WFH bosses to lose bonuses

CIVIL SERVICE managers who fail to get staff back into the office face losing their bonuses under plans being considered by Downing Street.

John Glen, the Cabinet Office Minister, will unveil a fresh crackdown on Whitehall’s working from home culture in a speech today. He will warn government departments that they must boost their productivity and “do more with less” in an address to a leading think tank. He is set to announce a major review into how the performance of senior civil servants is graded as part of the new efficiency drive.

Under the plans “making full use of offices” would be “factored into” annual performance reviews, the Government said in a statement. The change raises the prospect that managers could be marked down if they fail to get enough of their staff back into the office. Only mandarins who achieve the top grade, meaning that they have exceeded expectations, can claim bonuses of up to £17,500 a year.

Mr Glen is expected to argue that getting officials back behind their desks is “the right way to deliver for the taxpayer and develop new talent”. He will point to an internal survey of 30,700 civil servants which shows staff learn more when in the office compared with working from home.

Addressing the Institute of Government’s annual conference, he will say: “The Civil Service and the work it does impacts all of our lives in so many ways, we must therefore ensure it is fit for purpose for the long term, and delivers efficiently and effectively.”

Downing Street set a target in November that states mandarins should be behind their desks for at least 60 per cent of the week. According to the latest data, three quarters of ministries are now meeting that expectation.