| UBC Human Resources

April 9, 2021

April 1, 2021 General Wage Increase (GWI) has been implemented

Hybrid work for leaders

Set your hybrid team up for success. Understand the key considerations and access resources for leaders.

Whether working on campus or remotely, collectively we make UBC an inspiring place for students to learn, as well as for faculty and staff to research, teach and work.

Hybrid Work Agreements must follow the hybrid work program objectives, principles, guidelines and considerations. As a leader, you are expected to decide if hybrid work is suitable for your interested employees and your broader team. Ensure that agreements are completed and reviewed annually.

Steps for creating a Hybrid Work Agreement

The hybrid work program requires a formal agreement between a supervisor and a staff member who reports to them. The agreement ensures that the university is meeting all obligations under WorkSafeBC, and that both supervisors and employees are considering all aspects of a Hybrid Work Agreement.

If you have staff who wish to participate in the hybrid work program, follow these steps to determine an appropriate plan for your unit.

Familiarize yourself with the hybrid work guidelines, and ensure staff have also reviewed the guidelines as well as the hybrid work for staff information.
Have individual conversations with employees who wish to participate in the program.
Use the decision-making resources below to help you determine whether hybrid work is appropriate for each interested employee.
- Contact your Senior HR Leader if you require additional decision-making support.
Draft a team schedule for on-campus and remote days and share it with employees in your unit to receive any further feedback.
Have eligible employees complete the request for a Hybrid Work Agreement in Workday.
- See Request Hybrid Work Agreement in the Workday Knowledge Base for step-by-step instructions.
Review and approve the Hybrid Work Agreement in Workday.
- See Review/Approve Request for Hybrid Work Agreement in the Workday Knowledge Base for step-by-step instructions.
Monitor and evaluate your unit’s Hybrid Work Agreements on a regular basis, and adjust as needed. Ensure Hybrid Work Agreements are completed by staff who are eligible for the program, review annually, and update accordingly through Workday.

Decision-making resources and tips

When determining whether an individual position or role is suitable for hybrid work, use the following decision-making resources and tips.

Decision-making tool

Example of criteria for different work agreements

On campus	Partly remote	Largely remote
Work that must be done on campus 100% of the time: Requires or benefits from regular in-person contact with students or needs to be on-campus all the time to support student experience, or Is engaged in essential campus-based research activity, including animal care and equipment fabrication or maintenance, or Requires or benefits from face-to-face interaction or in-person collaboration or communication, or Requires specialized campus-based facilities to complete essential work or to fulfil regulatory obligations or service requirements, or Requires regular access to confidential information that must be secured on campus, or Is performed by an employee unable to attest to a safe, secure, and appropriate remote workspace AND Can be performed safely on campus	Work that requires significant campus attendance: Requires or benefits from in-person interaction with students some of the time, or Is engaged some of the time in essential campus-based research activity, including animal care and equipment fabrication or maintenance, or Requires or benefits some of the time from face-to-face interaction or in-person collaboration or communication	Work that can be done remotely MOST of the time: Does not require in-person interaction with students, and Is not engaged in activities that require access to on-site facilities or equipment, and Does not require or benefit from face-to-face interaction or in-person collaboration or communication, relying rather on high levels of independence, and Can be performed at consistently high level, with no expectation from students, other staff, or partners to be on campus, and Is performed by an employee able to ensure a safe remote work environment and adhere to all privacy and security protocols

On campus

Partly remote

Largely remote

Work that must be done on campus 100% of the time:

Requires or benefits from regular in-person contact with students or needs to be on-campus all the time to support student experience, or
Is engaged in essential campus-based research activity, including animal care and equipment fabrication or maintenance, or
Requires or benefits from face-to-face interaction or in-person collaboration or communication, or
Requires specialized campus-based facilities to complete essential work or to fulfil regulatory obligations or service requirements, or
Requires regular access to confidential information that must be secured on campus, or
Is performed by an employee unable to attest to a safe, secure, and appropriate remote workspace

AND

Can be performed safely on campus

Work that requires significant campus attendance:

