Flexible Work Agreements - Human Resources at Ohio State (2024)

Employees and managers should work together and follow the process below to set up approved and successful flexible work arrangements. Work collaboratively to modify the proposal if business operations make the original request not feasible. Once you are in agreement, it must be documented in the Flexible Work Agreement.

You are encouraged to revisit and reevaluate Flexible Work Agreements at least once a year. College and units can set guidance and timelines for reviewing agreements, which could be aligned with annual performance management conversations. However, if the arrangement changes at any time, employees should follow the below process to evaluate and submit a new Flexible Work Agreement.

The approval of flexible work is not a right of an employee or faculty member, and it also does not change the terms and conditions of employment with Ohio State. Managers reserve the right to require, deny, alter or cease flexible work based on the unit’s business needs, the individual’s work performance or other factors. The availability of flexible work options may change as we evolve in how we do our work.

Flexible Work Agreement Process

Employees and managers should work together to follow the three-step process below to complete a flexible work agreement.

Step 1: Employee – Assess and Create Request

1
Review the policy and expectations

2
Understand the flexible work option needed

3
Develop a work plan

Develop a reasonable plan for completing work and meeting performance expectations (including but not limited to maintaining effective communication with your manager, colleagues and stakeholders), continue to be active and collaborative with your team and its initiatives, and include it as part of the proposal. Evaluate how you would answer the questions below to describe how your work performance lends itself to working remotely or with time flexibility. Reference how you do your best work, your track record for completing work assignments on time and your ability to work independently without close supervision.

  • Are you currently meeting or exceeding performance expectations? Have you established clear goals with your manager?
  • Are you self-directed and comfortable working without close supervision? Do you manage your time well? Are you comfortable working alone for long periods of time?
  • Will this proposal impact your ability to maintain a desired level of team engagement or adversely impact your manager’s ability to supervise you?
  • Does your role have supervisory or lead work responsibilities? If so, how will this affect the employees who report to you?
  • Can job duties be performed well during the hours you are proposing? Would the proposed flexible work affect customer service or other stakeholder needs?
  • Does your job require you to be at the work site for periods of time?
  • Would the proposed flexible work affect work volume, peak periods, projects in progress, your colleague’s work and/or overtime?
  • Does your non-immigrant work authorization prohibit remote work or require approval of remote work greater than 30 days and have you received it?

4
Identify needs for tools, equipment and security of technology and data

5
Complete a Flexible Work Proposal for time flexibility or non-location arrangements

If your request is for time flexibility, a non-location arrangement or beyond day-to-day flexibility, complete the Flexible Work Proposal to guide the conversation and review with your manager.

6
Evaluate special circumstances

Some specific circumstances require consultation with university partners. Work with your HR business partner to make sure you have accurate information and approvals.

  • If the request is to work outside of Ohio, review Working Outside of Ohio for additional information. All requests to work domestically but outside of the state of Ohio will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
  • If the employee will begin or is already in a J-1 or an H-1B non-immigrant status, the employing unit must consult with the Office of International Affairs before approving any flexible work agreement and/or for a work site location of an Ohio State campus for the employee.
    • If the employee is or will be an international scholar on a J-1 non-immigration status, the U.S. Department of State requires them to be full in person at an Ohio State campus site of activity.
      • No flexible, hybrid work arrangements from home are permitted.
      • If working at a site outside of Ohio State campus is warranted, consult OIA.
    • If the employee is or will be on an H-1B temporary non-immigrant status, the number of hours and the worksite locations(s) are listed in the H-1B work petition and the employee can only work at those sites and for the number of hours listed in the petition. If anything changes, consult OIA for specific actions. Failure to work under the terms and conditions listed in the petition can have a negative impact on the individual and employing unit.
  • If the request involves a health or medical issue or a disability accommodation, contact Integrated Absence Management and Vocational Services Department (IAMVS) at 614-292-3439 or hr-integrateddisability@osu.edu for support.

Step 2: Manager – Evaluate and Approve

1
Have a conversation with the employee and align on expectations

2
Review the policy and FAQs

3
Follow the manager guidance and process for additional steps

4
Reference the working outside of Ohio information if needed

5
Approve or deny request

The manager has discretion to approve or deny a request for flexible work, and the decision will be based on the unit’s operational needs. If a manager does not approve the request, they should have a conversation with the employee to provide more information on why the request was denied.

Step 3: Employee and Manager – Implement

1
Employee submits a Flexible Work Agreement

Once the employee and manager have aligned and a workplan is established, the employee must submit the Flexible Work Agreement to appropriately document their work locations and collect work location information for tax reporting purposes. This Flexible Work Agreement Job Aid outlines the process and common questions for submitting the form.

