Reaching a decision

An important principle with this discussion is transparency. Managers are expected to be open about the considerations they have made and on what basis suggested working arrangements have been put forward and/ or declined. These decisions should be inclusive, fair and equitable and managers should be able to show a clear rationale for how decisions have been made, without bias or favouritism.

For many situations, reaching a decision will be straightforward and acceptable to the member of staff. Where required, advice should be sought from specific support departments such as HR, Occupational Health, Health and Safety etc to help managers reach a fair decision.

At the end of the discussion, the manager should confirm what has been agreed with the staff member and record the outcome on the remote working agreement form. If more information is required before a decision can be reached a further meeting may be necessary and the staff member should be informed when they are likely to hear an outcome.

Where a disagreement occurs, the manager is encouraged to seek additional advice and/or support to help reach a solution that is workable for both parties, for example the HR Adviser or other professional support department. Following this step, the managerial decision will be final and the expectations of the working arrangements will be explained, taking into account as far as possible the individual's preferences.