Requires or benefits from in-person interaction with students some of the time, or
Is engaged some of the time in essential campus-based research activity, including animal care and equipment fabrication or maintenance, or
Requires or benefits some of the time from face-to-face interaction or in-person collaboration or communication

Work that can be done remotely MOST of the time:

Does not require in-person interaction with students, and
Is not engaged in activities that require access to on-site facilities or equipment, and
Does not require or benefit from face-to-face interaction or in-person collaboration or communication, relying rather on high levels of independence, and
Can be performed at consistently high level, with no expectation from students, other staff, or partners to be on campus, and
Is performed by an employee able to ensure a safe remote work environment and adhere to all privacy and security protocols

Decision-making considerations

On campus	Partly remote	Largely remote
Work that must be done on campus 100% of the time Dedicated workspace (desk/office) Onsite technology Leaders required to be onsite most of the time Leaders manage onsite workforce Leaders may have a hybrid team and require tools for managing hybrid workforce Local onboarding is on-campus Employee experience maintains strong connection to physical campus Career and promotions per normal course Leaders intentionally check-in with remote and/or on-campus team members and their mental health	Work that requires significant campus attendance Range of on campus solutions for space from dedicated, shared, hot desk Hybrid technology required Leaders required to mirror their team’s workstyle (on and off campus) Leaders require training for managing hybrid workforce Local onboarding is hybrid Employee experience maintains strong connection to physical campus Intentional thinking about outcome based goals, career and promotions WSBC for home offices & on-campus work location Leaders intentionally check-in with remote and/or on-campus team members and their mental health	Work that can be done remotely most of the time Hot desk, no dedicated space Hybrid or home tech required Leaders have more flexibility for remote work Leaders require training for managing hybrid workforce Local onboarding is virtual or customized to role Employee experience maintains connections/ relationships in a mostly remote environment Intentional thinking about outcome-based goals, career and promotions WSBC for home offices Leaders intentionally check-in with remote and/or on-campus team members and their mental health

On campus

Partly remote

Largely remote

Work that must be done on campus 100% of the time

Dedicated workspace (desk/office)
Onsite technology
Leaders required to be onsite most of the time
Leaders manage onsite workforce
Leaders may have a hybrid team and require tools for managing hybrid workforce
Local onboarding is on-campus
Employee experience maintains strong connection to physical campus
Career and promotions per normal course
Leaders intentionally check-in with remote and/or on-campus team members and their mental health

Work that requires significant campus attendance

Range of on campus solutions for space from dedicated, shared, hot desk
Hybrid technology required
Leaders required to mirror their team’s workstyle (on and off campus)
Leaders require training for managing hybrid workforce
Local onboarding is hybrid
Employee experience maintains strong connection to physical campus
Intentional thinking about outcome based goals, career and promotions
WSBC for home offices & on-campus work location
Leaders intentionally check-in with remote and/or on-campus team members and their mental health

Work that can be done remotely most of the time

Hot desk, no dedicated space
Hybrid or home tech required
Leaders have more flexibility for remote work
Leaders require training for managing hybrid workforce
Local onboarding is virtual or customized to role
Employee experience maintains connections/ relationships in a mostly remote environment
Intentional thinking about outcome-based goals, career and promotions
WSBC for home offices
Leaders intentionally check-in with remote and/or on-campus team members and their mental health

Leading and supporting your team

Cultivating an inclusive, connected and effective team is an important part of the hybrid work program. Review the resources below to support you as a leader day-to-day.

Considerations and tips for hybrid teams

Workspace and schedules

Workplace accommodations

Enabling success

Leading hybrid teams

Reviewing, changing, or ending a Hybrid Work Agreement

Sometimes Hybrid Work Agreements will need to be reviewed, changed, or come to an end. If an employee wishes to increase or decrease the hours of remote work, it will be up to you to determine whether the request meets the guidelines and your operational needs. If an employee or supervisor wishes to end the agreement, appropriate notice must be provided by the employee or the supervisor. Normally this notice would be two weeks, to allow enough time to arrange for employees to be in the workplace on an increased or full-time basis. The notice period can be amended based on mutual agreement and operational considerations.

