Since a lot of time will be spent working in a home office, employees must make sure it’s a comfortable, healthy and safe environment. The main criteria for a home-based office are comfort, function, health, safety, accessibility, and privacy for disturbance-free professionalism.

Please designate an adequate and separate workstation in your home and ensure satisfactory safety at your home office.  To help ensure your safety at home, the Home Workspace Self-Assessment Safety Checklist is required. Please review this short video on how to ensure your home office is setup ergonomically. Additional McMaster Resources for Working Remotely are available online.

Aside from equipment supplied by McMaster (for example laptop, monitor, keyboard, mouse, as applicable, depending on the nature of work), an employee is expected to use their own equipment in establishing the home office, and they are responsible for the maintenance and repair of that equipment. Any equipment purchased by the employee and reimbursed by McMaster, or supplied by McMaster, will remain the property of the University. McMaster will not be responsible for any costs that are associated with the employee using their home as an alternative worksite; for example, home maintenance, insurance, internet or telephone connection, or utilities.

Some employee groups have allowances available that may be used towards some of these expenditures, as outlined in respective policies. Employees are encouraged to review the policies to determine eligibility.

Employees will be required to return all equipment supplied by McMaster, should they leave the University.

Equipment and Electronics

Avoid dangerous electrical practices such as overloading circuits or modifying three-prong plugs to fit two-prong outlets. There is also a risk of data loss without suitable power circuitry and surge protection to guard electronic equipment from power surges and blackouts.

When you arrange your home office workspace, locate equipment so that you don’t have power cords and telephone lines trailing across the floor and creating hazards.

If you must move the equipment around, do it carefully so you don’t hurt yourself – or damage your equipment. Remember that not all components of your office needs to be in the same room, or space, as long as everything is conveniently located.

Communications Tools

Maintaining communication is an integral part of a successful flexible work arrangement. Employees must consider the importance of tools such as voicemail, email, electronic calendar, laptop computers, remote internet access, shared electronic folders and files, flash drives, and cell phones, and ensure you know how to use them. Seek assistance from University Technology Services early on in the process for assistance with equipment or networking needs. Where possible, meetings should have virtual attendance options available that you can request in advance.

McMaster University offers Microsoft Office 365 at no charge to students, staff, and faculty, and includes access to leading productivity and collaboration tools for everyone in the community. One such tool within O365 is Teams. Teams has the potential to optimize communication between staff, faculty and various teams. Groups can organize and create teams to have a central location to discuss projects, host virtual meetings, and share documents in a place that everyone can access.

It will also be important to be aware of the “contact tree” for emergency and contingency planning for your area through your supervisor or department head.

Other Tools and Resources

Speak with your supervisor about other tools and resources that will assist you in performing the required job duties including:

• Phone to email service
• Application to link VOIP phones to laptops – http://macdrive.mcmaster.ca/d/618a67e601b44e1592b4/
• Automatic Response/Out of office reply for email if applicable
• Automatic Response/Out of office for phone and voicemail, if applicable

 Secure Storage

If you work with confidential information at your home office, you need to ensure that you have secure storage to protect this material and reduce the risk of loss to the university.

The above information and area offices responsible can be accessed using the following links:

• https://secretariat.mcmaster.ca/privacy/
• https://www.mcmaster.ca/uts/

In addition to reviewing the McMaster Back-to-Mac updates for faculty and staff, we have curated a number of researched tip sheets from the Boston College Center for Work and Family that you can use to support workplace flexibility and well-being, including:

• Optimizing Your Work in a Virtual World
• Balancing Caregiving and Remote Work
• Returning to the Workplace during COVID-19
• Employees Working Remotely and Flexibly
• Managing Stress
• How to Manage Your Time
• The Importance of Taking a “Work-Free” Vacation

For supervisors and managers:

• Managing Remote Workers
• Tips to Manage Remote Workers
• Helping Remote Workers Stay Connected
• Supervisor Guide (McMaster HR resource that explores flexible work arrangements and provides COVID-19 health guidelines)

Review current McMaster meeting guidance to decide if your meeting should be an in person, hybrid or virtual meeting.

