Please click on the question in the list below in order to scroll directly to the answer. This is a living document, and new questions will be added as they come to us via surveys, focus groups, and conversations with members of our staff.
What is a flexible workplace?
At CES, a flexible workplace is one in which, to the extent allowed by their role and their work, employees can choose when and where they work in order to achieve expected outcomes, deliverables and timelines. It is a workplace that utilizes the available technology to facilitate a large portion of our work-related communication, collaboration and information sharing at a distance, while providing opportunities and resources for working together face to face when needed. For many people this will mean that some of their work will be remote, and some will be on site. Not everyone can work in a hybrid environment. Some positions require people to be physically present in the office or on the job site.
At CES, a flexible workplace is a journey, from which we will learn as we go. This document is intended to provide current answers to some of the most common questions about a flexible workplace, but some of these answers will evolve, and new questions will arise. Everyone’s feedback and patience will be needed to make this initiative truly successful.
Is this initiative meant to impact everyone at CES?
This initiative will affect the agency in a way that is bound to eventually have some impact on everyone who works here. But those most impacted will be those CES employees who are primarily based in Northampton, whose roles allow for offsite work. Many CES positions, from Receptionist to Teacher to Playgroup Coordinator or After-School Site Coordinator require a physical presence in a specific location in order to effectively perform the essential functions of the position. If you have questions about your particular position and what this initiative will mean for you, please reach out to your supervisor, or to anyone in Human Resources.
How can I learn more about the flexible workplace?
Stay Tuned: This Q&A is a living document to which new questions will be added and answers will be clarified as our understanding grows. We’ll be adding to this Q/A. Any policy changes will be introduced through the Employee Handbook. We’ll be updating employees through the intranet, via email, and in our staff newsletter; andNew tools will be introduced as they are adopted. And we’ll be supporting managers and supervisors with training about best practices for working with a hybrid workforce. In the meantime, the broad objectives, goals and reasons for the initiative are in this Flexible Workplace Plan for you to read at any time.
Engage: Have Questions? Reach out to Art Scott in Human Resources, he wants to hear your ideas and suggestions too. We will send periodic surveys about what works and what you would like to see regarding the Flexible Workforce. Check in with your supervisor if you have questions or suggestions specific to your position or department. Look for opportunities to join a work group or focus group.
Will I have to keep the same schedule that I had when I was commuting to work?
Your specific schedule is a conversation you should have with your immediate supervisor. In some cases, schedules might change to something that is more ideal for you and for the work. The flexible workplace model assumes that you put in as much work time as you always have; but for some positions, there is more flexibility about when and where you do the work so long as it is finished when expected, and you are available when needed. Everyone is still expected to attend scheduled meetings and events, to be available for supervision, consultation, and inquiries. Everyone is also expected to provide clarity and transparency about their schedules and when they will be available. Finally, the success of this flexibility will depend on communication and compromise.
Can we work 4 day work weeks?
A full time position at CES is currently defined as a 5 day work week. In the event that a change to this is requested, it can only be approved after a discussion with your supervisor and then through the approval of HR or the Executive Director.
6. How will CES and my supervisors know that I am still doing my job well if I am working remotely? How will they know if I am putting in less or more time and effort?
In virtually all cases, managers evaluate an employee’s performance by looking at the quality, quantity and timeliness of their work. This does not require the supervisor to physically observe the employee doing the work, only to review the deliverables and outcomes. If your role includes a need to be available for clients or colleagues at certain times, that availability to be responsive will still be a part of your work.
If your supervisor knew the answers to those questions when we all worked onsite, they should be able to use the same assessment techniques that they used then when you are working remotely. It is very rare that a supervisor would evaluate your work by standing over you and watching every move, tracking how many words per minute you are keyboarding. Instead, your supervisor can simply assess whether the work you were assigned was completed timely, whether it is of sufficient quality and accuracy, whether or not your solutions are viable, and whether or not you maintained positive relations with colleagues, supervisors, reports and students/clients while doing the work.For a longer term perspective, you and your supervisor will evaluate how effectively you have met the annual SMART goals defined in your evaluation.
There is one way that CES will NOT be monitoring employee performance, and that is through any sort of spyware, activity trackers, GPS devices, or listening technology. While there are some surveillance cameras placed at some CES facilities, these have been installed for building security, not for employee monitoring.
Can I work remotely from somewhere else while I’m away from home? My daughter has a new home in Colorado and I’d like to visit her there. I work remotely from my home and haven’t had any need to go into the office.
Like many alternative arrangements, this should be considered on a case by case basis, and you should start a conversation with your supervisor about it. Here are some of the possible concerns that your supervisor may ask you to address:
- Is this vacation time or work time? If you plan to spend your days reconnecting with family or friends, it is not work, and we encourage you to fully disconnect from work while taking this time for yourself. If you will be available to work a full schedule, your exact location may be irrelevant.
