Community-based worker

A community-based worker spends most of their time working in the wider community.

Community-based workers:

  • spend most of their time in the wider community
  • work where the users of a service are, not where the 'office' is
  • are likely to have some computer and desk-based work
  • are typically not tied to a specific desk or workplace

Your role may involve client meetings, visits, project work and reports. You could work with both internal and external customers.

You will often meet people in person and will use Microsoft Teams and email to communicate with colleagues and service users.

Examples of community-based workers are social workers and care coordinators.

Where you can work 

You have a designated office location written into your employment contract, known as your 'admin base'. This does not stop you from using workspaces elsewhere.

Your role usually requires you to be mobile and travel to different locations to work with service users and you may be able to work from: 

  • home
  • your 'admin base'
  • another ECC location
  • our partner's building

You could also temporarily work from other locations like local libraries, co-working spaces and coffee shops.

When you're in a public space, make sure your screen cannot be seen by others and you cannot be overheard having confidential conversations.

To work from home, you'll need a quiet area that is secure and suitable for a workstation. Before you can work from home, you and your manager must complete the wo​rking from home checklist (DOC, 68 KB).

You may be able to work at other locations or at home for certain tasks or limited days or hours, with agreement from your line manager.  

Your working hours 

You may be able to agree with your manager to work flexible hours, depending on your role. 

Your manager may allow you to start and finish a little earlier or later for example. Someone in your team must be able to cover those hours. You'll still need to work the number of hours set out in your contract of employment.

If you need to permanently change your hours of work, for example from full time to part time, you'll need to follow the information in the formal right to request flexible working guidance.​

If you change roles  

Your agreed workstyle and workstyle personalisation​  relate to your current role. 

If you apply internally for another role, you must apply for it on the basis of the working pattern and location outlined in the job advertisement. 

If you have a work arrangement passport because of a disability or caring arrangement, this will continue, where reasonable. ​