Other considerations:

• Health and safety guidelines for meetings (including masking and physical distancing)
• What kind of meeting should this be? (meeting decision making tree)
• When do we actually need to meet in person? (article)
• Do you really need to hold that meeting? (article)

Resources and reading:

• Encourage collaboration from everyone by following these 7 guidelines to more inclusive meetings
• How to do hybrid meetings right (video)
• How to do hybrid meetings right (article)
• How to nail a hybrid presentation (article)
• How to get people to speak up in virtual meetings (article)
• Best practises for productive meetings (resource)
• Quick tips for hosting meetings (resource)
• Facilitation checklist (recource)
• Avoid zoom fatigue while working remotely (article)

Resources and reading:

• How the priority matrix can help you focus on what matters most (and the science behind why it works!)
• How to focus on what’s important, not just what’s urgent
• Priority mapping (video)
• Time-chunking and hyper-refocusing

Support your development by working through these LinkedIn Learning courses/videos.

Start with:

• How to use LinkedIn Learning
• Logging into LinkedIn Learning as part of McMaster University (active McMaster students, faculty and staff have free, unlimited access to LinkedIn Learning)

Health and well-being topics:

• Investing in Your Health and Wellness While Working Remotely
• Enhance Your Productivity in a Hybrid Work Environment
• Support Your Mental Health Through Challenging Times
• Thriving @ Work: Leveraging the Connection between Well-Being & Productivity
• Arianna Huffington’s Thrive 04: Facing Challenges with Gratitude and Forgiveness
• Learn to Manage your Stress
• Managing Stress for Positive Change
• De-stress: Meditation and Movement for Stress Management
• Why Resilience Matters
• Performing Under Pressure
• Balancing Work and Life
• Building Resilience
• Embracing Unexpected Change
• Mindfulness Practices

LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn Learning is available free for all McMaster students, faculty and staff. Many of the learning opportunities can be completed at your own pace and there is a wealth of options available to you. Some courses to consider are:

• Develop Essential Skills to Manage in a Hybrid Workplace
  • Learning Path, December 2021
  • 4 hours, 42 minutes
• How to be an Effective Remote Manager
  • By: Madecraft and Mitch Simon, June 2021
  • 1 hour, 9 minutes
• Managing Skills for Remote Leaders
  • By: Madecraft and Mary Jean Vignone, March 2021
  • 1 hour, 12 minutes
• Building Relationships While Working from Home
  • By: Dave Crenshaw, Sept 2020
  • 22 minutes
• Managing Virtual Teams
  • By: Phil Gold, May 2019
  • 56 minutes

DeGroote Executive Management Program (EMP)

EMP courses are available to employees in TMG, are discounted for employees and can be paid for using your MPDA. Most courses are one day of learning, broken up into two half-day sessions. Completing five courses also provides a Certificate of Completion, with the opportunity for a specialization, depending on the courses you take. Signup is easy and can be done by connecting with Lynn Petruzzella – petruzl@mcmaster.ca. Some courses to consider are:

• Emotional Intelligence Edge
  • May 10 & 11 from 9:00am to 12:00pm
• Vital Conversations
  • May 18 & 19 from 9:00am to 12:00pm
• Engaging Your Employees
  • Fall 2022

• The Mindful Leader
  • Fall 2022

W Booth School of Engineering Practice and Technology – Industry Operations Leadership & Management Program

The Industry Operations Leadership & Management (IOLM) Program is an adaptable, modular, practical, applied program aimed at managers and supervisors in industry. An industry-first driven approach will enable candidates to learn directly from leaders in industry as well as academic instructors, to derive relevant, real-world insights and capabilities to drive transition and scale of their own industry business units.

This McMaster University Professional Certificate Program will inform, educate, mentor, and practically assess critical competencies needed to transform, sustain, and scale industry 4.0 operations. The IOLM Program is designed to be flexible and adaptable to meet specific individual & business needs.

