The PSA recently surveyed members in Revenue NSW regarding their experiences with working from home during the current COVID-19 pandemic.
One hundred and eighty-six members responded, which is certainly a good response rate considering the current difficulties all workers are facing.
Results
The results included:
- All but one member reported that WFH is being made available and 91 per cent of members are happy to work from home
- 88 per cent of members felt they were receiving enough communication from management
- 15 per cent of members reported that they didn’t feel supported in working from home
- 22 per cent of members reported they didn’t have all the equipment provided.
There were a number of free-form questions around improvements required to working from home provisions. Three main issues presented were:
- ambiguity around reporting lines and being connected with the team
- technical issues such as access to or setting up equipment
- actual protocols and red tape surrounding working from home and whether Special Leave may be appropriate in some circumstances.
The responses will be reviewed further and key issues identified will be raised at our next JCC.
Overall it appears the Department is stepping up to the challenge of quickly moving staff to a ‘WFH mode’, though challenges remain with regards to communicating with those staff and enabling technology and optimum WFH conditions.
If you are having ANY type of difficulty in the workplace please remember, the PSA is YOUR UNION and we are here to help. Contact your local delegate or the PSA Member Support Centre,which has extended hours of operation during coronavirus pandemic: 8:00am-5:30pm.
Telephone 1300 772679 or email
Talk to your non-union colleagues about the benefits of ‘being Union’ and join the PSA online at: psa.asn.au/join.