them, tell your manager as soon as possible. Depending on your situation, your manager will work with you to determine a workable solution around your caring needs for the duration of the isolation period. It may be that you are required to take leave, unpaid leave or work reduced hours. Any arrangements will be reviewed weekly.

My recovery from Covid is taking a long time/I am suffering from Long Covid – what should I do?

How long it takes to recover from Covid-19 is different for everybody. For some people, Covid-19 can and has caused symptoms lasting weeks, months and even over a year after the viral infection has gone. Research continues into the condition, which is called Long Covid (or post Covid-19 syndrome). Impacts will vary – it can affect your work, personal and social life significantly.

Based on NHS guidance, if you are experiencing signs and symptoms four weeks or more after a Covid-19 infection you need to contact your GP. Your GP may be able to offer you treatment or refer you to specialist support.

If you are off work following a covid infection, you should provide a doctor’s note to cover any absences from work for longer than seven consecutive calendar days in the usual way.

Keep in touch with your manager about your situation and how you are feeling. The University wishes to take a supportive approach to those diagnosed with Long Covid, and a return-to-work will be managed in a similar way to any other return to work from long-term absence. Your manager may refer you to the Occupational Health service, who can provide advice to you and your manager about what can be done to assist and support you, including a phased return to work when you are well to resume some/all of your work duties, and potential reasonable adjustments for when you do return. You may also wish to access practical advice or counselling via the University’s support service Health Assured.

People with Long Covid have individual symptoms with differing severity, so Occupational Health advice and recommended adjustments will vary from case-to-case, however they may include measures such as reduction in working hours or workload, remote working or flexibility in start and finish times.

Your HR Business Partner will also be able to assist should you need additional information.

Vaccinations

The University strongly endorses employees to take part in the vaccination programmes against Covid-19 and Flu, to reduce the combined risks for our whole community associated with Covid-19 and Flu.

Please see here for further information on both Covid-19 and Flu vaccination, including information on time off for vaccination appointments and reclaiming the cost of Flu jabs through the University.

Visas and immigration

I am an employee of the University and work here on a visa/work permit. What is the latest guidance on visa applications and extensions associated with Covid-19?

See general staff guidance on visas and Certificates of Sponsorships (CoS).

Advice for managers

If you manage a team, here is some guidance.

What’s in place to support me to manage my hybrid team?

The OD team have gathered some useful resources and information to support managers with the management of hybrid teams. These are being updated on an ongoing basis to bring you useful, current information on effectively managing hybrid teams.

What should I do if members of my team are concerned and reluctant about working on campus linked to Covid-19?

You may find staff have or developed concerns about working on campus. Where this is the case you may find the following cycle a positive approach to communicating with your staff, that can aid you to explore and address concerns:

Inform – Explain the situation and inform your team members so they know the nature of the discussion and what’s coming next

Invite – Ask a question relevant to the information given at the ‘Inform’ stage, seeking your team members input and response.

Listen – Actively listen to their response. Communicate to indicate understanding (e.g. via non-verbal acknowledgement such as nodding, or through sounds of agreement, both of which can be effective in the absence of eye contact on video calls). This can help put staff members at ease and reassure them that what they are saying is being heard.

Acknowledge – Having listened to their response, you can demonstrate that they have listened and understood by acknowledging what’s been said. You can demonstrate you’ve understood and appreciate the points they’ve made by summarising/paraphrasing/reflecting words they’ve used.

For example you might say ‘I can hear and understand that you’re concerned about increased risk of contracting coronavirus as a result of returning to campus and being exposed to colleges in the office. I’ll talk you through some of the steps the university has taken to ensure everyone’s safety on campus, as I hope these might provide some reassurance…’

These points are a cycle that can be repeated/moved across until you reach a point where you’ve been able to fully explore and address any concerns held by your team members.

If you are struggling to overcome concerns and a member of your team is unwilling to return to campus, or there is a significant health reason they are unable to, please speak to your manager or your HR Business Partner who’ll be able to offer more advice and guidance.

I have been trying to get in touch with a member of staff who’s currently working remotely and haven’t had a reply – what should I do?

If this is unannounced, then act quickly, start by sharing the information in your own management group first in case anyone else has any relevant information. Try other methods of contacting the individual and if there is still no reply, make that information known to your Director or Head of School. If the individual lives alone, is at risk or has other key responsibilities that mean others may be affected, make sure that you share that information when you refer.

Make sure that your staff know that you will be keeping in touch with them so that they remember to let you know of any changes in their circumstances.

Contact your HR Business Partner if you need the member of staff’s personal details or further advice and guidance.

One of my members of staff is suffering from Long Covid – what should I do?

How long it takes to recover from COVID-19 is different for everybody. For some people, COVID-19 can and has caused symptoms lasting weeks, months and even over a year after the infection has gone. Research continues into the condition, which is called Long COVID (or post COVID-19 syndrome). Impacts will vary - it can affect work, personal and social life significantly.

Based on NHS guidance, anyone experiencing signs and symptoms 4 weeks or more after a COVID-19 infection needs to contact their GP, if they’ve not already done so. GPs may offer treatments or refer them to specialist support.

Staff should provide you with a doctors’ note to cover absences for longer than seven consecutive days in the usual way.

Absence and return to work from Long Covid should be managed in a similar way to any other long-term absence and return to work, through the University’s established process for sickness. You should inform your HR Business Partner who’ll be able to provide advice and guidance.

You should agree the level/frequency/mode of contact the member of staff wishes to receive and should keep in touch with them during their period of absence to find out how they are and to ensure they have the support they need. They may also benefit from practical advice or counselling via the University’s support service Health Assured.

At an appropriate point, you should refer them to the University’s Occupational Health service, who can provide advice about what can be done to assist and support the member of staff in returning to work when they are able to do so, including a guidance for a gradual or phased return and reasonable adjustments that could be put in place when they do return. If you have not carried out an Occupational Health referral before, your HR contact will be able to assist you in doing so. People with Long Covid have individual symptoms with differing severity, so Occupational Health advice and recommended adjustments with vary from case-to-case, however they may include measures such as reduction in working hours, workload or tasks of a specific nature, remote working or flexibility in start and finish times.

People diagnosed with Long Covid can have wide-ranging and fluctuating symptoms, which can change in nature over time. Progress is not always linear, and those diagnosed with Long Covid can have better and worse days, as well as experience relapses. On this basis it is important to keep in regular communication with your member of staff about how they are doing. If their symptoms significantly change or worsen following their initial occupational health referral a review might be relevant, to ensure they are being supported appropriately on an ongoing basis. You should develop a contingency plan ensuring that appropriate sick cover for work tasks is available should it be needed.

Human Resources