Manager Resources
Here you’ll find tools and resources to guide you in decisions about flexible work arrangements and to help you implement best practices for managing a distributed team.
Suggestions or questions? Please email Workplace Experience, University Human Resources.
Best Practice Guides
Decision-Making for Flexible Work Arrangements
Use this guide and checklist to ensure you're considering all the angles when decided on hybrid or remote arrangements for your team.
Decision-Making for Flexible Work Arrangements (PDF)
Optimizing Your Distributed Team's Modes of Working
This guide and the accompanying worksheet will help you assess what the best mode of work (solo/team, virtual/remote, etc.) is for your team and provides tips on scheduling and setting expectations.
Optimizing Your Distributed Team's Modes of Working (PDF)
Worksheet: Align Work Modes to Tasks & Activities (Google Sheet)
Establishing Communication Norms for Distributed Work
Communication in a distributed work environment requires intentional planning - use this guide to be sure you're covering all of the bases and to establish norms within your team to minimize disruptions to ongoing work.
Establishing Communication Norms for Distributed Work (PDF)
Worksheet: Documenting Team Communication Conventions (Google Doc)
Meeting Best Practices for Engagement & Efficiency
Use the research and practical tips in this guide to make sure meetings are working for your team and to increase engagement and positive meeting outcomes. The guide includes a standard meeting agenda designed for team meetings.
Meeting Best Practices for Engagement & Efficiency (PDF)
Creating Team Agreements/Norms
Team Agreements, sometimes called Team Norms, are social contracts that help teams define how they'll work together cooperatively and effectively. They can include topics such as interaction styles, business priorities, or practical information like the norms described in the meeting and communication guides above. This guide provides step-by-step instructions on creating a team agreement.
Creating Team Agreements/Norms (PDF)
Record Work Agreements in Axess
Axess serves as the centralized system for tracking and aggregating all hybrid and remote work agreements.
Supporting Your Hybrid or Distributed Team
The resources below provide guidance on the management principles that will help you effectively manage your distributed or hybrid team, including guidance on navigating conversations about flexible work arrangements.
- Key Principles for Managing a Hybrid or Distributed Team Well
- Manager Guide for Flex Work Conversations
- Navigating Flex Work Challenges
- Support & Facilitate Work-Life Integration
Logistics Support
Get tips and guidance from university partners on related topics such as ergonomics, technology, and commuting.