Alternative Work Arrangements: Information for Telework, Flextime, and Mobile Workers

The University of Georgia is home to over 41,000 students, and engaging in a vibrant campus community is essential to their development, retention, and graduation. As a land-grant and sea-grant research university, it is imperative that faculty and staff are present to support these student pursuits, which are central to the mission of our institution. All offices must be fully staffed during core business hours (Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.). Telework should be limited. As unit leaders and HR Liaisons review the guidelines below and work with employees to complete the requested information, it is critical to note that telework is not a right: it is an arrangement that is approved voluntarily by the dean or vice president and Chief Human Resources Officer (or designee) only when it supports the mission and needs of the institution. UGA's overarching policy is subject to the University System of Georgia’s guidance, which expects employees to be physically present. As such, the information below serves as a general guide. 

New for 2025:

GUIDELINES

Teleworking arrangements work best when there is an established set of guidelines for all parties involved. Some best practices for employees and supervisors include:

Setting clear expectations

Clarify expectations. Be sure to lay out clear expectations around job performance and responsiveness.

Be specific. Employees should fully understand what is expected of them when they telework. Outline communication and system tools and expectations (such as shared Outlook calendars with notes including telephone numbers) to deliver on work and projects in the same way that you require when the employee is onsite.

Agree on expectations. Ask the employee to reflect what they understand as telework expectations to ensure your agreement and alignment. A teleworking self-assessment (PDF) is a great tool in establishing these expectations between supervisors and employees.

Plan ahead

Plan ahead. There are several issues—workspace, work hours, expected productivity, IT support, among others—that need to be decided and discussed with teleworkers to ensure a positive start to a telework program or arrangement. Work with your unit’s IT group to ensure the provided technology is effective, efficient, and operates consistently. Ensure that teleworkers have the direct contact information for your unit’s IT in case of questions or emergencies.

Designate “office” space. Encourage teleworkers to create a quiet place to get their work done. While it need not be an elaborate set-up, a dedicated area helps teleworkers concentrate on their work, minimize distractions, and ensure that phone calls and video conferences are effective.

Establish communication guidelines. Set up guidelines around responsiveness. For example, you may establish the expectation that emails be responded to before the end of the workday, and any missed calls should be returned within two hours. These guidelines should be clearly communicated and should be compatible with the operational needs of the agency and the work that employees are expected to complete.

Reinforce expectations around work hours. As part of the telework arrangement, be clear about when teleworkers are expected to be completing tasks and when they should be responsive to incoming calls or emails.

Get IT support. Teleworkers are dependent on fast, reliable, consistent connections. Work with your IT group to ensure the provided technology is effective, efficient, and operates consistently. Ensure that teleworkers have email and phone numbers to contact IT in case of questions or emergencies.

Communicate regularly

Communicate regularly. Effective teleworker management requires strong communication and collaboration practices. Set guidelines regarding response times, shared calendars and documents, and preferred communication methods for various situations.

Establish a virtual presence. Transparent communication tools and team norms like shared calendars can be useful. One tip is to require that teleworkers’ calendars indicate they are working from home and show a phone number where they can be reached. UGA EITS also provides great resources such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams which have a wide range of functionality allowing for impromptu meetings and quick communications.

Engage your teleworkers daily. Regular interaction and engagement provides opportunities for managers to clarify expectations about the work to be done, helping to ensure that the time working away from the office is productive.

Be available to teleworkers. You don’t want to micromanage teleworkers, but you do want to be available and supportive, track progress, and keep them in the loop. The same goes for employees working in the office—make sure they are available to collaborate and communicate with teleworkers as needed.

Use reliable technology tools. If teleworkers can't access files or struggle to make themselves heard on a conference call, the telework arrangement will hinder the employee’s productivity. Make sure teleworkers have access to reliable tools to make collaboration possible. Again, Microsoft Teams is a great tool for file sharing and collaboration.

Foster effective teamwork

Foster effective teamwork. If more than one employee is working remotely, treat telework as a team activity rather than an individual one. Develop a team schedule and a teleworking system that is consistent with the needs of your unit.

