Civil servants have spent the weekend advising each other on how to stay out of the office. In case co-conspirators thought there was any discipline in there…
Sometimes Guido looks at the Civil Service subreddit which provides rare entertainment. On Saturday one civil servant – in the office three days per week – asked for advice after his senior took issue with his novel interpretation of the 60% office attendance rule:
“I tend to do around 4 hours of a 7.5 hour day in the office, before using an early lunch to commute home. It’s not ideal, but it’s the way that works best for me seeing as I have a 40 minute commute each way and quite honestly would rather not be in the office at all. I’m an early starter, so getting in for when the office opens means I can theoretically leave by 11:00… For the past few months, I’d been being hounded by my previous manager and Director of that area, constantly asking why I’m leaving ‘early’, even though I’m achieving the 60% and following the guidance of ‘the majority’, albeit by the minimum amount… [now] the Director from my old directorate is still messaging me on teams asking why I’m leaving so early.”
Many others have chipped in since then:
Enough tips and tricks to keep getting away with it for a few more years at least. Some non-blockhead civil servants pointed out: “Doing 3 half days in office = 30% a week not 60%“. UK DOGE is ready to deal with this sort of thing…
Kemi Badenoch at the 1922-ConHome bash last night:
“I did praise [Burnham] for his stamina, it was amazing. All I had to do was sit back and lie there. I didn’t have to do anything at all…”