The Program consists of five Industry-specific certification courses – Industry Operations Leadership Fundamentals, Tactical Planning & Execution, Industry Business Unit Operations, Advanced Leadership Skills, Advanced Operations Skills.

GROW Model – Issues with Flexible Work Arrangements

GROW Model – Responding to Flexible Work Arrangement Proposals 

McMaster HR Resources:

• Resources for working hybrid/remote
• Employee engagement ideas for leaders

Topical reading and tip sheets:

• How can I help my team through challenging times?
• Getting back to the basics of human connection
• How to Keep Virtual Teams Engaged
• Employee Engagement Ideas for your Remote Team
• Best practises for productive virtual meetings
• How to do hybrid meetings right (video)
• What psychological safety looks like in a hybrid workplace
• Best practises in building trust
• Quick tips for hosting meetings
• Facilitation checklist for virtual meetings

Looking for additional support and resources? Contact the Organizational Development team!

Check out the University Technology Services (UTS) website to find the following:

• Tech-readiness checklist for staff and faculty including important information about on-site wireless, telecommunications, IT security, and more.
• UTS Client Services Support and LiveChat information. You can also contact your local IT, if applicable.
• For hybrid work arrangements, continue to explore using available tools under McMaster’s Microsoft 365 license. For instance, all McMaster staff, faculty and students have access to the Microsoft Bookings tool which provide an online and mobile appointment scheduling app.

The DO’s:

• Trust your flex workers.
• Focus on your management/leadership skills and manage by objectives and results, building strong trusting relationships and empowering employees.
• Outline how success/performance will be measured. Set clear expectations and clear, measurable objectives.
• Set core hours based on operational requirements and communicate service standards and expectations to employees.
• Communicate on a regular basis. Let the flex workers know your expectations and that you’re there for them.
• Establish standards for communications within workgroups; schedule regular updates with employees both individually/team; identify methods and frequency for communication.
• Provide regular feedback
• Include your flex worker in goal setting.
• Delegate assignments fairly among all employees.
• Include the flex workers in day-to-day activities; keep on the lookout for clues that a flexible worker is feeling isolated.
• Expect that things will not go smoothly all the time. Consider opportunities for learning and debriefs with the team to help with continuous improvement and communication.
• Be prepared to let the employee adjust or cancel the arrangement – or look to discuss to adjust or cancel it yourself – if it is clearly not working in its current form. Document and discuss issues and attempt to address them before making this determination.
• Ensure flex worker has regular “in office” time or meetings to maintain ties. Consider other opportunities for connection and culture building.

The DON’Ts:

• Don’t just say no to a flexible work proposal – review it with the requester and give clear feedback if you are denying it, or modify if there’s an opportunity for an acceptable compromise.
• Don’t just check up on your flex worker, e.g., calling early in the morning to make sure they are at work.
• Check-in instead! See how things are going and if they need any support. Don’t ignore your flexible work workers.
• Don’t allow one unsuccessful attempt to give flex work a bad name.
• Don’t expect everyone to want to be a flex worker.

Please visit the templates webpage for the fillable template documents.

Coordination of work

The DO’s:

• Value your flexible work arrangement and commit to success by meeting the expectations outlined by your supervisor.
• Take the time to explore how your flexible work arrangement could affect your work and be prepared.
• Ask co-workers for their opinion to gain support on your work arrangement – whether it’s a team or individual request.
• If not all parts of your request for a flexible work arrangement are approved, modify your request.
• Stay in touch with your colleagues and communicate your schedule through tools such as outlook calendar, voicemail, email, or Microsoft Teams.
• Be flexible in helping to establish your colleague’s work arrangements.
• Communicate regularly on how the arrangement is going with your supervisor.
• Cancel or revisit the arrangement if it is not meeting your needs.
• Employees are responsible for informing individuals who set up meetings of work schedule and ensure calendar is up to date.
• Remember that flexible work arrangements are a privilege.

