Flexible Work Suitability Guide
This guide is intended to provide managers with suggestions for objective criteria to use when evaluating Flexible Work Arrangement request.
Overall Considerations
- Does my organization/department supports flexible work?
- Does position’s core responsibilities support flexible work (See below: Role Suitability Assessment)?
- Does the employee meets the criteria to be a flexible worker (See below: Assessing the Employee)?
- Am I able to manage a flexible worker (See below: Assessing the Supervisor)?
Role Suitability Assessment
- Is the job exempt or non-exempt with regard to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)? If yes, can work hours be accurately determined when the employee is telecommuting?
- How much of the work can be successfully completed at a different time than core work hours (8:30 AM ET – 5:00 AM ET) or in a different location? Consider the purpose of the position and the nature of work to be performed. Is it primarily information or service based?
- Do core responsibilities require extensive face-to-face contact with supervisors, other employees, customers, or the public that can only be accomplished on-site? If so, how much?
- Do core responsibilities require ongoing access to equipment, materials, and files that can only be accessed on-campus?
- Do any of the core responsibilities require that the work be performed on-campus? If yes, is it a reasonable requirement and approximately how much time is devoted to those responsibilities?
- Do security issues require core responsibilities to be conducted on-campus?
- Is the employee currently assigned a laptop or any other portable media?
- Does the nature of the work require that the employee work and resolve routine problems independently?
Assessing the Employee
- Can you rearrange the position’s duties, while still meeting all deadlines, to support a Flexplace arrangement?
- Do the current assigned duties support a flexible work arrangement?
- Does the employee have a complete understanding of his/her job and performance expectations? Are these expectations documented?
- Does the employee regularly demonstrate that their approach to work is organized and dependable? Do they regularly meet established deadlines?
- Has the employee consistently met or exceeded performance expectations?
- Does the employee have the technology, including computer and remote access capability, to work from home?
- Can the employee work in a self-directed manner in managing their work and time?
- Can the employee’s performance be measured in a flexplace setting?
Assessing the Supervisor
- How often is do you need to troubleshoot problems, answer questions, or provide direction? Can this direction be provided by phone, email, chat, or video conferencing?
- Do you provide solutions when requested for assistance?
- How frequently do you monitor the employee’s work?
- Routinely
- Occasionally
- Infrequently
- Are you able to establish clear objectives?
- Can you accurately measure the employee’s work output?
- Do your employees have a way to share work electronically when outside of the office?
- How is the employee’s work normally monitored to ensure that tasks are being completed? Can this approach work at a distance or be modified for successful flexible work?
- To what degree can your style of supervision/management transition to an online scenario for this employee?