Manager Alternate Work Locations Guidelines

Eligibility Details

Not all positions or job assignments are suitable for an Alternate Work Location arrangement. If one position within a unit is found to be suitable for such an arrangement, it does not necessarily mean that other positions may also be suitable.

A position can be considered suitable for an Alternate Work Location arrangement if some or most of its responsibilities can be performed away from the primary duty station. These positions are typically computer-based, not dependent on continual physical presence or face-to-face customer interactions, and largely self-directed.  The following types of positions are ineligible for partially or fully remote Alternate Work Location: positions that are not computer based; positions that are dependent on continual physical presence; positions that require face-to-face customer interactions; and/or positions that are not largely self-directed. Each position will be considered individually, based on the responsibilities and area in which the role is located, to determine if the work can be done outside of the primary duty station. 

Review jobs best suited for an Alternate Work Location arrangement for examples of job assignments that may be appropriate for an Alternate Work Location arrangement, although determinations will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Alternate Work Location arrangements are not appropriate for every employee or for every position. Initiation of an Alternate Work Location arrangement may be at the request of either the University or the employee and are entered into at the discretion of the University. Participation in Alternate Work Location arrangements is voluntary on the part of the employee, except in cases where it is a requirement of the position and notification has been provided to the employee.

Position descriptions should reflect the designation of eligible for fully or partially remote arrangements where applicable. The change in work location should not impact productivity, customer service, operational efficiency, or team collaboration. The determination should be first based on the type of work, not just on employee performance or preference. 

Offer letters should indicate the position’s eligibility for fully remote or partially remote arrangements and documented appropriately through the defined request process in Workday (Request for Flexible Work Arrangements > Alternate Work Location). 

Generally, when an employee requests an Alternate Work Location arrangement, the following should be considered:

• Whether the nature of the work to be performed is appropriate for an Alternate Work Location arrangement,
• Whether quality of service can be maintained for students, faculty, other members of the University community, and the public,
• Whether the employee has demonstrated sustained productivity and the university reasonably anticipates the employee can maintain the expected quantity and quality of work,
• Whether the employee has demonstrated the ability to work independently,
• Whether the employee’s manager will be able to effectively monitor the employee’s performance,
• If the proposed Alternate Work Location is a safe, private, and productive work environment,
• Whether the proposed Alternate Work Location arrangement would present an undue difficulty to the university, its students, its employees, or the public,
• The impact that the Alternate Work Location arrangement would have on others; and,
  whether the employee’s position has clearly identified and measurable performance objectives.
• What tools are available to help the employee manage their workload/deadlines and for managers to support a remote workforce?
• What technology will be needed to ensure the remote employee can fully participate in meetings and other office activities?
• What processes will help ensure the remote employee(s) is kept informed about office policies and procedures?
• Discuss with the employee the expectations for this arrangement, and what will happen if this arrangement is terminated.
• Consider how many Alternate Work Location arrangements can be accommodated in the work unit within a given time period (i.e.. week, month, year, etc.).
• Apply the Alternate Work Location arrangement standards across the college/school/division consistently and based on university standards and guidelines.
• Discuss how the employee should contact the manager in case of an emergency as well as identify emergency contacts for the remote employee. 
• What administrative rights to databases should be extended or terminated based on Alternate Work Location status and how data security needs will be met remotely?
• What supplies will the employee need and how will they be provided? 
• Are there financial impacts, such as travel costs? Employees at a designated work location may request reimbursement for authorized expenses (such as business travel) specifically incurred in connection with the fully remote work in accordance with applicable policies.

Managers may also consider  approval of a Flexible Work Schedule for an employee requesting Alternate Work Location arrangements, and are encouraged to be flexible when considering each request, provided it continues to meet the unit’s business needs and does not negatively impact the mission. 

Employees are responsible to maintain access to networking and/or internet capabilities at the Alternate Work Location with sufficient bandwidth as necessary to perform the position’s duties.

Manager Responsibility
A manager should also consider their own management and supervisory style, as well as their level of effort to maintain appropriate employee engagement and monitoring of performance of their assigned job duties in a fully/partially remote Alternate Work Location arrangement.

