Home and hybrid working policies for Scottish Government staff: FOI release

Information requested

"Please provide any documents and correspondence, including emails, relating to guidance on home working policies for civil servants."

"Please ensure these include internal changes and documents published and discussions with trade unions.”

Response

I have interpreted your request “home working policies for civil servants” covering home working polices including hybrid working.

The Scottish Government has been trialling hybrid working since the majority of the corporate estate reopened on 30 August 2021. This has been on a largely informal basis with directorates having flexibility to agree hybrid work-styles locally that best meet the business need and personal circumstances.

The Executive Team further committed to developing a flexible long-term model for hybrid working, reviewing the trial to set out a position on expectations. The Executive Team then confirmed in April 2023 that it had reached a settled position on hybrid working and noted it would be reviewed by April 2025.

Revised working in person hybrid working policy

The hybrid working arrangements for Scottish Government (SG) core staff that will apply from week commencing 27 October 2025.

Staff in roles compatible with hybrid working should aim to spend 40% of their contracted working time working in person at their contractual workplace, or (on an ad-hoc basis) at another agreed location, unless approval to depart from this target has been authorised due to an agreed adjustment or approved location exemption.

The 40% target can be spent in different ways including, but not limited to, meeting in teams, collaborating with colleagues, operating out in the field, participating at in-person events such as training/conferences or meeting with customers/stakeholders at their premises.

The 40% target is based on contracted hours (excluding periods of authorised absence or leave).

Travel time on official business within contracted hours can count towards the 40% target.

For the majority of staff working a standard pattern, the 40% target will be calculated over a 4-week reference period. For those working alternative working patterns (shift working or other arrangements) the 40% should be calculated with reference to their specific working pattern.

The current SG target of 40% in person attendance will not change without formal consultation with the Council of Scottish Government Unions (CSGU).

The target is 40% working in-person. The target is not a mandate.

It is understood and accepted that this needs to be implemented in an appropriate way that recognises necessary variation between individuals.

Hybrid Working policy previously in place

“The Executive Team expects agreements to be reached locally for roles suited to hybrid working. These agreements should ensure colleagues combine working from home with a presence in a workplace (and for some roles, with stakeholders and in communities) each week. This may vary from week to week, depending on business need, and we recognise some roles will be more locationspecific than others. For instance, some will have more interaction with colleagues in roles not suited to hybrid working. We must also meet the needs of colleagues who have adjustments in place under equality legislation, or where adaptations are agreed via the employee passport process. If colleagues wish to be office based all the time, this should be accommodated.”

As part of the hybrid working review completed, the Executive Team believes we need to further strengthen relationships with colleagues and stakeholders by increasing in-person working and engagement. These connections are considered vital for personal and professional development and to better serve Ministers and the people of Scotland. While hybrid working remains valuable, we believe the current balance needs adjustment to promote collaboration and create a stronger sense of community.

The updated policy was announced on 7 May 2025 and will take effect from October 2025. Before then, the formal consultation period with the Council of Scottish Government Unions (CSGU) was launched developing the policy, guidance and processes in partnership. The consultation concluded in late August 2025.

PDF documents covering internal changes and documents published

I have listed the various guidance and home working policies you have requested which are included as PDF documents.

• Apply for a flexible working pattern
• Working from home
• Health and when working from home
• Guidelines for managers dealing with flexible working requests
• Managing disruption to your work
• Resilient working
• Hybrid working policy
• Hybrid working guidance

Information and emails previously released

Some of the information you have requested regarding emails is available from Scottish Government publication page.

Scottish Government employees working from home queries: FOI release - gov.scot
Scottish Government hybrid working queries: FOI release - gov.scot
Working from home monitoring and policy: FOI release - gov.scot
Scottish Government hybrid working policy: FOI release - gov.scot
Evidence for Scottish Government hybrid working policy decision: FOI release - gov.scot
Scottish Government Executive Team correspondence regarding home and hybrid working: FOI release - gov.scot

Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.

Emails relating to guidance on home working policies for civil servants

Part of you request is looking for emails relating to guidance on home working policies for civil servants. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the costs of locating, retrieving and providing the information requested would exceed the upper cost limit of £600. There is a large volume of information about hybrid working, with a particularly large number of redactions being required to protect staff identities. Under section 12 of FOISA public authorities are not required to comply with a request for information if the authority estimates that the cost of complying would exceed the upper cost limit, which is currently set at £600 by Regulations made under section 12.

You may, however, wish to consider reducing the scope of your request in order that the costs can be brought below £600. You have requested “emails relating to guidance on home working policies for civil servants” which is an extremely broad parameter to search.

Various emails have been released previously and are published on the Scottish Government website which include emails from the Executive Team regarding the updated hybrid policy. However to make sure you are provided with the exact information you may wish to narrow the scope of the request.

You may also find it helpful to look at the Scottish Information Commissioner’s ‘Tips for requesting information under FOI and the EIRs’ on his website at: http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/YourRights/Tipsforrequesters.aspx

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.

FOI 202500484504 - Information Released - Annex

File type

PDF

File size

842.9 kB