Hybrid work guidelines

The objectives of the hybrid work program are to:

• Attract and retain staff by creating a more flexible workplace environment. 
• Positively impact student experience and outcomes through flexibility and the use of technology. 
• Optimize service levels, work quality, and productivity through flexibility and the use of technology. 
• Reduce carbon emissions through lower levels of commuting and strain on campus facilities. 
• Catalyze collaboration between UBC and its partners through normalizing remote interactions. 
• Promote and enable connections and balance across UBC campuses. 

Decisions regarding hybrid work arrangements must:

• ​​​​​​Prioritize the physical and mental health of students, faculty, and staff. 
• Promote the academic mission of the university, respecting faculty commitments to research, teaching, and service. 
• Centre around student experience and outcomes. 
• Respect and reflect the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion. 
• Sustain or improve service levels, quality of work, and productivity. 
• Protect culture, team dynamics, and the potential for creativity, innovation, and collaboration. 
• Maintain the vibrancy of our campuses and learning sites. 
• Optimize space utilization and consider financial sustainability. 
• Uphold the autonomy of units and teams in determining their work arrangements in alignment with the guidelines and other principles of the program. 
• Support an institutional approach and consistency in application, maintaining agility to pivot if and as required. 

• Faculty and staff are employed as campus-based employees, with hybrid work arrangements established based on agreement between the employee and the university.  
• Full-time permanent remote work will not be considered at this stage of the program. 
• Employees normally provided with equipment by the university and approved for hybrid work will be provided with the appropriate technology solution to perform their jobs effectively and securely. 
• Staff working remotely ensure and attest that the conditions are in place for them to work productively, safely, and securely, including space and bandwidth. 
• Deans, Vice-Presidents (VPs), and Associate Vice-Presidents (AVPs) are responsible for decisions made in respect of hybrid work for staff within their respective faculties and units. These responsibilities may be delegated to supervisors. 
• Where face-to-face interaction or physical presence is critical to the workplace experience, the Dean, VP, or AVP may decide that hybrid work arrangements are not suitable. 
• Considerations informing determination of staff and unit work arrangements include the need for or benefit from physical proximity to campus or others, in person collaboration, or access to specialized facilities, as well as the service and engagement expectations of others. 
• Hybrid work arrangements are approved on a case-by-case basis, and do not replace or eliminate the requirement for regular, in-person attendance. Staff approved for hybrid work understand they may be required to attend the workplace at any given time at their own expense. 
• Hybrid work arrangements can be an attraction and retention tool, especially in cases aligned with the principles of accessibility, equity, diversity, or inclusion.   
• Hybrid work arrangements can be reversed or amended, with appropriate notice and approvals, at the request of the employee or the university. 
• Except as expressly agreed, hybrid work does not change the terms and conditions of employment as set out in the employment agreement, and those terms and conditions will continue to apply. 
• Hybrid work does not apply to every position at the university as it is not suitable for certain roles or work performed. If some employees on a team are working in a hybrid arrangement and others are not, it is important to consider the impact that will have on team dynamics. 
• Where at least some team members are working in a hybrid arrangement, consideration should be given to intentional scheduling and use of on-campus time to support productivity, collaboration, workplace experience, and safety. 
• Managers should consider the work arrangements of their team members when determining their own arrangements to ensure appropriate on-campus support, engagement, and accessibility.  
• Remote and on-campus work are subject to the same regulatory and statutory obligations. Work that would normally be performed on campus within British Columbia (BC) must continue to be performed at a location within the province. Work that would normally be performed outside of BC as a job requirement (such as research, field work, instruction, or study or administrative leave) is not subject to this restriction. 
• The university will act in accordance with its collective agreements, working in partnership with AAPS and unions, and in accordance with the Human Rights Code. 
• The university must be able to defend its decisions using the criteria arising from labour law: reasonable, operationally justified, not arbitrary, and not discriminatory. 

When determining whether an individual position or role is suitable for hybrid work, use the following questions as a guide:

• Do the operational requirements of the role require it to be on campus?
• Is this role required to be on campus to support the student experience, research, or scholarly activity?
• Does the role require or benefit from an on-campus presence to be completed?
• Does the role require close physical proximity to others to be completed?
• Does the role require or benefit from face-to-face interaction?
• Does the role need access to research facilities that require it to be onsite?
• Does the role require access to specialized on-campus facilities or equipment?
• Is this role required to be or benefit from being on campus to support culture, teamwork, and employee engagement?
• Is there physical space for the role to be done on-campus?
• Will a hybrid work arrangement result in increased financial costs?
• Can the employee attest to the requirements for safe and secure hybrid work? 
• Have the safety requirements per WorkSafeBC (WSBC) been implemented?

More information to support decision-making is available on the Hybrid Work for Leaders page.