TO:      Campus Community

 

FR:       Pierre Wiltzius, Executive Dean, College of Letters and Science;

            Co-Chair, Chancellor’s Return to Campus Working Group

 

            Garry Mac Pherson, Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services;

            Co-Chair, Chancellor’s Return to Campus Working Group

 

            Lisa Romero, Interim Director, Human Resources

 

RE:       Flexible Work Arrangement Resources for Staff

 

As a follow-up to Chancellor Yang’s June Campus Planning Update, and as we anticipate the return of our students and the resumption of full on-campus operations this fall, Human Resources (HR) has developed a variety of resources and tools to assist staff and supervisors/managers with transition planning.

 

Staff who have been working remotely in response to the COVID-19 crisis should be in communication with their supervisors/managers regarding work arrangements for the transition period (July – August) with the expectation that normal on-campus operations will resume by September 1. Some units may need to begin on-site operations during the summer and therefore may need to require some employees to return sooner than September 1.  

 

Supervisors/managers are encouraged to exercise maximum flexibility during the summer transition period to assist staff with the return to campus.  

 

College, divisional, and administrative leadership should work with their departments and units to develop and communicate instructions for preparing and approving workplace plans.

 

This transition period gives us the opportunity to review and consider a variety of flexible work arrangements. Not all positions are conducive to flexible work arrangements, but as we embark on the process of reviewing our workplace practices and culture, we encourage our campus community to consider the possibilities using the following principles as a guide.

 

·        Ensure that all operational goals and needs are met, as well as the needs of key constituents and the broader campus community.

·        Integrate flexible work arrangements and scheduling where feasible into our operating model.

·        Supervisors and employees should consult about possible arrangements regarding work schedule and location. Decisions should involve local supervisors and divisional leadership approval. Work arrangements may not necessarily be permanent and should involve a trial period where the arrangement is reviewed after a reasonable period of time to assess whether it is meeting operational needs. Work arrangements will be reviewed at least annually (or sooner if organizational needs change) and may be adjusted by supervisors, generally with at least 30 days’ notice.

·        Provide advance notice of changes to current work arrangements.

·        Continue to review and adjust flexible staffing practices to adapt and make improvements where necessary, taking into account guidelines and practices that reflect changing conditions and operational needs.

 

We are pleased to share HR’s new webpage, Flexible Work Arrangements. The webpage is a compilation of accessible resources and tools for both staff and supervisors/managers to assist with evaluating the appropriateness of flexible work arrangements and ensure the adjustment to a new way of working is successful. Below is a list of some new resources specific to remote/hybrid arrangements.

 

Employee Resources: 

·        UCSB Remote/Hybrid Employee Proposal

·        Toolkit: Empowering Employees working remotely/hybrid (coming soon)

 

Supervisor/Manager Resources:

·        Department Readiness Audit Tool

·        UCSB Remote/Hybrid Position Assessment

·        Toolkit: Empowering Managers and Supervisors (coming soon)