Hybrid/Remote Work Recommendations Report

TO: Senior Leadership Team

FROM: Sabrina Ellis, Vice President and CHRO

Gigi Dopico, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Provost Designate

RE: Final Report of the Executive Committee on Hybrid/Remote Work

DATE: June 8, 2022

Charge

The charge of the Executive Steering Committee on Hybrid/Remote Work is to review

and recommend the scope and range of services currently offered by the university that

would be most optimal for hybrid/remote operations, as well as making

recommendations as it relates to job characteristics, operating principles, or changes

that would accompany hybrid/remote work for administrative and clerical roles. Review

of the location of faculty work, researchers or recommendations regarding the delivery

of courses by remote or in person modalities, is not within the scope of this charge.

The Executive Steering Committee will also identify space saving as well as

sustainability opportunities. Recommendations shall be made to the Executive Vice

President. Committee members shall be asked to represent their respective unit or

school within the university with the aim of developing consistent practices that can be

implemented university-wide.

Committee Members:

Lynne Brown, Senior Vice President for University Relations & Public Affairs

Bob Cashion, Senior Vice President, Development & Alumni Relations

Linda Chiarelli, Senior Vice President, Capital Projects and Facilities

Lisa Coleman, Senior Vice President for Global Inclusion, Diversity, and Strategic

Innovation

Kristen Day, Vice Provost

Gigi Dopico, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Provost Designate (Co-Chair)

Sabrina Ellis, Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer (Co-Chair)

Tracey Gardner, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President

MJ Knoll Finn, Senior Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Success

Jelena Kovacevic, Dean, Tandon

Antonio Merlo, Dean, Faculty Arts & Science

Karen Nercessian, Associate Vice Provost- Strategy and Implementation

Michael O’Connor, Executive Vice Dean, College of Dentistry

Stephanie Pianka, Senior Vice President for Finance and Budget/CFO

Jason Pina, Vice President for University Life and Global Engagement

Neil Rader, Chief Operations Officer, Stern School of Business

Cecil Scheib, Assistant Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer

Fountain Walker, Vice President, Global Campus Safety

Don Welch, Vice President, Information Technology and Global University Chief

Information Officer (CIO)

Executive Summary

Immediately following the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, NYU, like most higher

educational institutions, made an immediate pivot to hybrid and remote work for almost

all teaching, research and administrative functions. The Executive Steering Committee

on Hybrid/Remote Work, which was convened in the Spring of 2022, sought to explore

longer term solutions to evaluate and leverage hybrid/remote work beyond the

pandemic and to identify important institutional considerations that would inform our

unified approach to offering hybrid/remote work options.

Like any large institution with multiple stakeholders, there are a number of factors that

need to be assessed in decisions or policy related to a continuation of hybrid/remote

work. While it has been proven that many of our activities and services can be offered

and performed remotely, the presence of NYU community members, inclusive of

students, faculty, administrators and support staff, contributes significantly to the vitality

of our campus spaces and surrounding areas where NYU class space, research

facilities and offices are located. And the presence on campus, or the absence, of

some members of the community, may affect the work and learning of other community

members.

As such, two foundational principles emerged in reaching consensus in our

recommendations:

● The first is, NYU as a preeminent research and academic institution, is in

large part a location-based organization whereby many of our core

services and activities are offered or performed in-person.

● The second is, there is a balance that we should strive to achieve in

offering flexible work options while at the same time continuing to provide

an authentic NYU campus experience for those who study and work at

NYU.

Therefore, our recommendations are as follows:

1. Hybrid/Remote Classification Structure. We recommend that NYU adopt a

classification structure to define the hybrid/remote parameters for administrative

and clerical jobs (positions within the 3882 and Local 153 unions). Job duties

would be the primary consideration in establishing the hybrid/remote

designation for any job. This classification structure would ideally be used in

posting new positions, and in evaluating hybrid/remote options for current

positions. We strongly recommend that similar jobs with similar duties carry

consistent hybrid/remote classifications.