Review "Step 4: Manager Checklist" on this page to gauge how the Alternate Work Location arrangement is appropriate for the employee, manager, and the position’s role. Also, discuss with the employee expectations related to level of professionalism, efforts conducted remotely, and monitoring of performance. 

Work Performance
Employees and managers are equally responsible for the success of the Alternate Work Location arrangement. Work productivity is important for both the employee and manager. There can be many ways to view productivity metrics depending on the role. Communicating expectations and monitoring the deliverables as well as impact to customer are important factors to discuss/monitor regularly. This will help ensure a quality and timely work product and high levels of customer service. Expressed goals and objectives should be measured during the annual Performance Review Period.

Consistency
While Alternate Work Location arrangements will be grounded in the nature of roles and operational needs, we are committed to consistency in the implementation of Alternate Work Location arrangements. This does not mean that all arrangements will be treated the same. This means recognizing that there are different work circumstances so there will need to be differentiation, as appropriate. Deans/Vice Presidents will guide consistency across an entire college/school/division.

Hiring Employees for Remote Work
When recruiting candidates to fill positions for which remote arrangements can be considered, Texas A&M University hiring managers have the ability to post positions specifically for this audience of job seekers. Positions that might be eligible for fully or partially remote Alternate Work Location arrangements can be advertised as such in Workday. Use the guidance from the Talent Management team to identify a role eligible for fully or partially remote by making a comment/selecting the appropriate option when creating and posting the positions in Workday.

Work Schedule Considerations - Partially Remote Alternate Work Locations

• Creating a schedule is just one very small part of a successful Alternate Work Location arrangement The bigger picture is that it is the ultimate work framework that combines the best of both worlds; the connection and collaboration that a physical office space brings and the freedom and flexibility of working at an alternate work location. Essentially, the concept rests on the employees and trusting them to get the work done at their own time and chosen space.  How do you plan a partially remote work model? It is critical to have a people-first approach so your decisions are based on what is best for your employees without sacrificing the college or division goals.
  
  
• Predictability in scheduling helps office managers with the logistics and plan safely. Flexibility, on the other hand, provides employees with a better work-life balance. Some departments/divisions may need more predictability because of the type of work while a few departments/divisions may have the luxury to have more flexibility due to the nature of the work and customer interface options.

Work Schedule Examples – Partially Remote Alternate Work Locations

• Cohort/Group Specific
  For a more predictable schedule, managers choose cohorts or groups and which days and times they come to the office. It still gives employees flexibility where they can work some days in the office and some days at an Alternate Work Location arrangement. Example: group/function A is scheduled to be in the office Monday – Wednesday and is working at an Alternate Work Location arrangement on Thursday - Friday while group/function B is scheduled to be in the office Wednesday - Friday and is working at an Alternate Work Location arrangement on Monday - Tuesday. Some managers may choose to keep the group/function together for an entire work week, then alternate groups/functions between weeks.
• Employee Specific (Manager-led or Employee-led)
  This offers the most flexibility to managers for promoting employee work-life benefit. The leadership team of the college or division can give the power of choosing the schedule to the manager or their employee. In most cases, it is good to start with a manager-led schedule that may opt for an employee-led schedule. Example: Managers can indicate that all employees must be in the office Monday, Tuesday and Friday and allow employees to coordinate work from an alternate work location on Wednesdays or Thursdays. Another option is to allow employees within a manager’s purview to pick one day a week to work at an Alternate Work Location arrangement given that there is adequate coverage from the team to maintain business continuity through the entire work week.
• Optimizing a Partially Remote Work Schedule is Always a Work in Progress
  Having the right mindset and the best tools help. But there is really no wrong or right way to pick and manage a partially remote work schedule. If the employees’ experience and the company’s goals are working in harmony, you can trust that you are on the right path. As always, the partially remote model needs many iterations and improvements and will always be a work in progress.

