Post Covid

[Carl]

Of course Covid is not over yet by a long way. However, I got to thinking today that we have a lot of staff that I can see may never return to work, and in fact the roles they play may no longer exist. This will stretch across the whole organisation with quite a few jobs lost. 

An easy example of this, is our canteen staff who are currently furloghed. However with no signs of canteens opening anytime soon and the furlough coming to an end, I fear the future for these staff is not good. 

Has any service reduced their staff in a similar way yet, or are you like ourselves hanging in there and hoping for the best. 

The future is certainly going to be very different.

[Becile]

@Carl, we haven’t reduced our staff any, but shq is strangely empty nearly all the time of support staff who are now remote working, On the occasions I,ve had to have a meeting via teams or phone call, they miss the interaction and fire service banter that their previous environment had. Not entirely sure of our remote productivity , but it definitely takes longer to get answers sometimes (I,m old fashioned and would walk to their office rather than email, also gives an opportunity for the well being bit, which can be hit and miss remotely )

[Rory-495]

We raised a question with the majority of LFB HQ staff working from home it begs the question,  why we pay so much for real estate in central London. Enough stations have office space available or a hq could be relocated to be a similar purpose built site like WMFSs site which I would often pass as a kid.

I get that being central is convenient,  but surely cost in these times is more logical? When I get sent on a 3 hour drive to Beckton on a course I don't think "at least HQ is in the middle!"

I just think the success we have had in maintaining effective ops with remote learning has proven we don't need a central corporate HQ

[Carl]

It's an interesting one in terms of the estate. We have some stations with some empty rooms and its now being looked into whether we can put these to good use and perhaps close other buildings. This was pretty much part of my original redone for posting this really. As well as staff streamlining, building may also have to be utilised better. 

I still think all services should have a HQ of some description, if not only for an identity. Can see overseas visitors turning up to an upstairs of a station to see the CFO. You never know though. 😂

[Matt]

I think there will be a massive reduction in estates of companies, why pay to have a nearly empty building when you can get something smaller that serves the same purpose.

Remote working will be the way forward, new to many not to others, staff are more productive without the interruptions but that interaction isn't the same.  Those who live on Teams you can make more use of your time that travelling for meeting but sometimes face to face is better.

I started a new job at the beginning of March so landed at the wrong time, luckily the organisation wasn't new to me but it has raised valid points, I now spend 1 day a week in the office on a rota for a presence and its nice to get out, saves me a ton of travelling and money but it can be frustrating stuck at home.  It has certainly made the organisation look at how staff work and lots of positive points come out of it, they have realised they can trust staff to do the job elsewhere, I think we must have 6 or 7 buildings that are barely open at the minute and its just money going down the pan, the building, utilities, cost of stuff in there, the IT costs for connections etc all adds up, when you can pump that money into budgets elsewhere it can make a difference.

Brings you onto the next point, obviously certain towns areas who have a population of office workers that are not there, reduction in fire calls in that area, potentially if this is long term, you can see it coming why keep that station open, the only benefit is pumps could be moved to those residential areas where the risk goes up with staff working from home, noticed that around here in early lock down where the jobs were coming in.

[Rory-495]

Talking about having a proper place to receive visitors. My old job was at a warehouse in an massive industrial estate. I worked in the customer relations department and our offices (and directors offices) were plush!  You could easily set something up for LFB on the multitude of sites across London instead of Southwark! This would be much more feasible than a building in central London 

[Carl]

On 27/08/2020 at 01:20, Carl said:

Of course Covid is not over yet by a long way

I wondered if I had any idea when it would get better when I typed that ? Certainly still seems like a good while off.

[Aspire]

On 27/08/2020 at 18:41, Rory-495 said:

We raised a question with the majority of LFB HQ staff working from home it begs the question,  why we pay so much for real estate in central London.

Organisational ego.

On 27/08/2020 at 19:08, Carl said:

I still think all services should have a HQ of some description, if not only for an identity. Can see overseas visitors turning up to an upstairs of a station to see the CFO. You never know though. 😂

We used to have area HQ’s, and technically still do, where the DAC’s (Area Commander’s) and their area teams are based. Lewisham in the South East, Hammersmith SW, Wembley NE and Stratford NE. 

With a little bit of refurbishment, these locations could easily be good enough to host the infrequent overseas visitors.

We have so much under utilised estate, including our old HQ.... its mind boggling.

[LFB92]

@Aspirewith the re development of Lambeth looking less and less likely, you would think they might consider returning HQ to Lambeth.

Would save the brigade a fortune but unfortunately also means upper management using common sense...

[Messyshaw]

1 hour ago, LFB92 said:

@Aspirewith the re development of Lambeth looking less and less likely

Really? Whats happened with those plans for HQ????

I just think covid has accelerated the social change that was always going to happen. From online shopping, to the demise of physical cash.

Reducing bums on seats in Head Office buildings was always going to happen, it will just happen more quickly 

The Govt Estate in Westminster (opp Lambeth)  has been slashed and 1000s of flats built instead. City centres are changing - Canary Wharf will be full of bedsits within 15 years 🤔

[LFB92]

Secretary of state has called in the planning permission. According to those more in the know than myself he seems to be against the plans. 

The fire station the developers have planned is also not fit for purpose and one of the hotel chains due to be on the site have pulled out.

[TrainHardFightEasy]

With more people working from home this could be the making of the RDS.

[TandA]

With regard to the RDS, we have certainly seen more interest in joining the on call locally and our appliance availability has gone up with everyone losing jobs / furloughed / working from home during lockdown.  I don’t know how much of that will last once (if) things return to near normal.  Some people will undoubtedly continue to work from home, at least partially, in the long term as the attitude to home working has changed significantly but saving the RDS will take a second big change of attitude in that you can work from home but unless your employer lets you respond to calls, you still can’t provide day cover to keep pumps on.