A steering group of faculty and staff from across the University of Michigan has been working since May to consider how U-M can carry out its missions while supporting an inclusive and flexible work environment.
The 23-member Future of Work Steering Group expects to deliver recommendations by the end of 2022.
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The group is sponsored by Geoff Chatas, executive vice president and chief financial officer, and Laurie McCauley, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. It includes representatives from the Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint campuses and Michigan Medicine, but initially will focus on the Ann Arbor campus staff.
“One key priority for our steering group is ensuring the missions of the university are at the forefront of decisions when we think about the ways we work, now and into the future,” said Christine Gerdes, special counsel to the provost and steering group co-chair. “Establishing thoughtful guiding principles is foundational.”
The group’s work comes as U-M adapts to changes implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2020, many university employees were directed to work remotely. For others, work required a consistent presence on campus.
Units began returning to campus in fall 2021, but while they were remote and since their return the university has monitored and adjusted how, where and when work is performed to align with the changing public health landscape. Many offices and employees still follow hybrid schedules to some degree.
The steering group’s charge includes gathering input and leveraging expertise to establish guiding principles, coordinating and sharing resources, and identifying indicators to provide a consistent and dependable framework for units to follow.
“The work is about our long-term future,” said Rich Holcomb, associate vice president for human resources and steering group co-chair. “The steering group recognizes that the university is still in a transitional time, and our efforts will focus on sustainable adjustments, not just action steps for the next six to 12 months.”
Subgroups are more deeply considering:
- The child and family care needs of faculty and staff.
- Tools, policies and training programs needed to support managers and staff.
- How those tools, policies and programs can be coordinated and shared.
- How progress will be monitored and tracked across campus.
Additional considerations and guidance may be needed for UM-Dearborn and UM-Flint as well as U-M faculty, staff covered by the terms of a collective bargaining agreement, or those in a temporary appointment.
