"The new guidance states that all events must now be signed off by a senior civil servant before preparations begin. The changes also make clear that events should always take place outside working hours, unless they directly benefit the organisation, such as learning and development and in these instances, signoff from the line manager of attenders will be required for them to go to the event."
"Work to mend the relationship between civil servants and ministers, which deteriorated so badly under the last government, is undone when policy developments are briefed exclusively to media which have a long history of attacking the civil service. It risks staff feeling under attack at a time when once again they are being asked to do more with less."
New guidance requires senior civil servant signoff for all staff network events before preparations begin and instructs that events should occur outside working hours unless they directly benefit the organisation, such as for learning and development, in which case line manager approval is needed. The guidance warns networks may be suspended or ceased for non-compliance. The Cabinet Office cited concerns about inappropriate events as the reason for change. Unions and Whitehall experts welcomed clarity but warned that briefing the rules to the Telegraph risks civil servants feeling under attack and urged protection of equality, diversity and inclusion commitments.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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