- How will time zone differences impact your schedule? If you are working, you will be expected to participate in the same events that you would participate in when working from home, and on the same schedule.
- Will you have the Internet access and connectivity that you need in this remote location?
- Is there any anticipated reason that you would need to be onsite at a CES location during your travel time?
What if working from home just isn’t for me, or if my home isn’t suited to it?
This is just one of the reasons that this is called a Flexible Workplace Initiative instead of a Remote Workplace Initiative. If the office is where you will do your best work, then that is probably where you should be. Some people will have a dedicated work site at the office, even if that isn’t where they work every day. For others, we are developing a “hoteling” system, where remote staff will be able to reserve a work space in the office for those times when they need it. You may have ideas about other alternative work sites. If so, you should talk to your supervisor about alternative locations.
Is there a plan for resolving potential conflicts that may arise between supervisors and staff around flexibility?
We believe that most conflicts are best resolved through the best efforts of the parties in conflict, and we encourage people to resolve these conflicts independently whenever that is practical. However, when those in conflict hold intractable positions, or if a power differential is at play, you may feel that an amicable resolution is not practical. In this event, please bring the issue to Human Resources, specifically Jess Cassidy, Director of HR, or Art Scott, Assistant HR Director. H.R. will then investigate the issue by talking to the parties involved, sharing their findings with the parties, and identifying a solution. In some cases, it may mean a mediation or similar dispute resolution process.
Does CES have resources or suggestions for creating a small home workspace that will support this initiative?
It is hard to offer specific solutions because everyone’s situation will be so different, but we do have some suggestions for what you should consider, and some resources that may be helpful:
- Body Ergonomics: Many of us spend the majority of our workday doing one of three things: operating a computer keyboard and mouse, writing on paper, and talking on the phone. In a remote work environment we are even more likely to engage in one of these activities for several hours without interruptions, and each poses some ergonomic risks. You should change your body position frequently while you are working, and stand up and move about at least every two hours. The way you set up your workspace can make a big difference too. Here are some resources: list resources
- Privacy: Having a private time and space for at least some of your work is important for many reasons: you need to be able to protect confidential information from disclosure, whether it is in your notes or documents, on your hard drive or on your screen, or in the words you speak while on the phone or in a virtual meeting. You also need privacy and freedom from interruptions in order to concentrate and think creatively. Finally you may want to establish a boundary that protects the privacy of your home environment from the work community. A dedicated workspace with a door that closes is a great solution, but it is not always an option. In the absence of that, consider mechanical solutions such as a privacy screen or secure file drawer, or technology solutions such as screensavers, white noise apps or recordings.
- Lighting: Good lighting makes it easier for our brains to engage with our work
- Communication Support: If you have needs around communication technology, to support working over the telephone, via email, or in order to participate in meetings, you should communicate those needs to your supervisor and to technology support. Different solutions are available for different needs, depending on what you need to do and where and when you need to do it. For example, some staff members now have Google Voice installed on their laptops to support making and taking calls while working.
How can I protect confidential and/or personal information and keep it secure if I am working remotely?
Working at home will not change our obligation to protect the confidential information that we work with, but it does amplify two potential security risks that we can mitigate in our home office.
First, when you’re working remotely and discussing confidential information on the phone or in a video conference, take precautions to be sure that others who may be nearby are not able to overhear the conversation. This may mean moving away from others, using sound barriers, using headphones, or using music or white noise to cover the sound of your conversation.
Second, be aware of who else in your remote location may accidentally or intentionally access confidential information that is on your screen, on papers you are working with, on your phone or hard drive, or in your bag. Take the basic precautions not to leave this information out where others may access it, block your screen when stepping away from your desk, and secure the information and documents when you are not present to keep an eye on it.
If I am injured while working at home, will I have the same protection as if the injury had occurred while I was in the office?
Yes, Worker’s Compensation will cover injuries that occur while performing work for your employer, regardless of where they occur. It is every bit as important to pay attention to workplace safety when you are working at home as when working in the office or a program, which includes sound ergonomics, avoiding tripping hazards such as cords or boxes on the floor, not overloading the outlets, and practicing basic COVID safety to avoid risk of infection.
Please reach out to H.R. with any questions about safe practices in your workplace or workers’ compensation.
Where will I get access to consumable office supplies like pads of paper, pens, post it notes and highlighters?
Whether you will be using these supplies at your desk in the Northamnpton office, or at your home office, you can pick them up at the same supply cabinet that you always went to for the same items. Take whatever supplies you need to do your job, while trying not to take more than you will use in a reasonable time period. This includes paper for a printer, copier or fax machine that you use at home; however, because we are a green agency, we ask that staff consider carefully when printing outside the office whether printed documents are really needed. Unless a printer in the home office is one that has been issued to you by CES, we do not provide ink cartridges for home use. 97 Hawley has a reserve of supplies available, so please use this as the primary resource.