Additionally, please review annually, and if any changes to your hybrid work schedule are needed, please update accordingly through Workday following the step-by-step instructions available in the Request Hybrid Work Agreement Workday Knowledge Base Article (CWL required).

Hybrid work for staff

Learn about the hybrid work program and resources available for staff at UBC.

Whether working on campus or remotely, collectively we make UBC an inspiring place for students to learn, as well as for faculty and staff to research, teach and work.

Hybrid work agreements must follow the hybrid work program objectives, principles, guidelines and considerations. After reviewing the information on this page, staff who are interested in hybrid work are encouraged to speak with their supervisor or manager. Leaders will then consider the agreements of the individual as well as the team.

Note that Hybrid Work Agreements are intended to be reviewed and updated annually.

Steps for getting started

If you wish to participate in the program, follow these steps:

Familiarize yourself with the information on this page, and with the hybrid work guidelines.
Have an informed conversation with your supervisor. Your conversation should also include:
- clarity about which days you would like to work remotely,
- any barriers that may prevent you from performing your duties effectively.
Your manager will decide if a Hybrid Work Agreement is suitable for your role. Once you have discussed options with your supervisor and come to an understanding, complete a Hybrid Work Agreement in Workday.
Review and update this agreement annually with your manager.

Setting up a Hybrid Work Agreement

The hybrid work program requires an agreement between you and your supervisor. The agreement ensures that the university is meeting all obligations under WorkSafeBC, and that both supervisor and employees are considering all aspects related to a Hybrid Work Agreement.

Please ensure your Hybrid Work Agreement is complete and reviewed annually. If any changes to your hybrid work schedule are needed, please update accordingly through Workday.

To create a Hybrid Work Agreement in Workday, follow the step-by-step instructions available in the Request Hybrid Work Agreement Workday Knowledge Base Article (CWL required).

Computer equipment

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.

Supporting hybrid work

Considerations and tips for hybrid working

Reviewing, changing, or ending a hybrid work agreement

Sometimes hybrid work agreements will need to be reviewed, change, or come to an end. We recommend reviewing the agreed upon hybrid work agreements on a regular basis to ensure they are working for all parties.

Where changes are required, it is preferable for either a supervisor or an employee to provide notice in advance of changing or ending the agreement. If you wish to increase or decrease your hours of remote work, you will need to first have a conversation with your supervisor and come to an agreement. The Hybrid Work Agreement in Workday may need to be updated.

You or your supervisor must provide appropriate notice if either wish to end a hybrid work agreement. Notice should ideally be at least two weeks to ensure there is enough time to make agreements for you to be in the workplace on an increased or full-time basis. The notice period can be amended based on mutual agreement and operational considerations.

April 8, 2021

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Steps for creating a Hybrid Work Agreement

Decision-making resources and tips

Decision-making tool

Example of criteria for different work agreements

On campus

Partly remote

Largely remote

Decision-making considerations

On campus

Partly remote

Largely remote

Hybrid Work Computer Equipment Considerations

Computer equipment provided

Leading and supporting your team

Mental Health Support

Learning resources

Inclusive recruiting

Remote onboarding

Considerations and tips for hybrid teams

Workspace and schedules

Absences

Workplace accommodations

Safety

Connect through dialogue and feedback

Enabling success

Foster engagement

Leading hybrid teams

Reviewing, changing, or ending a Hybrid Work Agreement

Steps for getting started

Setting up a Hybrid Work Agreement

Computer equipment

Supporting hybrid work

mental health support

Learning resources

Considerations and tips for hybrid working

Setting up your remote workspace

Absences

Workplace accommodations

Stay connected and engaged

Encourage collaboration

Reviewing, changing, or ending a hybrid work agreement

BCGEU Child Care

BCGEU Okanagan

CUPE 116

CUPE 116 - Aquatic Centre

CUPE 2278

CUPE 2950

Executive Administrative Staff

Farm Workers

IUOE 115

Management and Professional (annual)

Management and Professional (monthly)

Non-union Technicians and Research Assistants

UBC Human Resources