Principles of equity and inclusion are central to this recommendation. As is the

case in the current process for drafting position descriptions, school and unit

supervisors would be consulted in the final drafting of position attributes pending

final approval by University Human Resources. Some jobs at NYU would be

excluded from being either hybrid or remote given the nature of the work

performed. While University Human Resources further explores more definitive

language related to the classification of positions, we recommend the following

broad categories:

a. Fully On-Site: Job duties are highly local in nature and require on-site

presence to be performed. Not eligible for hybrid or remote classification.

Employees are expected to reside within commuting distance to their

assigned NYU work location.

b. Hybrid Eligible (on-site 60-80% of the time, assigned work space):

Job duties are conducive to being performed either in person, or remotely

at least part of the time. Hybrid positions carry an expectation to be

on-site a minimum of 60-80% of the time. Greater flexibility with

hybrid/remote arrangements (as appropriate) may be provided during the

summer and other student break periods. Circumstances may necessitate

a greater on-site presence for some positions, in such instances, the unit

or department shall retain final decision making authority. Issues related

to performance may impact eligibility. Probationary employees may be

asked to be on-site to a greater extent as determined by each school or

unit. Departmental staffing levels may be a consideration in determining

the extent of hybrid options made available.

Employees are expected to reside within commuting distance to their

assigned NYU work location. (Examples of jobs categorized as hybrid

eligible include administrative or clerical positions whereby the duties can

be performed both in-person and remotely for part of the time without

disruption or reduction in service/work quality).

c. Mostly Remote (Occasional onsite presence; remote more than

60%% of time, no assigned desk):

i. Job duties require minimal in-person interactions or,

ii. Job duties may be predominantly related to programs that are

administered online, such as online degree programs or,

iii. Other similar or related jobs as appropriate for this category or,

iv. The unit, in consultation with the appropriate NYU space planning

and real estate offices, have received approval to reduce their

space allocation which necessitates the classification of some or all

jobs within the unit as mostly remote or fully remote.

All positions classified as mostly remote should require advance

review and approval by University Human Resources. It is also our

recommendation that University Human Resources conduct an

annual review of these positions to ensure that principles of equity

and fairness are being applied. Given the ever evolving nature of

university work, we also recommend that it continues to be the case

that any hybrid or remote arrangement can be modified with 30

days of advance notice. Finally, we recommend that University

Human Resources designate a Hybrid/Remote Liaison who would

be responsible for fielding inquiries or concerns that may arise in

the application of these recommendations across NYU.

Employees in the mostly remote category should be expected to

reside within commuting distance to their assigned NYU work

location, exceptions to work outside of the tri-state area should be

requested through University Human Resources. Where

employees in such positions reside outside of the New York

tri-State area, commuting costs to their departmental office

locations shall be considered as commuting expenses and

generally not reimbursable. Managerial positions, hourly and

clerical employees would generally be ineligible for this category.

Issues related to performance may impact eligibility. Probationary

employees may be asked to be on-site to a greater extent as

determined by each school or unit.

2. Reduction in Space Utilization and Sustainability. For units and schools that

wish to reduce their space requirements by exploring hybrid and remote options

that exceed the 60% threshold, it is our recommendation that such exploration be

limited to only those functions that require minimal person-to-person interactions

(regardless of whether such interactions can be performed remotely) and that

individuals holding these roles utilize shared spaces when on-site. Schools and

units seeking to explore this option would do so in consultation with the Office of

Strategic Assessment, Planning & Design as well as the Office of Real Estate.

Additionally, the Committee recommends that NYU seek to incorporate strategies

to reduce its carbon footprint through the availability of hybrid/remote work,

where appropriate, in keeping with the overall mission of the university.

3. Meetings. We recommend that meetings continue to be offered both in person

and through zoom (hybrid format) to accommodate colleagues who are able to

attend in person and those located in different campus buildings and to

accommodate differences in the on-site schedules of hybrid employees. This

does not apply to meetings or events where there is a requirement for in-person

attendance.

