Dear Faculty and Staff Colleagues,
In March 2020, COVID-19 shut down much of the world. As the University moves toward what we hope is a more normal campus experience this fall, we want to ensure that positive innovations that emerged from that challenging time are evaluated and potentially retained beyond the pandemic.
In a recent letter outlining the University’s plan for staff employees transitioning back to campus, we referenced a cross-functional team working to evaluate what place remote work may have moving forward at Notre Dame. Today we are pleased to announce the Hybrid Work Pilot Program. With this one-year pilot, staff deemed eligible by their division may have an opportunity to work remotely for up to 16 hours each week over two days. We anticipate that the vast majority of people will spend most of their time working on campus during the pilot period. Due to the emphasis on face-to-face service to students and faculty, the schools and colleges will not be participating in the pilot program.
How the Hybrid Work Pilot Program Selection Process Will Work
During the month of June, division leadership will determine what teams and which staff roles are eligible to apply for the pilot program. Leadership will look at a variety of factors as they consider eligibility, including which constituencies are served, how in-person interaction shapes the effectiveness of service to constituencies, how independent or collaborative a role needs to be, seasonality of work responsibilities, and the necessity of an on-campus presence to complete work functions.
If a role is identified as eligible, employees will be notified by their managers and a conversation to discuss a possible hybrid work plan will be scheduled. Eligible employees who are interested will be asked to complete the Hybrid Work Pilot Agreement with their manager by July 30 to clarify expectations and ensure success for both the division and the employee.
More details regarding the specifics of the pilot program can be found here, and updates will be made to this page frequently. Your managers are available to discuss any questions you might have about this pilot program. You may also askHR at askhr@nd.edu or 631-5900 with questions or feedback.
Learning Together
While the Notre Dame community learned a lot about remote work during a pandemic, we still have much to understand about remote work when being back on campus is the norm. There will not be a one-size-fits-all approach among eligible teams and roles. Each division will participate in the pilot program as it suits their needs to serve campus.
We will provide educational resources and manager and employee support to help participants throughout the duration of the Hybrid Work Pilot Program. We are committed to learning as much as we can about how hybrid work can serve the University’s mission and the employee experience. We believe this pilot program gives us the best chance to do that, and we look forward to learning together.
In Notre Dame,
Robert McQuade
Vice President, Human Resources