The Hub: Published By, For and About ITS

Recently, a message encouraging flexible work arrangements was sent from Brenda Malone, associate vice chancellor for Human Resources, to the University community in acknowledgment of the unprecedented increase in the price of gasoline and the burden it places on UNC-Chapel Hill employees. The University encouraged individual units to perform their own assessments and determine the best approach for their staff.

In an effort to consider all viable options for ITS, Vice Chancellor and CIO Larry Conrad and ITS senior management focused on the issue of flexible work arrangements and reviewed various options – including flexible work hours, 4-day work weeks and telework.

The conclusion was that ITS is limited to offering staff the option of flexible work hours.

“We considered first and foremost the impact of 4-day work weeks and telework on our daily operations and the challenges we face with fixed shift coverage, providing adequate “business day” coverage, providing coverage “depth” for a number of our divisions, and measuring telework outcomes,” said Conrad. “We concluded it would not be beneficial to the organization to create a policy that could not be applied equally and fairly across ITS or one that could impact negatively on our commitment to our campus customers.”

ITS already offers staff flexible work hours. Since November 2006, ITS has allowed many staff to choose their work hours as long as it includes the established 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. core work period. The other hours can be flexible if approved by the manager.

According to Conrad, while this arrangement does not address the desire to eliminate a day of driving, it does offer flexibility to allow for carpooling or bus scheduling, which may be options for many staff.

“We want to support any efforts staff may wish to make to conserve gas,” said Conrad, “and we will continue to work with staff on a case-by-case basis to provide as much flexibility as his or her work requirements will allow.”

ITS’ first priority as a service organization is to provide quality customer service and be responsive to customers needs. Conrad stated that until/unless customer units adopt such policies themselves (and their service expectations of ITS change), it will be difficult to implement unilaterally an array of flexible work arrangements for ITS and still meet its primary responsibilities to the Carolina community.