• Learn more in Alternate Work Location Arrangement Work Schedules

The following outlines the roles and responsibilities for managers considering and/or managing employees using remote work:

• Establish clear expectations regarding the AWL arrangement. How will the employee’s colleagues be kept informed of their coworker’s availability?
• Ensure agreement clearly outlines the employee’s work schedule.
• Schedule regular meetings to get caught up on the employee’s workload and to fill them in on office happenings.
• Keep the remote employee engaged – invite them to still be a part of the team/community by regularly using videoconferencing at meetings and during office celebrations.
• Ensure the consistent implementation and use of workplace flexibilities across subordinate staff.
• Ensure employee position description and performance plan accurately reflect the employee’s duties and responsibilities, and position eligibility is in alignment with the position description and performance plan.
• Review employees’ requests for AWL arrangement and approve, disapprove, or modify the request in accordance with SAP 33.06.01.M0.01, university guidance, and department/division requirements. Ensure employees renew their agreement annually (every fiscal year).
• Ensure requests are reviewed on an individual employee basis with the understanding that each position may differ on the level of work portability even within the same job series, pay grade, and position. This eligibility assessment should be conducted with an equity lens as it relates to similarly situated employees, as well as evaluating the overall business needs of the work unit to ensure organizational performance is not diminished. Ensure employees complete training (see Employee and Manager Training to Ensure AWL Success)  prior to entering into any AWL arrangement and that they complete annual mandatory training.
• Discuss expectations for this arrangement with employees, and what will happen if the AWL arrangement needs to be terminated for any reason.
• Ensure AWL arrangements detail any emergency responsibilities specified for a continuity and/or pandemic event, as appropriate for.
• Partner with Employee Relations for any decision to end participation in an AWL arrangement.
• Ensure the employee’s AWL arrangement status receives the same benefits and opportunities (e.g., work assignments, awards and recognition, development opportunities, etc.) as employees who do not participate in an AWL arrangement.
• Comply with and enforce Flexible Work Schedules and applicable Federal laws and regulations related to flexible work arrangements.

• Standard Administrative Procedures (SAP)
  • Staff - SAP 33.06.01.M0.01 Alternate Work Location
  • Faculty  - SAP 33.06.01.M0.02 Alternate Work Location
• System Policy 33.06: Hours of Work for Full-time Salaried Employees
• System Regulation 33.06.01: Flexible Work Arrangements

Staff positions eligibility for an Alternate Work Location arrangement is determined by the essential functions of the position and how many hours of work must be accomplished at the primary duty station to meet the business needs of the department/division.

The following types of positions are ineligible for partially or fully remote Alternate Work Location: positions that are not computer based; positions that are dependent on continual physical presence; positions that require face-to-face customer interactions; and/or positions that are not largely self-directed.

Review Jobs Best Suited for an AWL Arrangement and 33.06.01.M0.01 Alternate Work Location for Non-Faculty Employees.

Faculty eligibility for Alternate Work Location arrangements is governed by 33.06.01.M0.02 Alternate Work Location – Faculty. Questions regarding faculty requests for Alternate Work Location arrangements should be directed to facultyaffairs@tamu.edu.

Requests for an Alternate Work Location arrangement for student employees or temporary/casual employees may be considered only if a true business need exists and is properly documented by the manager. The manager must initiate the request in Workday on behalf of the student employee or temporary casual employee.

Yes, employees who want to work away from their primary duty station must submit a request for an Alternate Work Location arrangement. For example, if an employee whose primary duty station is the Bush School in Washington, DC, wants to work from home, they must submit a request for an Alternate Work Location arrangement at any location other than the DC campus.

Some managers express concern that when their employees are remote, they will not be able to monitor that employee's work effort. With frequent communication and accountability, focusing on the work product instead of the work activity, many managers find they are better able to communicate clear expectations to their employees. Establishing a means to account for customer satisfaction is also advisable when helping to ensure that productivity and accessibility standards remain at expected levels.

Personal cell phones and other devices may be used for validating credentials with Texas A&M University multi-factor security systems and authorized web-based systems such as Email.  Personal devices may be subject to Texas A&M University policies and procedures if used to remotely operate authorized University assets and web systems. Security protocols within the Alternate Work Location program are not intended to replace any statutory requirements in our Research programs.

In all situations, employees are expected to maintain security protocols appropriate for the specific law, contract, or legal framework governing data access and use. Data regulation guidance found here.