LBG Limits Compressed Hours for Colleagues at Risk of Redundancy
Updated: Jun 26
Changes to LBG worker treatment when faced with redundancy
LBG has reaffirmed its desire to remove legacy compressed hours in 2024 by introducing changes to its treatment strategy for colleagues who are at risk of redundancy. The changes and what it means for workers with compressed hours are outlined below:
Prior to selection a 121 should take place to explain the impact of the change on a colleague based upon their existing role.
During this 121 a conversation will be had to confirm a colleague’s existing working arrangements and the reasons for those - including compressed.
Selection for alternative roles in the new organisational structure will be based on the skills requirement for the role – not someone’s current working arrangements.
Following selection processes, roles will be offered to colleagues based on the requirements and terms of the new role (including working pattern).
If at the initial 121 it was established that a colleague is eligible to access compressed working via Flexibility Works, LBG will make a job offer based on the Group’s Flex Works principles. NB – many colleagues will have compressed hours arrangements that do not align with the Flexibility Works policy, and they will be expected to give them up as a condition of the new role.
For those colleagues who are not able to retain their compressed working arrangement and are unable or do not wish to take the role on the terms of the job, they will continue to be at risk of redundancy and exit the business on redundancy terms (subject to any transitionary work arrangements they may be required to support on).
The Flexibility Works policy will continue to apply to all colleagues, e.g. for long term conditions, long term support, returning from parental leave and in moments that matter.
Colleagues appointed into new roles who have legacy compressed arrangements not aligned with Flexibility Works, they will be offered up to a 12-month period to transition off these arrangements - at the end of this period they will be expected to give them up.
If a colleague had already agreed to an end date on their working arrangements this would continue - the up to 12 months transition would not start again.
Unite view
We feel this is a regressive step that will impact all colleagues who value and benefit from legacy compressed hours arrangements that are not aligned to the Flexibility Works offering. We believe that these changes will adversely impact working women, carers and parents in a discriminatory manner.
LBG colleagues will recall the widespread collective condemnation brought to bear against the Group last year for its compressed hours pilot and subsequent raid on valued working arrangements (Compressed Hours Collective Grievance Update 25.08.2023 (uniteinlbg.org) ) OUR campaign challenging the Group brought about the solidarity, confidence and empowerment for workers to just ‘Say NO’ when asked to give up their hours. The collectivism shown during our campaign was a game changer in combating the move and in resulted in line-manager guidance making it clear that it was a colleague's choice whether they gave up their legacy compressed hours, and they would not be mandated to do so by LBG.
Many of the scores in the 2023 Colleague Survey fell in comparison to 2022 and the Employee Engagement index lagged twelve points behind the preceding year. Yet despite this and LBG saying that it is listening and taking feedback seriously, it is extremely disappointing that the decision has been taken to redouble the raid on compressed hours. The result of this being that any LBG colleague facing redundancy, who is offered an alternative role, will be expected to give up legacy compressed hours (deemed incompatible with Flexibility Works) in order to safeguard their job/career. Colleagues at risk of redundancy will most likely be experiencing significant stress and anxiety and to treat them in this manner is manifestly unfair and the requirement should be dropped immediately.
Your Unite team objected to these changes in the strongest of terms during consultation and have highlighted that the changes may disproportionately impact working women, carers and parents who depend on compressed working, and that this approach could be deemed discriminatory. Despite these objections LBG has indicated that it will be implementing the changes for all ongoing and future change programmes.Member Support Unite stands ready to support all our members who are faced with having to give up their compressed hours in order to save their job and career. If you are subject to this blanket/one-size fits all approach to mitigate redundancy, then please get in touch ASAP.
Your Unite team will be engaging Unite regional officers and the legal department to review the circumstances of your case and in appropriate circumstances will support members with Employment Tribunal claims.
Important to note that Unite legal, for the purposes of legal support comes into effect after 13 weeks of continuous membership.
Given the banks change agenda and its continued review of working arrangements we call on all LBG workers who are not yet in a Union to join. It’s the only way to be protected!
Join Unite the Union today – unitetheunion.org/join
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