Hybrid Work Program
A key organizational priority at the University of Calgary is to develop a long-term approach to hybrid working. Hybrid work is the flexibility to balance working onsite with working remotely.
February 2023
In March 2020, remote working became a necessity globally. Employees who could work from home were expected to do so with limited consideration of individual circumstances or employer needs.
Throughout 2022 the university was operating in a transitory period whereby faculties and units were encouraged to evaluate various working arrangements to ensure our longer-term approach to hybrid work was not solely focused on our pandemic experience.
During this hybrid work trial period, in-depth employee and leadership engagement was conducted that included the following:
- A comprehensive survey (2,700 respondents; see results here)
- Leader and employee focus groups (120 attendees)
- Consultation with a University of Calgary organizational researcher and expert in Hybrid/Remote work
- Consultation with the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
- Consultation with Support Staff (AUPE) and Management and Professional (MaPS) executive
- An environmental scan of comparable organizations (e.g., City of Calgary, Mount Royal University, University of Alberta, Alberta Health Services)
- Senior Leadership Team feedback sessions and individual discussions
- Executive Leadership Team review, discussion, and approval
The most common feedback received throughout the engagement was the request to develop a university-wide guideline to provide consistency, while also providing flexibility for faculties and units to take an approach that meets their unique needs.
The Hybrid Work Program considers the university’s needs as a predominantly in-person learning and research institution, balanced with a changing workplace landscape that requires flexibility to retain and engage our staff. This program provides leaders and employees with the resources to implement hybrid work arrangements that ensure operational, team, and service responsibilities are met while promoting a balance between work and personal commitments.
The effective date of the program is March 1, 2023. Following implementation, there will be optional leader training sessions and employee information sessions. Dates and times for each can be found below. By March 1, a variety of supplemental resources will be available to staff and leaders on this website.
Timeline
Although we will attempt to adhere to the timelines, please note they are subject to change.
| DATE | ACTION |
|---|---|
| Fall 2021 | Establish cross-functional project team and working group |
| May 2022 | Distribute leader and employee surveys to campus community |
| June 2022 | Analyze survey results |
| July - August 2022 | Develop draft Hybrid Work Program Guidelines |
| October 2022 | Focus groups |
| November 2022 | Program revisions |
| December 2022 - January 2023 | Program review and approval |
| Early 2023 | Implementation |
| TBD | Program evaluation |
Resources
Resources have been created to support the Hybrid Work Program.
The university recognizes the pandemic has changed individual perspectives and preferences with regards to where work can occur. Furthermore, our faculty and staff have demonstrated that remote working can be done very effectively and has its own benefits.
The Hybrid Work Program (the “Program”) establishes the university’s commitment to a balance of these perspectives.
This Statement of Understanding will establish clear parameters between the leader and employee regarding hybrid work arrangements.
The Employee Discussion Considerations document is for employees to assess the applicability of a hybrid work arrangement to their role. Employees are encouraged to review all the considerations in this document and self-assess prior to meeting with their leader, to support an in-depth, informed, and productive discussion regarding a potential hybrid work arrangement.
The Hazard and Control Register is a resource for the employee to assess the off-campus work location to ensure site-specific hazards are identified and appropriate controls are implemented.
The following workflows are designed as a 'next step' following implementation of the Hybrid Work Program.
Senior Leadership (SLT)
Having good cybersecurity practices is essential to keeping everyone safe online - at home and on campus. It is important to learn how to protect ourselves, our colleagues and our communities from hackers and fraudsters.
Familiarize yourself with UCalgary’s Top Ten Cybersecurity Tips:
Additional tips for staying safe while working at home from the Government of Canada:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The following FAQs will remain 'live'; as new information becomes available, additional FAQs may be added, removed, or revised.
The Hybrid Work Program applies to eligible AUPE and MaPS employees. Academic faculty members who have always worked both on and off campus in fulfilling the commitments associated with their roles should continue to manage their work arrangements with their Senior Leaders and Department Heads outside of the Hybrid Work Program.
The first step is to review the Employee Discussion Considerations. As you walk through the considerations, answer honestly and to the best of your ability. If you believe a hybrid work arrangement may be an option, you should have a comprehensive discussion with your leader to explore possibilities.
For additional information on next steps, see the Employee Workflow.
Where someone has an approved accommodation covered under protected Human Rights grounds (medical or other), the Hybrid Work Program will be modified as appropriate to meet the requirements of the accommodation and may be revised as those requirements change. All other guidelines of the Hybrid Work Program will continue to apply.
No, your pre-arranged schedule remains the same and does not need to be modified solely due to an absence such as vacation or incidential illness.
Even though it may not seem as the decline is for operational reasons, as a first step we would encourage a dialogue with your leader to clearly understand the operational demands from their perspective. If you are not in agreement with the response, we ask you to discuss it with your HR Partner to try to find a solution in conjunction with your leader.
Employees in their probationary period are eligible, however leaders may determine more time present on campus is optimal to ensure appropriate orientation to the university, the faculty/unit, and/or the team.
Onboarding is a critical part of bringing an employee into the organization or on to a new team. It is important to ensure this is done well and the employee is supported throughout.
All employees will receive one (1) set of work-issued devices to perform University of Calgary business and employees must have permission from their leader to take equipment home.
Personal equipment for a home office set-up may be purchased and owned by the employee, however, the university is not responsible for any wear, tear, and/or damage to personal equipment used for working from home.
Equipment may include, but is not limited to a computer, monitors, keyboard, mouse, desk, and chair.
Generally, hybrid work schedules should be consistent as this helps to support workforce planning and enhance team dynamics. However, there may be situations that arise where an employee would benefit from working at home on different days than those established in the agreement. With leader approval, an employee may work from home on different days within different weeks so long as the employee maintains presence on campus at the minimum of three (3) days required by the Hybrid Work Program.
If an employee was approved for a hybrid arrangement in one position and changes positions within the university (whether in the same department or a different department), prior approvals do not transfer with the employee to the new position. A discussion with the new leader will determine eligibility for a hybrid work arrangement in the new role.
The university anticipates the majority of employees live within proximity of the campus location in which they work. If there is an extraordinary situation where an individual may need to be outside of Alberta, a discussion with the leader and the HR Partner shall occur before any decisions are made.
Yes, there are times you may be required to come to campus on a designated ‘work from home’ day.
No, you would continue to work at your scheduled work location for the remainder of the week.
Yes, all hybrid work arrangements will be reviewed regularly and may be adjusted or ended by the leader, with a minimum of fourteen (14) days’ notice.
Additionally, if you would like to change or cease your hybrid arrangement you should discuss with your leader.
There are a variety of resources available to support hybrid work arrangements including:
While there may be similarities, hybrid arrangements are unique to each role, faculty/unit, or department based on the specific needs and factors within the faculty/unit. Each request is assessed on a case-by-case basis to determine participation in the Hybrid Work Program.
Yes. In support of the Hybrid Work Program, UCalgary Parking and Transportation provides an option for an annual hybrid parking permit for employees. Annual parking permit rules apply, and employees must designate their three days of use when submitting a request for the permit. Visit UCalgary Parking and Transportation for more information and to submit requests for a hybrid permit.
Note: the Lot 6 parkade on the Foothills campus is operated by Alberta Health Services (AHS) and is not part of the hybrid parking program offered to University of Calgary staff.