I don’t have all of the equipment at home that I use at the office, such as a printer, copier, scanner, desk and chair. I don’t even have a stapler or staple remover. Will I be expected to purchase these items?
These decisions will be made on a case by case basis, as everyone has different needs, different workstyles, and different home environments. For many, we have completed a process of assessing and providing for people’s needs. If there is something that is still needed, you should reach out to your supervisor. New employees who need equipment for a remote space, we can be most supportive if the hiring manager can identify those needs and get the items ordered so that they can be on hand for the new employee’s start date. We believe that everyone should have an efficient and comfortable work station and chair setup that is ergonomically sound, and that provides adequate space to work. Everyone will be provided with a laptop computer, chromebook, tablet, or desktop computer as is most appropriate to your position. CES can also provide a Google phone number or cell phone depending on the position and needs of the individual. In some cases it may also make sense for CES to supply a combination printer/scanner/fax machine for remote use. For others, it may be more efficient to perform these functions at the office, or to ask someone at the office to perform them, where the equipment is far more capable and the cost is lower. For large print jobs, Administrative Services is here to help.
In making these decisions, supervisors and managers should consider the following criteria:
- How often and how much the employee will need to use the equipment
- How time sensitive those needs will be
- How accessible CES locations with the required equipment are from the employee’s remote location
- The cost of the equipment, as well as the costs of maintenance and supplies
- Any security risks associated with the installation
If my utility costs go up because I am working at home, will CES reimburse me?
No, that’s not realistic for CES. While some costs, such as heat and lights may increase some with more time spent at home, we anticipate that these costs will be offset by savings on time, fuel, the use of your car on a daily commute,and other costs associated with being in the office. In most households it would also be impossible to determine what portion of an increase should be attributed to the new remote work schedule. That said, CES is committed to making sure that staff working remotely are provided access to the equipment and supplies that are needed to work effectively.
If I am working primarily from home, and occasionally travel to the office or other locations, will I be eligible for mileage reimbursement?
You will be eligible for mileage on the same basis that you were when you were traveling to the office. You have been assigned a home base; let’s say it is 97 Hawley Street. The commute from your home to your home base is not reimbursable. However, if you must travel for work to a location other than the home base, you can be reimbursed for the lesser of the distance from your home to the new location, or from you home base to your new location. Expense reimbursement requests should continue to be submitted monthly on the standard reimbursement form, with a separate form for each month.
How will time worked be measured and reported for people working in remote, hybrid, and onsite roles? How will this be different for exempt and nonexempt employees?
Time worked will continue to be recorded as it has been. Those paid on an hourly basis should accurately record all hours worked. Salaried employees should show their scheduled hours, with any time not worked being made up by accrued paid time.
How is it equitable for some CES employees to enjoy this flexibility while our educators still need to report to the same location at the same time, without the benefit of flexibility?
As we have said, every position is different. Some jobs can be performed fully remotely just as effectively as in a group office setting, or perhaps more effectively. Other positions require a fully on-site presence. Many fall somewhere in between requiring a balance of on-site presence and allowing for the remainder to be performed remotely.
CES believes that until there are significant developments in remote teaching and learning, that K-12 education is far more effective when delivered in a face to face classroom setting, and that most of our educators share this belief. There are other CES positions that also require a largely or wholly in-person presence. Examples include receptionists, those who work with extensive paper files and documents, and senior leadership. We do not view this so much as a question of equity as an effort to have everyone in a position to engage fully with their work and to do it as fully and well as is possible.
How will this impact the sense of community and mutual support that has always been so rich at CES?
Our strong sense of connection across the agency, and our commitment to maintaining a community of care are as central to the fabric of CES culture as our commitment to social justice and service to underserved learners. These connections will take on new forms in a flexible, largely remote work environment, and there is no doubt that special efforts will be required to keep these connections vital during the transition.
We are looking at remote communication platforms that facilitate community, and we will make it a priority to identify opportunities for people from diverse parts of the collaborative to collaborate on achieving shared goals, whether in person or remotely. We also know that our employees may have some of the best ideas about how to intentionally maintain and grow our sense of community.
One of my favorite things about working at 97 Hawley has been the unlimited access to coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. Will CES still offer this great benefit?
There will still be coffee, tea and hot chocolate available for those working on site in the office. That said, we all need to recognize that this is a big change that will impact many aspects of our lives both personally and professionally. We are moving forward in confidence that on balance the impact of these changes will be positive, but we know that every change comes with tradeoffs, and that engaging in one opportunity often means forfeiting another. It will be essential for us to keep talking with one another about what is working and what is not as we strive to create a new kind of work community built on trust, collaboration, and mutual respect.