4. Telecommuting Policy. We recommend that the university’s Telecommuting

Policy be updated to reflect this new guidance and that employees be required to

abide by NYU policies including any policies specific to hybrid/remote options

such as NYU’s data privacy requirements, installation of VPN on laptop

computers, as well as meeting requirements that may be set forth by each

school, unit or department as appropriate. Such requirements may include but

are not limited to requirements to activate zoom cameras, expectations around

meeting times, etc.

5. Timing of Implementation. We recommend that these recommendations take

effect at the start of the 2022-2023 Academic Year (Fall 2022).

6. Annual review of recommendations. Finally, as the needs of the university are

dynamic and may change, we recommend that the university review these

recommendations on an annual basis to determine if modifications are

appropriate. The Hybrid/Remote Liaison as mentioned in Recommendation 1

would convene a Hybrid/Remote Operating Group to assess the effectiveness of

the university’s current practices, make recommendations where necessary, and

modify existing policy to ensure clarity for all university employees and offices.

Background

The Executive Steering Committee convened in the Spring 2022 semester in preparing

recommendations on hybrid/remote work. A primary consideration in committee

discussions was the need to maintain the quality of various campus interactions

whether they be with students, faculty, administrators, staff, or other members of the

NYU community. A number of factors were assessed in the committee’s discussions;

among these were:

● The NYU Campus Experience

● Employee Retention and Work/Life Integration

● Equity and Inclusion

● Commuting to Campus

● Space Planning and Sustainability

The NYU Campus Experience

As a residential campus with more than 11,000 students who live in NYU’s residential

housing, NYU as a “dream school” destination for many students offers an unparalleled

experience with the backdrop of New York City as an extension of each student’s

learning environment. The connection between New York City and New York University

is inseparable. Considerations related to hybrid/remote work would need to address

basic elements of the student and employee experience which include the availability of

in-person services to address community needs, as well as maintaining the vibrancy of

our campus culture which emerges as a unique strength of our community.

At the start of the COVID pandemic, the university transitioned to a fully remote learning

environment which was later modified when the university returned to a fully in-person

learning format. While we have since moved beyond pandemic operating parameters,

we appreciate the benefits that greater work flexibility provided to our administrators and

staff. It is also worth noting that the external market place has shifted and many

employers continue to offer hybrid and remote options as a way of attracting

employees. The wider availability of hybrid and remote jobs that mirror the work

performed by our administrative teams create challenges in recruiting and retaining

these employees, for which NYU must continue to be forward thinking and competitive

in offering desirable employment benefits and options.

While recognizing the need to be responsive to emerging trends, it is also important to

maintain the unique character and authenticity of the NYU experience. Students and

their families rely upon our employees to create a campus environment of warmth and

connection. In addition, providing a high quality in-person experience for our faculty,

administrators and staff who interact with one another is also an important factor.

Employee Retention and Work-Life Integration

Many who were able to be hybrid/remote during the pandemic came to find that there

were benefits in having added flexibility. In addition, many employers, like NYU, have

continued to offer flexible work options and in the committee’s view, doing so makes

sense to support our employee retention and recruitment efforts. In such instances, and

in keeping with the overall nature of our mission as an academic institution, offering

hybrid arrangements should align with the goal of providing an authentic experience for

NYU students and employees.

As such, it is our recommendation that those positions classified as hybrid eligible

maintain a 60-80% on-site presence as the minimum threshold for this classification.

This can be achieved by offering additional flexibility during off peak periods.

In offering flexibility, it is expected that employees ensure that they are available and

accessible to facilitate their job responsibilities consistently regardless of whether the

work is being performed on-site or remotely. As we continue to evolve in our approach

to hybrid/remote work, norms related to the use of remote based tools such as zoom

would be appropriate such as expectation setting around activating cameras when

participating in zoom meetings, and ensuring that employee presence in a remote

setting is of the same quality as what would be expected in-person. Understanding that

circumstances may arise that make occasional departures from these norms

appropriate, by and large, the expectation would be that interactions with our

administrator and staff populations be of the highest quality in keeping with our overall

mission in pursuing excellence across teaching, research and administrative services.

