Manager Resources

Here, you’ll find tools and resources to help you make decisions about flexible work arrangements and implement best practices for managing a distributed team.
Suggestions or questions? Please email Workplace Experience, University Human Resources.
Best Practice Guides
The following guides are for use by Stanford employees and are not to be distributed beyond the university without prior written permission from University Human Resources at Stanford University. For questions, please email workexperience@stanford.edu.
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Use this guide and checklist to ensure you consider all the angles when deciding on hybrid or remote arrangements for your team.
Decision-Making for Flexible Work Arrangements (PDF)
This guide and the accompanying worksheet will help you assess your team's best mode of work (solo/team, virtual/remote, etc.) and provide tips on scheduling and setting expectations.
Optimizing Your Distributed Team's Modes of Working (PDF)
Worksheet: Align Work Modes to Tasks & Activities (Google Sheet)
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)
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)
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.