CSC adopts flexible work arrangement

Chairperson Karlo Alexi Nograles of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) | File photo from the Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau

MANILA, Philippines — The Civil Service Commission (CSC) has introduced a hybrid work arrangement for its central and regional offices across the country, consisting of four days onsite and one day remote each week, effective August 1, 2024.

CSC Chairperson Karlo Nograles announced that, under CSC Resolution No. 2400579 which, outlines the Internal Guidelines on the Adoption of Flexible Work Arrangements (FWA) issued on July 10, 2024, all CSC officials and employees are encouraged to observe Friday as the uniform remote day in the central and regional offices while ensuring continuous delivery of external frontline services from Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“As the central human resource (HR) agency of the government, the CSC is committed to leading the way in adopting sustainable HR management practices that contribute to climate change mitigation measures,” Nograles said in a press release.

“At the same time, we shall set an example by ensuring that the service provided to our stakeholders and the general public remains uninterrupted, even amidst the hybrid work arrangement,” he noted.

He added that offices delivering frontline services to the public would maintain onsite staff from Monday to Friday to ensure uninterrupted public service during official work hours.

External frontline service providers at the CSC Central Office include the Integrated Records Management Office, Information and Communications Technology Office, Public Assistance and Information Office, Office for Financial and Assets Management, Office for Legal Affairs, and the Examination Recruitment and Placement Office.

Meanwhile, the regional offices will determine their external frontline staff.

The CSC’s Internal Guidelines on FWA are in line with the CSC Resolution No. 220209 — the Policies on Flexible Work Arrangements in the Government promulgated on May 18, 2022 and circularized via CSC Memorandum Circular No. 6, s. 2022.

These guidelines aim to institutionalize suitable work arrangements for government officials and employees while ensuring the protection of their health, safety, and welfare.

Additionally, the new policy aligns with the government’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Measures outlined in the Government Energy Management Program.

Specifically, the Inter-Agency Energy Efficiency and Conservation Committee Resolution No. 7, s. 2023 advocates for the implementation of FWA in government entities “to minimize the impact of steep global prices of petroleum products, reduce the consumption of both electricity and fuel of the whole government, and alleviate traffic congestion.”

Under the CSC FWA policy, CSC officials and employees may avail of the FWA and render 40 hours of service in a week regardless of employment status: permanent, temporary, coterminous, casual, or contractual.

The FWA also applies to contract of service and job order workers, in accordance with the provisions allowed in their contracts and existing accounting, budgeting, and auditing rules and regulations.

“We are optimistic that this policy will uplift the morale and boost the productivity of CSC employees by providing reasonable work arrangements that facilitate work-life balance,” Nograles said.

“We hope this will inspire other government agencies to appreciate the benefits of a hybrid work setup in driving employee well-being and performance,” he added.