To ensure equity across similar jobs, we recommend that NYU seek to maintain a

consistent approach to hybrid work for jobs with similar duties. University Human

Resources in partnership with each school and unit’s HR Officer, would support

university-wide efforts on hybrid/remote classifications.

Overall, it is our view that employers will continue to offer hybrid/remote options to their

employees. As we have learned from our own experience at NYU, “Employers and

workers have created a new workplace that is hybrid, agile, and interdependent. Those

changes, began in years of crisis, are here to stay for a simple business reason: they

confer competitive advantage on organizations that embrace them.”

Equity and Inclusion

In our effort to recruit and retain a diverse workforce, offering hybrid/remote work can

offer NYU a competitive advantage. Hybrid/remote work can be an effective means of

retaining administrative and clerical employees while also increasing mobility and

access for those employees for whom these options would be transformative- financially

and otherwise. And it is for these reasons, that we recommend a continuance of

hybrid/remote options. Equity, fairness, and inclusion should always be a desired

outcome of any NYU policy or program. This should certainly be the case, in the

university’s adoption of a classification framework on hybrid/remote attributes.

“Studies of 10,000 office workers conducted last year by Future Forum, a research

group backed by Slack, suggest that women and people of color were more likely to see

working remotely as beneficial than their white male colleagues. In the United States, 86

percent of Hispanic and 81 percent of Black knowledge workers, those who do

non-manual work, said that they preferred hybrid or remote work, compared with 75

percent of white knowledge workers. And globally, 50 percent of working mothers who

participated in the studies reported wanting to work remotely most or all the time,

compared with 43 percent of fathers. A sense of belonging at work increased [with

Mosley, Eric. “Don’t Call Them Trends: Hybrid, Agile, Interdependent Work Is Here To Stay.” Forbes,

https://www.forbes.com/sites/ericmosley/2022/04/19/dont-call-them-trends-hybrid-agile-interdependent-work-is-

here-to-stay/?sh=6edb37ce7d12.

remote work] for 24 percent of Black knowledge workers surveyed, compared with 5

percent of white knowledge workers, since May 2021.”

Additionally, hybrid and remote work options greatly increase access for employees with

disabilities. Embracing the hybrid/remote work model provides the opportunity to

engage a broader and more diverse talent pool.

Finally, as it relates to equity, it is important that job duties be the primary factor in

identifying the appropriate hybrid/remote classification and that jobs with similar duties

be treated consistently to the extent that it is feasible to do so.

Commuting to Campus and Campus Safety

As of May 2022, subway ridership continues to fall below pre-pandemic numbers in

large part due to persistent crime and fear for safety. “A Quinnipiac University poll

released May 4 found that 49% of city residents say crime is the most urgent issue

facing the city.”

In February 2022, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced the

Subway Safety Plan which outlines steps to ensure rider safety which includes

increased patrols of New York City Police Officers on subway cars and platforms. Over

the course of several months, employees have expressed concerns about subway

safety; these concerns have increased in light of recent incidents, some of which have

been categorized as targeted assaults based on an individual’s identity. In response to

elevated levels of anxiety related to commuting, the self-service NYU Commuter Buddy

Program was developed in Fall 2020 for employees from within the tri-state area to link

up and coordinate travel to and from campus.

In addition, NYU Campus Safety has increased exterior foot patrols, added cameras to

scaffolding around NYU buildings and works closely with local law enforcement and city

agencies to address quality of life issues. Campus Safety has increased transportation

services and with community input, enhanced routes based on user feedback. NYU is

now part of a New York City Higher Education Consortium working directly with the

Mayor’s Office of Public Safety sharing concerns around safety on and off campuses.

It is important to the safety of our community that buildings be sufficiently populated,

including administrative offices, to avoid the deserted campus feeling for on-site

Goldberg, Emma. “After Two Years of Remote Work, Workers Question Office Life.” The New York Times, 13 April

2022, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/10/business/remote-work-office-life.html. