MSU Extension Organizational Development

Michigan State University Extension

Michigan State University (MSU) Extension supports a flexible work environment for its diverse and talented workforce. MSU Extension is a forward-facing, community-based organization and being present in communities is at the core of the organization’s mission. Community-based roles require flexibility and adaptability to carry out the duties and responsibilities of their positions. Creating and maintaining a culture of teamwork and collaboration externally and internally is critical to MSU Extension’s continued success. Employees will conduct programming and participate in work which requires they perform duties away from their primary office. Examples include, and are not limited to, internal county, district and/or work team meetings; external partner, collaborator, programming meetings; trainings and events.

MSU Extension recognizes the level of flexibility within positions will vary based on individual job responsibilities, tasks, and location. Most employees hold positions with forward-facing roles and responsibilities, where in-person programming, office coverage and visits from clientele are commonplace. In-person presence is required as determined by the supervisor, district director, institute leadership, and/or work team.

All employees are assigned an MSU Work Site (any university designated facility, or a university owned, leased, or operated facility) as their primary office location. Organizational leaders recognize that there are some aspects of MSU Extension work that may benefit from limited work at a Remote Work Site (the location at which the employee designates or identifies, and which will be the primary work site when not working at the MSU Work Site).

MSU Extension’s Shared Values underpin our core mission and are foundational to a flexible work environment. The Shared Values serve as our social contract with each other and our partners and stakeholders that support the work of Extension.

Employee expectations when working from a remote work site:

· Be available and accessible during established work hours.

· Attend required in-person programming, meetings, trainings, events, office coverage, and other activities. Working remotely does not remove in-person responsibilities.

· Use the camera during video meetings unless the meeting host or supervisor indicates otherwise. Use a professional setting, an MSU Extension background, a university background, or the blur function.

· Use appropriate communication tools, including video, chat, email, and phone, to remain connected and responsive.

· Follow all established procedures in the MSU Extension Administrative Handbook, regardless of work location.

· Ensure the Remote Work Site meets current MSU guidelines for equipment, accessibility, performance, dependent care, and related requirements.

· Maintain a safe, secure, and appropriate workspace.

· Comply with the MSU Institutional Data Policy and any other safeguards that are designated by MSU/MSU Extension to protect information from unauthorized disclosure or damage. Institutional data must not be stored on an employee’s personal computer/device. All records, papers, and correspondence must be safeguarded for their return to the MSU work site.

· Use university equipment as assigned. Because the MSU work site is the primary work location for most employees, MSU Extension will not purchase or maintain additional workstations, laptops, equipment, furniture, etc. to facilitate flexible work occurring at a remote location. If the employee is assigned a laptop for their work, they may use this laptop at the remote work site but no other accessories (additional monitors, docking stations, mice, keyboard, printer, etc.) will be purchased or maintained by MSU. All University owned office furniture must remain at the MSU work site.

· Maintain reliable internet service at the remote work location. MSU/MSU Extension will not reimburse the cost of internet service.

Flexible Work Environment

The duties and responsibilities of a position and the needs of the primary office location determine whether, and to what extent, work-location flexibility is appropriate. Flexible work schedules must support MSU Extension’s shared values, programmatic priorities, organizational needs and efficiency, and employee productivity. Flexibility is not automatically granted and must be discussed with and approved by the employee’s supervisor(s).

Clear and consistent communication in a flexible work environment is crucial. Employees must maintain ongoing communication with their supervisor, institute leadership, district director and colleagues. Supervisors and employees should establish expectations for availability, communication methods, and response times consistent with the General Expectations of MSU Extension Employees policy within the MSU Extension Administrative Handbook.

Considerations for flexible work location include and are not limited to:

· Working remotely when mildly ill and able to work, to reduce the risk of exposing others.

· Working remotely during a county office closure, other unexpected office closure, or weather-related concern. See the MSU Extension Administrative Handbook for additional guidance.

· Beginning or ending the workday at home when a programming or meeting location is closer and more efficient to the employee’s home than to the assigned MSU Work Site. This arrangement should be clearly reflected on an employee’s Outlook calendar.

· Working remotely for part of or all of a day because of an occasional personal circumstance that requires the employee to be home, such as a scheduled home repair or service appointment. This flexibility must be approved in advance, reflected on their Outlook calendar, and the employee must have appropriate work to complete. This is intended for infrequent situations, not regular or ongoing arrangements.

Remote Work Arrangements

A remote work arrangement is when an employee works remotely on consistent, designated days (ex. every Monday and Tuesday) or consistently works remotely throughout the week depending on programming, organizational or MSU work site needs (ex. typically works remote on Tuesday and Friday but will vary week to week based on programming, office needs or other work responsibilities). Consistent, designated days may vary because of programming, meetings, office needs or other work responsibilities. Occasional, supervisor-approved flexibility for an infrequent situation, as outlined in the Flexible Work Location section of this document, does not by itself constitute an ongoing remote work arrangement.

Employees may request a remote work agreement using the MSU Extension Remote Work Agreement Supplemental Document when a clear business rationale, grounded in a position’s responsibilities and organizational needs, supports regularly working from both their primary MSU Work Site and a Remote Work Location while maintaining their normal work hours. Submitting a remote work agreement request does not guarantee approval. Remote work agreements cannot exceed one year and must be reviewed and renewed annually, expired agreements will not be honored. All MSU Extension Flexible Work Environment terms and conditions apply to anyone with a remote work agreement.

An employee who regularly works from a remote work site location is required to complete and receive approval for a Remote Work Agreement. Supervisors, district directors, and institute leaders are responsible for ensuring the appropriate agreement is in place. Until an agreement is completed and approved, the employee is expected to work from their assigned MSU Work Site.

Remote Work Agreement Request Process:

1. The employee completes and signs the MSU Extension Remote Work Agreement Supplemental Document.
2. The employee submits the completed and signed MSU Extension remote work agreement supplemental document via email to the supervisor, district director and institute leadership for review and approval. Approval requires signatures of the employee, supervisor, district director and institute leader. If questions or concerns arise, the supervisor, district director, and institute leader will consult with one another to align on feedback and next steps. The appropriate leader will then communicate the feedback and any resulting decisions to the employee.
3. After approval, the supervisor emails the signed remote work agreement supplemental document to the employee and copies MSU Extension Human Resources (msue.hr@msu.edu) so the document can be retained in the employee’s personnel file.
4. The employee attaches the signed MSU Extension remote work agreement supplemental document to the Remote Work Agreement request in EBS. Remote work agreements are initiated by an employee through their EBS portal. Instructions can be found on the MSU Remote Work Agreement page.
5. The EBS Remote Work Agreement routes to the employee’s direct supervisor of record for electronic approval and to file within the University system. The employee should ad hoc the district director and institute leader if they are not listed as the direct supervisor and as applicable.
6. Supervisor steps to complete the form in EBS can be found on the Remote Work Agreement Supervisor Instructions page.
7. Prior to the agreement’s annual expiration date, EBS automatically generates and sends a remote work agreement renewal notification to the employee and their direct supervisor.
8. Remote work agreements are approved for a one-year period and must be reviewed annually. Upon expiration, employees who want to continue a remote work arrangement must complete the full application process above.

MSU Extension Remote Work Agreement Supplemental Document