The DON’Ts:

• Shift your schedule daily without communicating to your team and manager.
• Cancel important meetings scheduled on your work from home day.
• Notify your manager of a need to work from home on short notice.
• Don’t expect perfection – allow adjustment.

Please visit the templates webpage for the fillable template documents.

Sample Hybrid Work Proposal – Individual

Sample Hybrid Work Proposal – Group

Health and safety considerations must be reviewed prior to determining whether a flexible work arrangement is appropriate. If all parties agree to a flexible work arrangement, the health and safety checklist must be completed and included as part of the written agreement about the arrangement.

McMaster is committed to creating a healthy and safe work environment for everyone that works, studies or visits the campus. This commitment and duty also extends to university employees who work from home. Employees are responsible for setting up an appropriate work environment within their home, which provides the same level of safety and security as the regular work office.

Please review this short video on how to ensure your home office is setup ergonomically.

Workplace Injuries

When an employee is injured while working from home, they must comply with the normal reporting requirements for any work-related accident as outlined in the reporting procedures. Employees should first treat or seek treatment for the injury, and then report the injury to their supervisor, just as they would if they were injured at the office through the Injury/Illness Report. Please reference RMM 1000 Reporting and Investigating Injury/Incident/Occupational Disease for more information.

McMaster is not responsible and assumes no liability for any injuries to family members, visitors, and others in the employee’s home.

Workplace Violence

Employees with flexible work arrangements are subject to all of the same policies and procedures and expected standards of conduct as all other McMaster employees, including Violence in the Workplace Policy.

Threats or incidents of workplace violence should be reported to the supervisor, a person in authority or Security and Parking Services. The University has an established Accident/Incident form that employees are required to fill out in conjunction with their supervisor for any Health and Safety related issue. If you ever have an immediate fear for your safety while working remotely, call the police at 911. For on-campus safety matters, it is recommended that community members download the McMaster Safety App or contact McMaster Security Services.

Meeting Visitors

For health and safety reasons, employees cannot have work meetings with clients or others in their homes. This restriction needs to be included in working at home (flexible work arrangements) agreements.

It is important to note that flexible work arrangements as outlined in this guide are not substitutions for, or part of, an accommodation plan for employees. In cases where an employee requests a flexible work arrangement for medical reasons or to accommodate a disability, the University has a duty to accommodate (to the point of undue hardship). There is a separate process in place to arrange for accommodation related to illness or disability. Please review the Workplace Accommodation Procedures and discuss directly with your HR representative for more information on this topic.

There are a number of existing policies and collective agreements that speak to the opportunities employees and supervisors have to reach agreements with respect to flexible work arrangements. Please contact your HR Representative to help determine whether flexible work arrangements are appropriate in a given circumstance, and for templates to use in setting up such arrangements. In addition, our Risk Management Manual – RMM 304 Working Alone Program may apply.

At McMaster University, we are committed to enabling a work culture that is safe, inclusive, collaborative, engaging and allows every employee to contribute and thrive, while continuing to provide exceptional contributions, service and supports to the teaching, research and institutional mission of the University.

As work-related needs can vary across our diverse Faculties and Departments, the University offers opportunities for supervisors and employees to discuss a variety of different types of flexible work arrangements to promote employee engagement, enhance talent attraction and retention, and ultimately advance University strategic priorities.

The Flexible Work Guidelines and supporting materials have been developed in the interest of sharing best practices and summarizing information and activities already underway across the University in a way that is most helpful to supervisors and employees as they plan forward in their teams.

The Assistant Vice-President/Dean will review flexible work arrangement proposals, to ensure there is consistency in understanding and approach across departments/faculties. Departments are encouraged to consult with Human Resources (listed on the right side of this page), where additional supports are required related to considering flexible work proposals.

Where there is an operational requirement that restricts the feasibility of a flexible work arrangement, supervisors are able to deny those requests or seek to update the terms of the arrangement in support of operational requirements. For example, some positions at the University do not lend themselves to hybrid or remote work; however, there may be a benefit in exploring changes to hours of work that may allow for broader support to the community, and balance staff interests or personal life obligations.

