Starting this week, the university is launching a survey for staff in departments that are eligible for hybrid and remote work to help determine how work arrangements influence employees’ assignments, engagement and quality of life. An invitation to take the survey will be emailed by Chief Human Resources Officer Cleo Rucker to staff in participating departments, and the survey will close on Nov. 5. The survey should take no more than five minutes to complete, and all responses will remain completely confidential.
In August, the university announced a remote and hybrid work policy, including a toolkit for managers and employees offering additional guidance and resources related to logistics, equipment and technology, and building community to support the effective implementation of the new policy.
Rucker expressed hope that the policy will allow the university to attract and retain the highest caliber talent while creating a highly engaged, equitable, diverse and inclusive workforce.
“By offering remote and hybrid work arrangements and flexible scheduling to eligible staff, we hope to foster an environment of continued productivity while retaining a highly collaborative culture,” Rucker said. “Surveying staff in departments where this policy is being implemented will allow us to develop best practices for the future while still accounting for business needs.”
As part of the policy, staff members who are eligible for remote and hybrid work must complete the Remote and Hybrid Work Policy for Staff attestation in Oracle once it is assigned by their manager. More than 1,200 staff have been assigned the attestation thus far, and managers continue to assign the attestation as part of the policy rollout.
The hybrid and remote work survey will be conducted periodically to evaluate employee experiences. Some staff also may be invited to participate in additional assessment activities, including small focus groups. Direct feedback can be emailed to the working group that is examining the university’s approach to remote and hybrid work at FoW@vanderbilt.edu.
Information from the assessment will be shared with the community as findings become available.