Making hybrid inclusive for all

13 Dec 2021

Hybrid working update

Dear colleague

One of the fundamental aims of the Professional Services hybrid working pilot is inclusion.     

Our University is committed to supporting disabled colleagues through our approach to flexible and hybrid working. 

Firstly, we would like to take the opportunity to remind everyone that our University has an active Disabled Staff Network. This network works provides input into our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion team and the Disability Advisory and Support Service (DASS) to ensure that all our disabled colleagues and students, feel safe and able to be themselves, whether they are working on campus or in their own homes. 

Secondly, our hybrid working guidance relating to disabled staff says:

- Disabled staff within the pilot are entitled to equipment that enables them to work effectively in both their home and campus work spaces. Funding for equipment is provided by the Disability Advisory and Support Service (DASS). For more information about this please contact DASS directly. 

- Disabled staff are not necessarily required to work the same hybrid working category as other staff; it may be a reasonable adjustment to increase their work from home or on campus. The following procedure should be followed:

o Staff should initially discuss this informally with their manager

o Where the manager is able to approve a request they should do so – if they do not believe the role cannot accommodate the request they should take advice from DASS

o DASS will then liaise with the manager and member of staff to offer advice and support

o Concerns about decisions can be escalated to the Head of the Disability Services.  

We will be holding some additional focus groups to explore this issue further and consider how we make hybrid work as inclusive as possible for all staff.  We are keen to hear about what is working well, as well as ideas about supporting inclusion. We will be holding further focus groups with: 

- Disabled staff 

- Managers of disabled staff 

- BAME staff

- Staff who identify as LGBT+ 

- Women / Carers / Part-time colleagues

- Ensuring we have an appropriate representation of all genders experiencing the hybrid working pilot 

We welcome all perspectives on how we can make hybrid working fair and inclusive for all staff and welcome staff joining these opportunities to reflect and generate ideas and solutions. 

As always, the hybrid working project email is also available at hybrid@manchester.ac.uk 

Best wishes,

Adèle MacKinlay, Director of People and Organisational Development 

Julian Skyrme, Director of Social Responsibility