If denying a request, it’s important to provide clear rationale for the decision so employees understand why the request is being denied. Before moving forward with a denial, supervisors are encouraged to ask themselves whether there’s a reasonable modification that can be made that will enable the flexible work arrangement and otherwise support the employee experience.

Yes. In fact, it’s encouraged. Employees are part of the process and they also have a detailed understanding of operational and community interests in the work they do. Their involvement will help best identify how to meet operational considerations and address solutions in establishing a flexible work arrangement. Encourage your team to take the time to consolidate their individual requests into one team request or explore opportunities to discuss at team meetings. If the team needs help, take the time to sit with them and explain University and Department priorities and any other considerations that may be helpful as they consider submitting one proposal. If necessary, reach out to your Human Resources Representative, listed on the right side of this page, for support.

Managing in a remote environment is different than in person, which brings unique considerations for leaders. Employees generally want to do their best and seek out ways to feel engaged, supported and address the needs of the community. Not seeing your employees doesn’t mean that work isn’t getting done, as we have all learned throughout the pandemic, and it encourages leaders and staff to prioritize outcomes. There are resources available to support leaders and employees stay connected and engaged with each other. Some specific tips include:

• When assigning work, be clear with the task, desired outcome and timelines
  • Providing that clarity sets expectations and establishes a timeline by which supervisors should expect the work to be completed. A lack of clarity around any of the above can cause confusion for the employee tasked to do the work, or they may not understand the urgency associated with a particular task or request.
• Schedule regular check-ins with your employees working remotely
  • A weekly or bi-weekly, 30-minute check-in can provide an opportunity to clarify or assist with any work-related questions, be sure tasks are on track and ensure there’s a consistent connection between employees and supervisors.
• Manage based on productivity and outcomes
  • Managing employees based on the work products they’re providing you and the work they are doing is your best option in supporting and assessing how your employees are doing. The regular check-ins noted above are also a good tool to ensure there’s a shared understanding of the expectations and help address any issues. If there are emerging issues or concerns regarding work performance or delivery, supervisors are encouraged to have a coaching conversation with the employee to outline the concerns and expectations moving forward or check-in of any specific support is helpful to their success.

The flexible work guidelines are not intended to impact any existing flexible work arrangements that have been agreed to between supervisors and their staff. Please review available templates if helpful to support documentation using the new templates that have been developed for hybrid work and flexible hours.

Many areas across the University will experience periods where the in-person demands are greater than others over the course of the year. It is important to clearly outline these periods with employees and the expectation that the flexible work arrangement may be modified or temporarily suspended during that time. In addition, supervisors can ensure peak periods are incorporated into agreement template, so it is clear for everyone what the requirements will be during those periods. Supervisors working through these situations can connect with their HR representative, listed on the right side of this page, for additional support.

As outlined in the eligibility section of the guidelines, not all positions are appropriate for all types of flexible work arrangements. When this occurs among staff on the same team, it’s important to be clear on the distinctions and principles for why an arrangement works for some positions and not for others. For those positions that are not eligible to work remotely or in a hybrid manner, consider whether there’s another arrangement that can be implemented to provide them with some additional flexibility. If there’s no possibility, consider other ways you can help engage those employees. Please refer to the Employee Engagement page on the HR website for suggestions.

Positions that can successfully complete their work and a fully remote basis are rare across the University. All University positions generally have some in-person requirement as part of their duties and must be prepared to attend a McMaster site as needed as a term and condition of employment. Those rare situations are to be discussed with the AVP/Dean for consideration and must be approved at the Vice-President / Senior Leadership level.

