At Duke, we understand the increasing demands that staff members face in their personal and work lives and recognize that their career is just one of the many aspects of their life. Finding ways to accommodate these demands can help provide an atmosphere where we can thrive personally and professionally.

There are many instances of flexible work arrangements at Duke today. Supervisors and staff have worked together to find creative ways of meeting business needs while providing greater flexibility than traditional work arrangements. Duke has now developed formal guidelines to help support supervisors and employees in establishing these arrangements.

Flexible work options offer alternative approaches to getting work done through non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures. They offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments and can result in a more positive and productive work environment.

There is an array of flexible work options available at Duke including flextime (flexible work hours), telecommuting (flexible work location), compressed work schedules, and alternative work assignments such as job sharing and abbreviated schedule or part-time work. Although not all options may be available in all departments or for all positions, these guidelines can offer employees suggestions that may help them manage their work schedules while continuing to meet business needs.

• Flextime
• Compressed Workweek
• Job Sharing
• Abbreviated Schedule or Part-Time Work
• 10- or 9-Month Arrangements
• Remote Work Arrangements

Guidelines for Success

Because Duke is a complex organization with diverse work environments, Flexible Work Option are offered as guidelines rather than as policy as no single approach would apply for all situations. These guidelines will help supervisors and employees think more carefully and creatively about how a flexible work arrangement can support institutional goals and improve employee satisfaction.

How to Introduce

Flexible work options require supervisor and departmental leadership approval and depend on a partnership between the supervisor and employee to ensure that the needs of both the employee and the institution are being met. Flexible work options are generally introduced in a work environment by a staff member who determines that he/she would like to have a flexible work option. However, supervisors may also suggest flexible work options for some or all staff members.

Staff and their supervisors are encouraged to discuss their needs and to work together to develop the best possible arrangements for their situation. Here are the suggested steps for introducing a flexible work option.

Contacts

Direct any general questions about related policies or procedures to your entity, school, or department's Human Resources Office or the Department of Staff and Labor Relations. If you have questions about specific issues, call the following offices: