This document summarizes the key points of a presentation about mobile and flexible working in local government. It discusses how mobile and flexible working can improve work-life balance, productivity, and the use of office accommodation. It provides examples from local councils where mobile working has reduced costs and increased productivity. The document also summarizes two UK projects, ReGS and SARAH, that developed new tools to support remote, flexible work in regulatory services and homecare. It discusses lessons learned, including the importance of leadership, managing change, and the challenges of pioneering new technologies.

1. nomad
at the centre of mobile and flexible working
Mobile & Flexible Working
in Local Government
“Technology enabled transformation”
© Nomad 2009

2. Introduction
• About Nomad
• Why Mobile & Flexible Working?
• The ReGS & SARAH Projects
• Accommodation and work styles
• Lessons learned
• Discussion

3. nomad
at the centre of mobile and flexible working
• National Forum for sharing learning
• Supported by key suppliers – sponsorship
• Knowledge base – online catalogue
• Collective experience across local government
• Transitional period
• Building a vibrant online community to support change

4. Work is …?

5. … changing!

6. Mobile & Flexible Working
• Improved Work Life Balance
• Better health
• Less stress
• Higher motivation and better morale
• Improved productivity
• New processes that reduce or eliminate administration
• Better use of time to deal with more cases
• Improved use of accommodation
• Hot desking and touch down
• Home based working and flexible working
• Environmental Benefits
• Less travel and congestion (air quality & climate change)

7. Local Government Examples
• Housing Benefits • Council Tax & Benefits
• East Riding • Salford
• £200k saving pa • 48% productivity
• PI 40 days to hours • Sickness down by 75%
• 7 less staff • Planned office savings
• Social Housing
• Peterborough
• Flexible working
• Cost of service £7m to
• Hertfordshire Workwise £5.4 million
• 16% less workstations • Routine repairs – ave
• 16% less floor area time down from 20 to 7
• 10% less in work travel days.

8. Innovation (5 years ago)
Cemetery Headstone Inspection
Real time, integrated solution
utilising Tablet PC’s
a Project NOMAD proof of concept
(and still used daily!)

9. The national project developing new ways of
working across the range of Regulatory Services
• Transforming Environmental Health, Trading
Standards and Licensing
• Delivering solutions to support mobile, home and
flexible work styles
• Breaking dependency on the office by developing tools
to meet all officer, lone worker & manager needs
• Delivering better regulation to business and protecting
the public

10. Project SARAH (Homecare)

11. Benefits (Family, Carer, Service)
• Continuity of service
• More efficient, responsive & flexible service
• Greater accountability of service provision
• Web access for confirmation of service delivery
• More timely processing of overtime payments
• Direct access to Key Safe information
• Dynamic updating of rosters
• Safer lone working environment
• Improved communications
• Reduced administrative burden

12. Ambitions
To exploit new technology and;
• Spend more time on site, with clients and
with businesses
• Reduce travel times
• Reduce administration
• Improve efficiency & reduce cost

13. Westgate Plaza One
"Creating a 21st Century Market Town!"

14. Paperless Office – Myth or Reality?

15. Position clear before …
Paper records;
• 3.5km of paper (or 9.25 Eiffel Towers!)
• Storage would have required >25% of the new office space

16. But now?

17. Hotbox Storage - clear desk policy

18. Hot Desk with Tablet PC

19. Tablet PC, Printer & Field Case

20. Lessons Learned
• Technology works (mostly)
• Strong leadership and senior sponsorship essential
• Don’t underestimate complexity of organisational
change
• Involving people - be careful to manage [balance]
expectations
• Pioneering R & D is great - but time and resource
hungry
• Hearts and minds

21. Considerations
• Security
• Data sharing
• NLPG/LLPG Single Business Account
• Leadership & management of dispersed
workforce
• Workforce development
• Peer support
• Long term impacts?

22. keneastwood@barnsley.gov.uk
www.projectnomad.org.uk