Government agencies told they must be ready for staff to work from home during pandemic

Saturday, 7 March 2020

The States Services Commission has provided fresh advice to public sector bosses on pandemic planning in the wake of the coronavirus.

Public sector bosses have been told they must have 'all the necessary arrangements in place now' to ensure their staff can work from home during a pandemic.

Previously, departments had been told to prepare for staff to work remotely, usually from home, where practical.

But the State Services Commission has beefed-up its advice in the wake the coronavirus outbreak, saying that ensuring staff could work remotely, including from home, is 'an integral part of business continuity planning'.

Breccan McLead-Lundy, co-chair of technology industry body NZRise, said he didn't believed anyone in government had got home-working nailed as yet, with IT security one of the obstacles.

'They all say they are working on it.

Britain's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty has disputed the World Health Organisation's claim the mortality rate from the coronavirus is as high as 3.4%.

'I think one of the challenges is a lot are set up for 'earthquake type' scenarios which may involve moving to service centres that are in recovery locations, more than everyone working from their own homes.'

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Preparation was essential, McLead-Lundy said.

'It is too late to do the changes once we are all not meant to be coming into the office any more, if that happens.'

The SSC has also considered what public service mandarins should do if staff did not want to come into their usual workplace because they were concerned about the risk of contagion.

Departments should consider 'in good faith' any request to work remotely, including from home, it said.

But chief executives should lead with 'a strong message that the state services sector had always had a duty in times of national emergency to maintain government services', its old and new guidelines state.

'Public services should continue to be delivered to the fullest extent possible during any emergency, including a pandemic, to meet legislative requirements and public expectations.

'Employees are expected to remain working during a pandemic, unless they are on agreed leave.'

Unlike in its previously guidelines, there is now an explicit reference to the role of unions during a pandemic, with the SSC saying that where appropriate they should be involved early in the development of pandemic plans.

'During a pandemic it may be necessary for some employees to cover work that is usually performed by other employees that is not within the scope of their role,' the SSC's guidelines state.

But in some cases that might involve the explicit agreement of staff, it said.