The Commission continues to make savings, this time by permanently closing both the childcare facilities in Grange, Ireland and LACC canteen in Luxembourg. We’ve already mentioned the short-notice permanent closure of the Hitec (HTC) building at the end of 2022 and the short-notice change of the newest Commission building (MERP) from open space to hot-desking in open space ‘dynamic, collaborative space (DCS)’ just as staff moved in (March 2023). Continue reading LACC canteen closed permanently, what’s next?
Open Plan Office
100% hot-desking at the new POST-Mercier building
*Update 21.07.2023 the Mercier building, home of the Publications Office since 1973 officially closed its doors for the last time 17.07.2023.* Original article: It is confirmed that the new POST-Mercier building will be the first Commission building to be 100% ‘dynamic and collaborative’. Phew! At least it’s not hot-desking, right? Unfortunately, this is indeed hot-desking albeit (here at least) in a limited fashion. It is first come, first served within the area assigned to your team: Continue reading 100% hot-desking at the new POST-Mercier building
Use it or lose it at the Commission
*Update 30.08.2023: opaque and short-notice permanent closure of (well-used) childcare facilities at Grange site* *Update 13.03.2023 here is the presentation on hotdesking from our 10.03.2023 event.* *Here’s our collaborative note to HR on the topic of the building policy (12.12.2022) and on the topic of the North Light building in Brussels(10.02.2023).* Original article: Use your own allocated desk as much as possible, or you might find yourself soon in hot-desking (or as the Commission calls it, a ‘dynamic’ environment). In fact, this non-optimal use of workstations was the reasoning used as a basis to move colleagues to hot-desking environments of the most extreme type – large open-plan office space with no assigned desks, where furniture, individual storage space and quiet rooms are reduced to the bare minimum. Continue reading Use it or lose it at the Commission
Reimbursement of teleworking expenses: the Court says ‘no’
*Update 13.03.2023 here is the presentation on hotdesking from our 10.03.2023 event.*Here is the update on Court case T-486/21 promised in our article on whether working from home can truly be considered voluntary. We noted there that the Court rejected the application made by one of our colleagues for reimbursement of teleworking-related internet and phone costs incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic (judgment 07/09/2022). We’ve been raising the issue of additional teleworking costs for over 2 years now and even though all OSPs succeeded in having this issue explicitly mentioned in the Commission Decision of 24/03/2022 on working time and hybrid working (Article 13) we see the Commission is increasingly reluctant to act. Continue reading Reimbursement of teleworking expenses: the Court says ‘no’
All at home! Will the Commission (again) close buildings?
*Update 10.05.2023 closing buildings announced as a great success success, but the figures are incomplete.**Update 14.12.2022 many buildings will be closed between Christmas and New Year. Here is a list. Here is how to find and book a desk.* *Here’s our 30.11.2022 note to HR asking (again!) that the lump sum be paid.* Original article: In August 2022 we asked whether working from home could really be considered voluntary, given the general reduction in office space across the Commission and the closure of many buildings for several weeks over the summer as part of the Buildings Energy Saving Together (BEST) Action. Continue reading All at home! Will the Commission (again) close buildings?
Is working from home really voluntary?
*Update 14.07.2023 many buildings will again be closed over the summer. Here is a list of buildings and dates (note Luxembourg is mentioned only at the bottom). Here is how to find and book a desk (Brussels only).*
There’s a disconnect between the image presented in the working time and hybrid working (WTHW) decision and the reality for Commission staff in terms of choice of work location and working-from-home (WFH) costs. First on choice, the WTHW states that WFH/teleworking is voluntary (Article 9(3)) while the Commission simultaneously pursues a building policy of reducing overall office space and open-plan/hot-desking environments. Would there really be a desk for everyone if all Commission staff chose to work from the office at the same time? Continue reading Is working from home really voluntary?
It’s only for 2 days a week! hot-desking and buildings: lunchtime conference
*Update 13.03.2023 here is the presentation on hotdesking from our 10.03.2023 event.**update 22.02.2022: colleagues are changing DG in order to avoid open space/hot-desking. Is this you? Get in touch, we’d like to hear from you!* How much does the move to hot-desking (‘dynamic’) and open-plan offices matter with the move to hybrid working? It will only be 40% presence in any given week, you can tolerate 2 days, right? And we’re not going back to the office just yet, so it’s not a worry for the moment! Regardless, the move to hot-desking and open-plan offices for thousands of staff continues apace during a pandemic that is showing no sign of slowing. Have you considered what that entails? Continue reading It’s only for 2 days a week! hot-desking and buildings: lunchtime conference
The ‘new normal’: is this it? FAQs 28.10.2021
*Update 13.03.2023 here are the results of our June 2022 survey!*
*This FAQ replaces the 11.10.2021 version*
28.10.2021 we had one more social dialogue meeting on the latest working time and hybrid working rules. HR stated that this is the last meeting on this topic. As before, there are many questions still outstanding on how this ‘new normal’ Continue reading The ‘new normal’: is this it? FAQs 28.10.2021
The ONE: is this the future of the European civil service?
*update 22.02.2022: we’re hearing that colleagues are changing DG in order to avoid open space/hot-desking. Is this you? Get in touch, we’d like to hear from you!*
No assigned desk and a cold pasta Bolognese from the vending machine: is this the future of the European civil service? If you want a glimpse of the latest building being showcased as the future the administration is designing for the EU civil service, come with us and visit ‘The ONE’, aka L107. This, the future workplace of some 1700 Commission staff from next year, comes not long after the dynamic open spaces set up in DG BUDG, DG TRADE, and is soon to be followed by the new Publications Office (OP) (POST-Mercier) and the Jean Monnet 2 (JMO2). Continue reading The ONE: is this the future of the European civil service?
The ‘new normal’: is this it? FAQs 11.10.2021
*This FAQs is superseded by 28.10.2021 version*
We had the second of a proposed two social dialogue meetings on the implementation of working time and hybrid working yesterday (Monday 11.10.2021). HR agreed to a third meeting: there are many questions still outstanding Continue reading The ‘new normal’: is this it? FAQs 11.10.2021