Help teleworkers avoid multi-tasking. With your teleworkers, figure out ways to avoid multi-tasking. Video conferences instead of phone conferences work well. Encourage people to stay in working mode and off email back-and-forth as much as is feasible while still ensuring agency operational goals are met.

Establish strong relationships with teleworkers. Check in as needed using collaboration tools, shared docs and spreadsheets, phone calls, chat, and video. Invest in your professional relationship by showing you are supportive of their success and want to help them achieve their goals rather than just check on their progress and numbers.

Build effective project management practices. Organization is critical for teams that mix teleworkers and office workers. If available, it’s a good idea to use cloud-based tools so that everyone can access the files and information they need at any time. These tools also offer efficient ways to communicate, organize projects across teams and set deadline reminders.

Reflect and adjust

Reflect and adjust. Over time, you are likely to face challenges related to managing teleworkers. It is important to build in time to have open and honest discussions with employees regarding telework and work performance. Solution-oriented discussions can help ensure the sustained success of telework programs and arrangements.

Establish regular check-ins. Set aside time on a regular cadence (e.g. monthly, quarterly) to discuss telework. Discuss what is working well with the current arrangement and what could be improved. Brainstorm changes to address any issues and follow up at the next check-in to see if those changes have led to improvement. 

Source: Massachusetts State Government Teleworking Guidance

SUBMITTING AN ALTERNATIVE WORK ARRANGEMENT REQUEST

Alternative work arrangements are designed to support institutional goals and must align with University System of Georgia (USG) Human Resources Administrative Practices (HRAP) guidelines. To be eligible, employees and their positions must meet the following criteria:

• Institutional Benefit: The alternative work arrangement must benefit the institution.
• Employee Standing: Employees must be in good standing and not under a performance improvement plan.
• Position Suitability: The role must include measurable, results-oriented performance standards that support independent work and are suitable for telework, if applicable.

Submission Process

Employees should collaborate with their supervisor before submitting an Alternative Work Arrangement Form via Smartsheet. The viability of the arrangement should be discussed in detail prior to submission, see Related Information below for resources to facilitate that discussion.

1. The supervisor should discuss the teleworking request with the unit's HR Liaison and follow unit-specific expectations for alternative work arrangements.
2. Employee submits the Alternative Work Arrangement Form through Smartsheet.
3. Unit Approvers will review and act on the alternative work arrangement through Smartsheet workflow.
4. University of Georgia’s Chief Human Resources Officer (or designee) will review and make final decision related to any telework or remote working arrangements.

Approval Process

1. Employees must submit an alternative work arrangement form
2. The employee’s supervisor’s approval is required. 
3. The arrangement must be reviewed and approval by the unit’s HR Liaison. 
4. All requests of remote/telework agreements must receive final approval by the Unit’s Dean or Vice President and then the University of Georgia’s Chief Human Resources Officer (or designee).  
5. Employees will receive notification that their alternative work arrangement has been approved and that they may begin their arrangement.

REQUEST WORKFLOW 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 

Why does UGA and USG require formalized teleworking and flextime arrangements?

Formal teleworking and flextime arrangements establish uniform guidelines and expectations for both the employee and employer. These formalized agreements also allow for consistency, policy alignment, and reporting for a variety of purposes.

What steps should supervisors take to terminate an alternative work arrangement prior to the original scheduled expiration date?

Managers have the authority to end alternative work arrangements at any time. Managers should first discuss the details of the change in work arrangements with the employee and then contact hrweb@uga.edu to change the end date that was submitted via Smartsheet.

How is the employee notified of the outcome of their request?

Employees will receive notification that their alternative work arrangement has been approved and that they may begin their arrangement.

How can someone check the status of an alternative work arrangement request?

Each unit’s designated HR Liaison has access to a report which provides a real time status of each request in their unit.

If I have an employee with both a teleworking and flextime arrangement, can I submit both with one request?

Yes, you should only submit one request.

When a request is denied, does a new request have to be initiated or can the existing request be edited?

Any changes to a request must be done by submitting a new request.

Can an Alternate Work Arrangement Agreement request be used for student employees?

Yes, so long as they can perform the essential duties of the position from a remote work location.

RESOURCES   

Teleworking Self-Assessment Guide (PDF)

Find Your Unit's HR Liaison