On Oct. 13, the President’s Council received an overview of the task force’s recommendation on the future of remote work and flexible schedules. We are happy to share that these recommendations have been given the greenlight to proceed. Now, the real work begins! Here is an overview of the next steps in the process:

Oct. 22–Nov. 5: You can comment on draft policies: Two new policies and one revised policy will be posted for comment. One of the new policies, Customized Work Arrangements, will supersede current policies addressing Telecommuting and Flexible Work Schedules. The other new policy introduces the Dress-For-Your-Day concept to campus. There are also some suggested updates/clarifications to the policy addressing University Closing, Delays and Class Cancellations. Starting this Friday, Oct. 22, you can review these policies and offer comments here. Depending on the nature and volume of comments and questions submitted by campus, these drafts may undergo additional revisions.

Oct. 26: Task Force Debrief: From 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., members of the task force will facilitate a virtual debrief providing an overview of its recommendations and offer context for how and why certain decisions were made. We think this will be an informative session, particularly for anyone who is interested in offering feedback on the policies. You can join this session here.

Nov. 3: HR Monthly Email: Human Resources’ monthly email for November is going to be jam-packed full of information. Not only will it address Open Enrollment, but we’ll share the task force’s memo that went to the President’s Council. The memo will provide additional information about the process followed by the task force, its diligence, and the rationale behind its recommendations.

Nov. 5: Review Comments: The task force will reconvene to review the comments and questions offered during the policy review process. It may very well be that the draft policies will benefit from some revisions. We have some draft FAQs, but we may want to add more to strengthen this resource. While the policy review process proceeds, the task force will be working on a detailed guide to help staff and managers. This draft, too, may need some revisions based on the policy feedback received.

Nov. 10: BUILD Class for Staff: Please consider attending the 2–3 p.m. BUILD session on Moving Forward: Discussing Drake’s Updated Flexible Work Arrangement Policies and Practices.

Nov. 17: BUILD Class for Managers: If you are in a supervisory position and think some of your employees may be interesting in customized work arrangements, please attend this BUILD session: Supervisor Spotlight: Thinking Through Flexible Work Arrangements—Key Variables & Considerations. This training will be from 2–3 p.m.

Upon Demand Training: Departments or units that would like Human Resources to provide training or be available to answer questions about the new policy and CWA process can make a request by emailing drakehr@drake.edu. Please use the email subject line “CWA Assistance Requested.” We are happy to work with managers to schedule a time that works for them and their teams. We can facilitate a formal training or just make time to answer questions.

But wait, there’s More! Once the policies are finalized, we will offer additional details about next steps. Managers will also receive special communications, so that they are informed and supported. If there is demand, we will also schedule additional training sessions. More to come!

— Maureen De Armond, Human Resources