Hybrid work for leaders

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 remote work? 
• Have the safety requirements per WorkSafeBC (WSBC) been implemented?

When setting up a hybrid work arrangement, the Department/ Unit is responsible for:

• working with the local IT team/ UBC IT to determine equipment needs,
• the containment of cost,
• preservation of data,
• adherence to security policy SC14 and other applicable standards,
• the staff/faculty has proper network connectivity, and
• the staff/faculty has sufficient physical space to meet work requirements, and
• IT support for UBC equipment is provided by local IT teams or UBC IT.

For more information view UBC IT’s Guide to Working off Campus.

Computer equipment provided

UBC will provide computer equipment to staff and faculty eligible for hybrid work. Equipment will be for one location only.

Personal equipment can be used but it needs to meet all licensing, security and privacy requirements. This is not recommended as a permanent technology solution as there can be challenges in providing adequate IT support.

Offsite workspaces are considered an extension of the university’s workplace and therefore are subject to and governed by applicable workers’ compensation legislation and WorkSafeBC Guidelines. Faculty and staff are expected to comply with normal reporting requirements for any work-related accident or injury. Additionally, they shall:

• Set up their workstation ergonomically to increase comfort, productivity, and reduce injury risk. Resources including checklists, training, and ergonomics assessments are available through the Ergonomics program. 
• Have a suitable and secure off-site workspace at their own expense with the exception of the items listed.
• Have an internet connection that’s adequate for their work.
• Dedicate their full attention to their role’s duties and responsibilities during working hours.
• Adhere to break and attendance schedules agreed upon with their supervisor, where required.
• Ensure their schedules overlap with those of their colleagues for as long as is necessary to complete their duties and responsibilities effectively.
• Working alone policies still apply, and check-in and other procedures are required if the individual is working alone or in isolation.

Standard absence reporting procedures continue to apply.

Standard UBC workplace accommodation and return-to-work processes continue to apply, including the requirement for sufficient medical or other documentation to support workplace accommodation requests.

If an employee requests a workplace accommodation related to working remotely, make reasonable efforts to listen and understand the individual’s perspective. If it is possible to support the employee’s request with simple modifications, make the changes necessary. If the request is more complex, you may seek support from Workplace Health Services or your HR department.

Safety standards and practices still apply during remote work. Review these safety resources:

• Learn how to report an accident/incident at UBC. 
• Review standards outlined by WorkSafeBC to ensure a healthy and safe workspace when working remotely. 
• Procedure for situations where a person is assigned to work alone or in isolation and where assistance would not readily be available.

Building relationships may be more difficult when working remotely than in face-to-face environments. More thought and planning are often required. Putting a plan in place that includes setting goals, maintaining effective communication, and providing/receiving feedback is key to an effective employment relationship and a successful hybrid work arrangement.  

• Implement practices that support authentic, two-way dialogue, effective collaboration, and that suit your team’s dynamics.  
• Increase your comfort giving and receiving feedback.  
• Ensure misaligned work, conflict or performance issues are discussed early and pursued until resolved.  
• Help set work goals for your staff and manage their performance and professional development.
• Determine a structure for staying in regular communication.​​​

Consider strengthening the following evidence-based skills and attributes to optimize the way you lead and work in remote environments.

• Communication: Strengthen communication with your team through frequent and consistent engagement in an authentic, multi-dimensional and collaborative style
• Team dynamics: Enable connection through building awareness, accountability, recognition and creating comfort and a safe space for sharing
• Goal setting: Focus on outcomes, flexibility, and individual and team measures and metrics
• Empathy: Cultivate empathy through encouragement, active listening, open mindedness, and curiosity
• Trust: Promote trust through inclusive leadership, authentic conversations, valuing diversity, and fostering psychological safety
• Adaptability and agility: Navigate complexity, through strengthening resilience, cultivating learning agility and developing personal adaptability 

Working remotely provides fewer opportunities for the spontaneous interactions with colleagues that happen on campus, such as hallway or coffee room conversations, during lunch breaks, or when walking across campus. It is important to implement strategies that will keep individuals and teams engaged when working remotely. Remind employees about how the work they do contributes to UBC’s mandate and goals outlined in the university’s strategic plan.

• Have a discussion with your employees about the right work arrangements for them to be successful.  
• Adopt listening tools (pulse surveys, exit interviews, stay interviews, and open anonymous networking tools) to hear what is/is not working throughout the entire employee lifecycle.  
• Build in connection to UBC events and strategic priorities into your conversations and meetings.  
• Encourage social connections with team members and other members of the UBC community, such as coffee chats or online social gatherings. Regularly review team progress and celebrate successes.  

Leading hybrid teams effectively requires thinking through and implementing structures and processes to manage performance, keep people connected, maintain team dynamics, and create an inclusive work environment. 

• Think about the whole group when considering work arrangements for individuals who report to you. 
• Consider differences in your team members’ needs if your team is working remotely or is a blended team where some work on and off campus. 
• Set clear goals and benchmarks with your team members to ensure common understanding regarding performance expectations. Consider implementing regular check-in meetings. 
• Set up regular 1:1 meetings and team meetings, using the modes of communication that work best for your team. Intentionally and regularly inquire about what is working and where people are having challenges with the work arrangements. Explore solutions with direct reports and collaboratively within teams when appropriate.
• Shift to outcome-based performance reviews by focusing on work outcomes rather than time spent working.   
• Consider implementing focus sprints. A focus sprint is a day and time scheduled within your team (e.g. Monday afternoons from 1 p.m. onwards) where there are no meetings scheduled. This facilitates increased focus by team members and reduces context switching between attending or leading meetings and communicating in collaborative platforms. Team members can be encouraged to complete outstanding tasks or those requiring intense focus (e.g. writing). 
• Develop strategies, enhance your own learning, or use available resources to support healthy, inclusive, psychologically safe, productive, and respectful team dynamics with varying levels of contact.