Discuss with your employees the need to have in-person coverage and what days that’s necessary (which could be every day). If a proposal doesn’t account for in-person coverage, ask that your employees revise the proposal to incorporate this in a way that spreads out coverage and support amongst the team. If they are having challenges coming to a consensus, discussing options and creative ideas openly at a team meeting on personal interests may be helpful to advance the discussion. Open conversation can often help to find a resolution that works for everyone. If helpful, you can engage your HR representative, listed on the right side of this page, for assistance with that conversation.

Supervisors may benefit from reviewing the Workplace Accommodation Procedures if they are receiving a request for an Accommodation from an employee. This material provides guidance to all members of the University community seeking or providing accommodation based on any protected ground under the Ontario Human Rights Code (the “Code”), explain the roles, responsibilities, and processes related to workplace accommodation and provide insight on how to evaluate, implement, and manage workplace accommodation adjustments.

McMaster University has the duty to accommodate all persons that require accommodation based on a protected ground, including disability (medically related) or family status. Employees may complete the accommodation forms available when seeking accommodated work procedures or duties. Please connect with Employee Health Services or Employee / Labour Relations if you have any questions on how to review these requests or in support of next steps.

In some instances, staff and faculty might make a request that is not based on a protected ground but as preference. These requests should also be considered to support the individual’s success. Flexibility and support for employees in delivering on the work expectations are a normal part of the work environments. In these instances, a review of the Flexible Work Guidelines may help generate ideas and supportive approaches to address employees’ success in the workplace.

At McMaster University, we are committed to enabling a work culture that is safe, inclusive, collaborative, engaging and allows every employee to contribute and thrive, while continuing to provide exceptional contributions, service and supports to the teaching, research and institutional mission of the University.

As work-related needs can vary across our diverse Faculties and Departments, the University offers opportunities for supervisors and employees to discuss a variety of different types of flexible work arrangements to promote employee engagement, enhance talent attraction and retention, and ultimately advance University strategic priorities.

The Flexible Work Guidelines and supporting materials have been developed in the interest of sharing best practices and summarizing information and activities already underway across the University in a way that is most helpful to supervisors and employees as they plan forward in their teams. Information can be found here: https://hr.mcmaster.ca/resources/flexible-work-guidelines/.

The Assistant Vice-President/Dean will have final approval for flexible work arrangement proposals, to ensure there is consistency in understanding and approach across departments/faculties. Departments are encouraged to consult with Human Resources (listed on the right side of this page) where additional supports are required related to considering flexible work proposals.

All types of flexible work arrangements are not feasible for every position, based on the operational requirements and responsibilities of the role. For example, some positions at the University do not lend themselves to hybrid or remote work; however, there may be a opportunities to explore changes to hours of work that may allow for broader support to the community, and balance staff interests and personal life obligations. Staff who aren’t sure whether their position is a candidate for a flexible work arrangement are encouraged to have a conversation with their supervisor about the operational considerations and what options may be available.

As outlined in the proposal process, it is the responsibility of the supervisor to assess the feasibility of a proposal and to work with employees on any modifications that might be necessary to ensure operational requirements are considered. Where a supervisor does not support a proposal, they are to clearly outline the reasons for denying the request to employees. Supervisors will review arrangements for approval with the Assistant Vice-President (AVP)/Dean to ensure that flexible work arrangements are reviewed, implemented and managed consistently.

Employees and supervisors are encouraged to discuss interests in flexible work arrangements as a first step. There may be creative ideas, or operational considerations that can inform any proposals that may be submitted.

Following this, please refer to the proposal process for the steps and templates to submit a proposal to your supervisor. Please use the proposal template and provide as much detail as possible when completing the template (refer to sample group and individual proposals that are available), leveraging your detailed understanding of operational and community interests. If there is more than one employee in your unit interested in requesting a flexible work arrangement, please consider consolidating individual requests into one team request or explore opportunities to discuss with your supervisor at team meetings. If necessary, reach out to your Human Resources Representative, listed on the right side of this page, for support or assistance.