2
Attach the Flexible Work Proposal if it was needed

3
Review the responsibilities and expectations

4
Agreement routes to manager for approval

Upon completion, the agreement will automatically route to the employee’s supervisor for approval. When approved and final, the agreement will be securely stored and enable Payroll access to important work location information for tax reporting for employees who have a fully remote or hybrid work agreement, and it serves as documentation. Visit the payroll website for more information.

5
Manager updates employee’s location in Workday

6
Revisit the process and submit a new form if the agreement or location changes

Flexible Work Agreements - Human Resources at Ohio State (2024)

FAQs

What are flexible HR policies? ›

Flexible working policies allow employees to adapt their work schedules, locations, or hours to better suit their needs and responsibilities. These policies promote a healthy work-life balance, enhance job satisfaction, and increase productivity.

What are flexible workplace policies? ›

The main idea of flexible work policies is to give employees more options to work when and where they are the most productive. This should also apply to individuals who want a regular shift and work environment.

What is the business case for flexible work arrangements? ›

The business case for flexibility aims to outline the documented positive effects on businesses when they provide their workers with options to work less or to have more discretion over when, where and how their work is done.

What are the 4 C's of HR policies? ›

The 4C model of HRM is centered around four core outcomes that are essential for effective human resource management. These outcomes include Commitment, Competence, Congruence, and Cost-effectiveness. Each of these plays a pivotal role in the development and execution of HR strategies.

What is an example of a flex schedule policy? ›

Flextime at [Company Name] is a work schedule with time of arrival and departure that differs from the standard operating hours by not more than two hours. For example, a typical flextime arrangement is arrival at 10:30 a.m. and departure at 7:30 p.m. Supervisors will approve flextime on a case-by-case basis.

What is the disadvantages of flexible working arrangements? ›

Disadvantages of Flexible Working Hours
  • Can Lead to Less Productivity. ...
  • Can Lead to More Procrastination. ...
  • Workplace Flexibility Often Means Working from Home. ...
  • Flexible Working Arrangements may not Always Equal High Paying Jobs. ...
  • It can be Harder for Managers and Employers to Keep Track of what Their Employees are Doing.

What does flexible work arrangements include? ›

Common examples of flexible working arrangements include:
  • flexible start and finish times.
  • compressed hours (working more hours over fewer days)
  • changing from full-time to part-time or casual work.
  • job sharing.
  • flexible rostering.
  • working from home or another location.
  • 'purchasing' extra paid leave.
  • unpaid leave.

Which of the following are examples of flexible work arrangements? ›

Here are some types of flexible working arrangements you may find in the workforce:
  • Flex time. ...
  • Compressed workweek. ...
  • Reduced hours or part-time work. ...
  • Annualized hours. ...
  • Flex place. ...
  • Job sharing. ...
  • Work sharing. ...
  • Phased retirement.

Managing Flexible Work Arrangements - SHRMSHRMhttps://www.shrm.org ›

Many U.S. workers now consider work/life balance and flexibility to be the most important factors in considering job offers. In fact, 81 percent of employees sa...
When considering flexible work, managers and their teams should work together to create a workplan that benefits the various aspects of employees' personal ...
Terms of Remote Work Agreement. The duties, responsibilities, and terms and conditions of employment (including salary and benefits, and any changes to them) re...

What is flexible in human resource management? ›

Flexible HRM can be defined as practices that may directly or indirectly affect the behaviors and learning capabilities of employees in an organization. It may involve flexible arrangements of employee structure, mode, training, and incentive plans.

What is a flexibility policy? ›

Flexible working policies can include remote working, hybrid working, flexible working hours, job-sharing, part-time or compressed hours, Work From Anywhere schemes and other forms of flexible arrangements. The specific details of the policy can vary depending on the organisation, industry, and country.

What is employer flexible HR? ›

Employer Flexible General Information

The company offers comprehensive business outsourced solutions for human resources, payroll administration, employee benefits, information technology and other related services, enabling the clients to focus on revenue, production and growth of their business.

What is flexible use of human resources? ›

Flexibility in Human Resource Planning (HRP) refers to an organization's ability to adapt and respond to changes in its workforce needs, business environment, and strategic goals. It involves having the capacity to adjust staffing levels, skills, and structures as necessary to meet evolving demands.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Arielle Torp

Last Updated:

Views: 5717

Rating: 4 / 5 (61 voted)

Reviews: 84% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Arielle Torp

Birthday: 1997-09-20

Address: 87313 Erdman Vista, North Dustinborough, WA 37563

Phone: +97216742823598

Job: Central Technology Officer

Hobby: Taekwondo, Macrame, Foreign language learning, Kite flying, Cooking, Skiing, Computer programming

Introduction: My name is Arielle Torp, I am a comfortable, kind, zealous, lovely, jolly, colorful, adventurous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.