Member Article

Affecting Real Change in Less Hours

A discrimination case worker at Citizens Advice Gateshead has become an advocate for the 4 Day Week after she has demonstrated how a change in working conditions benefit performance.

Victoria has been with the charity for five years and for the last year has ensured people who are at a disadvantage get solid intervention and help. She loves how she gets to see a positive impact from her work, but as she is part time due to family commitments, has often struggled to give her full focus.

By removing 20% of her hours, for her full pay Victoria say it has had a huge impact on her focus during working hours, as it has lifted a lot of the stress of child care. With two children, one who is just starting school and an elder child who is disabled, the new working arrangement allows Victoria to be a constant in her children’s lives doing the school run each day. She said:

“Our eldest son has complex needs and routine means everything to him. Knowing that the children have quality time and reassurance of routine with me, means I have had a weight lifted and I can be really focussed on work. It is working so well, and I am feeling really productive, consistently hitting my weekly target. That is great feeling knowing I am helping people so well!”

The North-East based charity is taking part in a trail-blazing pilot to benefit both its clients with extended hours and services and its staff with an innovative way of working that is believed will positively impact on their wellbeing and performance.

Citizens Advice Gateshead is the first one in the national Citizens Advice Network to lead the way with the new model of working which includes the team working 80% of their hours within an extended parameter of delivery hours that will benefit clients who struggle to make appointments between 9 and 5 on weekdays, for 100% of their salary.

Staff have the choice to opt into the programme, which allows services such as the witness support service and the direct hospital access service to be delivered outside of the traditional 9-5 model, on weekdays and over the weekend. This, over time, will enable the charity to better meet the needs of clients at times that suit them.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Anna Toms .