The University has not established standard response time for a supervisor to respond to a proposal in consideration of schedules of all parties, and various complexity of the proposals that may be received. Some proposals involving multiple employees may take more time for assessment and response, for example. Work priorities may also make it difficult for a supervisor to give a proposal their immediate attention, but we encourage supervisors to keep employees apprised of the status of their proposal request. Patience and understanding are encouraged for all parties as you work through the process together.

The flexible work guidelines are not intended to impact any existing flexible work arrangements that have been agreed to between supervisors and their staff. Please review available templates if helpful to support documentation using the new templates that have been developed for hybrid work and flexible hours.

Employees may work together to prepare and submit one proposal to their supervisor if there is interest to do so. The involvement of all those who are interested in a flexible work arrangement will help best identify how to meet operational considerations and address solutions in establishing a flexible work arrangement. A coordinated approach will also ensure that the schedules and interests of all team members are considered when preparing a proposal. One proposal for a group of employees also makes it easier for a supervisor to review and assess the request. Preparing one proposal for a group may take a little extra planning and coordination at the beginning, but is necessary, as teams will need to be aligned when it comes to implementing a flexible work arrangement. In addition, taking the time to prepare a comprehensive proposal for you and your colleagues demonstrates that you have put thought and effort into what a successful arrangement looks like for your team.

Proposals can be submitted for individuals or teams. If your colleagues aren’t interested in a flexible work arrangement you can submit a proposal to your supervisor as an individual request. Please keep in mind that effective flexible work arrangements are benefited by input, flexibility and alignment from all members of a team. Flexible work arrangements are not a first come, first serve arrangement and adjustments may be required if/when additional employees seek a flexible work arrangement based on updated interests.

It is important to ensure the proposal that is submitted addresses any potential challenges and offers solutions to address them. With that said, not all flexible work arrangements are appropriate for all positions. Where a supervisor determines that a flexible work arrangement proposal is not operationally feasible, they are encouraged to provide clear rationale for the decision to ensure a common understanding. Where there is a disagreement, staff and supervisors are encouraged to have constructive, respectful conversations about the proposal, with the goal of finding a mutually beneficial solution. However, where there is no consensus, the supervisor is considered to be the final decision maker.

No. At McMaster University, we are committed to enabling a work culture that is safe, inclusive, collaborative, engaging and allows every employee to contribute and thrive, while continuing to provide exceptional contributions, service and supports to the teaching, research and institutional mission of the University. This involves supporting employees in establishing a work environment where they can perform at their best. The flexible work guidelines are intended to help enable supervisors and employees to have discussions about flexible work options, where they may be desired. With that said, when an employee continues to want to work on-site on a full-time basis, this will also be enabled.

No. Employees are not required to work from home on their remote working days. However, they must be available during working hours, and in an environment with adequate high-speed internet access and that meets all of the health and safety requirements outlined on the Home Workstation Self-Assessment Safety Checklist as well as security and privacy considerations for the work of their position. Employees are to communicate any change in location with their supervisor prior to beginning work at a new location and provide a signed Home Workstation Self-Assessment Safety Checklist for the new/temporary remote work location.

Employees may benefit from reviewing the Workplace Accommodation Procedures if they are considering submitting a request for an Accommodation. This material provides guidance to all members of the University community seeking or providing accommodation based on any protected ground under the Ontario Human Rights Code (the “Code”), explain the roles, responsibilities, and processes related to workplace accommodation and provide insight on how to evaluate, implement, and manage workplace accommodation adjustments.

McMaster University has the duty to accommodate all persons that require accommodation based on a protected ground, including disability (medically related) or family status. Employees may complete the accommodation forms available when seeking accommodated work procedures or duties. Please connect with Employee Health Services or Employee / Labour Relations if you have any questions on these requests or in support of next steps.

In some instances, staff and faculty might make a request that is not based on a protected ground human rights-ground but as a preference. These requests should also be considered to support an individual’s success. Flexibility and support for employees in delivering on the work expectations are a normal part of work environments. In these instances, a review of the Flexible Work Guidelines may help generate ideas and supportive approaches to address employees’ success in the workplace.