Teleworking

Oops … the Commission did it again! Illegal request on private phones

Data Protection, Health, New HR strategy, Newsletter – 2024-04-29, Staff Regulations Reform, Teleworking, Working conditions

It’s not even a month since the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) ordered the Commission to suspend illegal personal data flows and we see another such order coming.

Last December, the Commission launched a ‘business continuity’ exercise asking most colleagues (if not all, it was never clear) to provide their private mobile phone numbers to create Signal private messenger groups where they could be contacted for work matters. Continue reading Oops … the Commission did it again! Illegal request on private phones →

Operation Hiver – Winter is over

additional teleworking costs, building closures, Newsletter - 2024-04-11, office temperatures, Open Plan Office, Teleworking, Working conditions

*Update 15.10.2024, while we did receive a response from HR it did not provide the requested figures, we are following up on this. In the meantime, please continue to complain to your proximity team (Brussels/Luxembourg) if you suspect that your work area is below the minimum[*]: leave a paper trail!*

Original article: Winter is over and we have not yet received a reply to our note to HR and OIB/OIL asking for the year of data on office temperatures. Continue reading Operation Hiver – Winter is over →

From culture of trust to control freak

Data Protection, Health, New HR strategy, Newsletter - 2024-04-11, Open Plan Office, Staff Regulations Reform, Teleworking, Working conditions

*Update 27.02.2025: the question of whether managers can/should  use Teams/Skype or other status as an indication of your presence/availability has been raised repeatedly, particularly given that you might have a different status on each platform. Check out question 14 of the flexible working FAQs for written confirmation that this is not their intended use and that status is not a reliable indicator of presence or non-presence.* Continue reading From culture of trust to control freak →

High time for more flexible teleworking, also from abroad!

additional teleworking costs, New HR strategy, Newsletter - 2024-03-15, return to the office-new normal, Social Dialogue, Teleworking, teleworking from anywhere, Working conditions

The implementation of the Decision on Working Time and Hybrid Working (WTHW) was evaluated by DG HR at the end of 2023 and, while targeted actions are now expected, there will be no big revision, the promised flexibility is still one-sided. Generation 2004 was pleased to notice that the evaluation is overall very positive and that many managers also appreciated the enhanced flexibility of WTHW and made use themselves of the possibilities to better reconcile their private and professional lives. Continue reading High time for more flexible teleworking, also from abroad! →

Flexibility days 2024 now available to request

Leave, Newsletter - 2024-03-15, Part-time, Teleworking, Working conditions

*Update 09.03.2024: The 2025 days are also now known: 17 April Maundy Thursday, 18 April Good Friday and 30 May Day after Ascension Day.*

Original article: For those of you keen to plan the year ahead and organising things to look forward to, note that the 2024 flexibility days are now listed and available to request in sysper. These are the three public holidays every year where you can choose to work and have the days back as annual leave [1]. Perhaps this is not an option for you at the moment, but it’s good to know that this possibility exists. Continue reading Flexibility days 2024 now available to request →

Work groups on private mobile: voluntary?

'voluntold', Data Protection, New HR strategy, Newsletter - 2023-12-13, Standby duty, Teleworking, Working conditions

*Update 12.04.2024: On the processing of personal data: the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) European Commission’s use of Microsoft 365 infringes data protection law for EU institutions and bodies.* Original article: There’s a difference between the right to disconnect as presented in the working time and hybrid working (WTHW) decision and the reality for those being ‘encouraged’ (voluntold/expected)  to join messaging groups on their private mobile for ‘business continuity’. See our recent communication on this topic. The right to disconnect is in the 2022 WTHW decision and also its 2023 evaluation where it is acknowledged that more needs to be done. Continue reading Work groups on private mobile: voluntary? →

Operation Hiver – a contest for the coolest picture

additional teleworking costs, building closures, Newsletter - 2023-12-01, Newsletter - 2023-12-13, Newsletter - 2024-01-08, office temperatures, Open Plan Office, Teleworking, Working conditions

*Update 09.04.2024, here are the results of our contest, thanks to all who participated!*

*Update 08.03.2024 the gendered aspect of this debate has been around for a long time, we see no evidence that it is being addressed, please get in touch if you’ve seen anything to counter this! Overcooling of Offices reveals gender inequity in thermal comfort. and Here’s Why Your Office May Be Too Hot or Cold: Gender Bias.*

*Update 14.12.2023 As promised below, here is our note to HR and OIB/OIL asking for the year of data on office temperatures.*

Original article: Winter is coming. The official rhetoric is that the EU is committed to ambitious environmental goals Continue reading Operation Hiver – a contest for the coolest picture →

Brownie points, shattered dreams & utility-bill miracles

New HR strategy, Newsletter - 2023-12-01, Teleworking

*Update 27.02.2025: the question of whether managers can/should  use Teams/Skype or other status as an indication of your presence/availability has been raised repeatedly, particularly given that you might have a different status on each platform. Check out question 14 of the flexible working FAQs for written confirmation that this is not their intended use and that status is not a reliable indicator of presence or non-presence.* Continue reading Brownie points, shattered dreams & utility-bill miracles →

End-of-year checklist 2023

building closures, COVID-19, Health, IT kit for telework, Leave, Newsletter - 2023-12-01, Newsletter - 2023-12-13, PMO, Teleworking, Working conditions

In response to your feedback from last year, we send this list out a bit earlier in order to give you time to take action. We encourage you to do what you can now in order to be able to use the end-of-year period to rest and to recharge your batteries. This is not an opportunity to get work done!  Please, as far as you can, switch off your devices, mute notifications and disconnect: take the time for you. Continue reading End-of-year checklist 2023 →

Please use your 10 days of teleworking from outside the place of employment!

Leave, New HR strategy, Newsletter - 2023-10-10, Social Dialogue, Teleworking, teleworking from anywhere

*Update 26.08.2025 here’s the new link with instructions on how to encode those TWA days, note that even Blue Book trainees can have 5 days.*

Original article: If you still haven’t used up all your days of teleworking from anywhere (TWA)[*] do not forget to file the request in Sysper as soon as possible. Here’s how to do it. We know of no plans to extend the validity of the 2023 days beyond the end-of-year deadline (the 2021 days could be used until 15.01.2022). Please at least request your full 2023 quota of days, even if you’re not 100% sure that you’ll use them: HR is looking at how many days are left over. Continue reading Please use your 10 days of teleworking from outside the place of employment! →