Flex Work at UMass
Our experience of working remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic provided valuable insights into the possibilities and potential benefits of Flexible Work Arrangements for our employees and for our institution.
UMass Amherst recognizes that the use of Flexible Work Arrangements can support academic and business objectives while also promoting goals related to employee engagement, retention, recruitment, and overall employee satisfaction.
The Modern Workplace Working Group, made up of representatives from across campus, explored how a more flexible workplace could be implemented while continuing to provide an exceptional educational experience to our thousands of students. The working group examined best practices, gathered feedback from the campus community, and drafted policy recommendations.
While there are certain positions that require an on-campus presence or standard hours, there are many others that can benefit from a more flexible framework. The Modern Workplace Initiative comprehensively examined how flexible work can impact campus and what steps the university should take to ensure flexible work options are successful, including examining technology and workspace considerations, supervising in a flexible schedule environment, and how to implement flex work while considering diversity and equity. The initiative also incorporated staff unions into its work through a dedicated flexible work labor/management committee structure.
Modern Workplace Initiative Working Group Members
- William Brown – Associate Dean for Financial Operations & Strategic Initiatives, Isenberg School of Management
- Rolanda Burney – Chief of Staff, Chancellor’s Office
- Thomas Burns - Technical Assistant, Facilities & Campus Services
- Jonah Carlson - Student Services Coordinator, University Without Walls
- Shane Conklin – Associate Vice Chancellor, Facilities &Campus Services
- Donna Falcetti – Assistant Dean, College of Information and Computer Sciences
- Deborah Gould – Associate Provost, Administration and Finance, Provost’s Office
- Trevor Graham – Director, Financial Planning & Data Analysis, College of Natural Science
- Corey Griffin – Director, Faculty Staff Assistance Program, Human Resources
- Heather Gross - Senior Data Analyst, School of Public Health & Health Sciences
- Matthew Harrington – IT Head of Portfolio Management, Information Technology
- Norma Nunnally (co-chair) – Director of Human Resources, University Health Services
- Pete Smith – Director of SACL Communication & Professional Development, SACL
- Nefertiti Walker – Vice Chancellor, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
- Susan Weldon (co-chair) – Senior Director for Employee Engagement, Human Resources
- Liz Williams – Director of Survey Research, Academic Planning & Assessment
