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Case Study: Access to training

Linda has worked for ABC Ltd for seven years. She originally worked full-time, but following the birth of her second child last year, decided to work part-time. Linda works as an administrator in the main office for two days a week. The office is easily accessible by public transport and she has agreed with her line manager that she can work flexibly and start work at 9:30am, which allows her to drop her children off at nursery and school before coming to work.

When she was working full-time, Linda was kept informed about meetings and training courses. Since she reduced her hours, however, she feels that she is increasingly out of the loop and often only finds out the day before, or sometimes on the day itself, that she is expected to be in a meeting.

ABC Ltd recently upgraded its IT system and staff need training on how to use it. The office is extremely busy during the day so it was suggested that the training take place one evening after work.

Staff from the company’s other office will also be attending, so it was decided that the training be held at a hotel on the other side of town. The others in the team are happy to attend but as this is arranged over morning coffee on one of Linda’s days off, she doesn’t get told about it until the beginning of the following week – one day before the event.

Linda often struggles for childcare outside of school hours, as her family don’t live locally and her partner works shifts. She doesn’t drive, and the hotel is almost a mile away from the nearest bus stop. While attendance at this event is not essential, she is concerned that by not attending she will be at a disadvantage at work. As the only part-time administrator in the office, she already has less time than other staff to become familiar with the new system, and she is reluctant to rely on other members of staff to train her up, as it takes them away from their own work.

Linda approaches her line manager and tells her that she is happy to do the additional training but that she requires more notice to arrange childcare, and that ideally she would prefer the training to take place at a more accessible location. Her line manager is apologetic, and admits that as she is the only part-time member of staff in the office, she hadn't really given any thought to how the last minute arrangements would affect her. They agree that the training be relocated to the office, and will take place during work hours.

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