Civil servants could get an extra hour off to boost ‘wellbeing’

SCOTLAND’S civil servants could be given extra time off work – while still being paid – to help improve their ‘wellbeing’.

Under plans being considered by the Scottish Government, thousands of staff would be allowed to take an additional hour off each week to enjoy a healthy activity, such as a walk or meditating.

North of the Border, civil servants already enjoy up to two months’ holiday a year and many choose to work flexibly or from home.

The move would see up to 750,000 hours of Government work a year shelved – at taxpayers’ expense – to allow workers additional leisure time. The lost hours would equate to paying around 400 full-time staff to do nothing for a year.

John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance campaign group, said: ‘We all wish we could have some time to get away from the stress of daily life but giving extra time off to civil servants is going way too far. Public sector workers are already better remunerated, on average, than those in the private sector whose taxes will have to foot the bill for this extra time off. That’s completely unfair.’

The plan was disclosed in a recent email sent to staff by Leslie Evans, head of the Scottish civil service.

She said that discussions are ongoing with counterparts in the Welsh Government, which introduced a ‘health and wellbeing hour’ earlier this year. Staff can take an extra 60 minutes off per week, either in one go or split up over several days.

An evaluation of the scheme by the Prospect trade union found that Government staff enjoyed walks, jogging, pilates classes, mindfulness sessions or going to the gym.

Scotland’s 5,900 core civil servants already enjoy favourable employment terms. Their 42-hour week includes five hours ringfenced for lunch breaks and flexible working is also available.

They have five weeks’ holiday built into their contracts, rising to six weeks after five years’ service. Staff are also entitled to 11.5 public holiday days a year, which means many civil servants are on paid leave for two months of the year.

In April, they were also awarded a 4 per cent pay rise.

The Scottish Government confirmed that, if introduced, the wellbeing hour could also extend to 11,500 staff working in agencies, such as Transport Scotland and the Scottish Prison Service, and nonministerial departments including Revenue Scotland and Food Standards Scotland.

A spokesman said: ‘We are in touch with colleagues at the Welsh Government to find out more about their “wellbeing hour” initiative and the potential health benefits.’

A spokesman for Dame Shan Morgan, the permanent secretary to the Welsh Government, said: ‘Employees have given positive feedback to the initiative.’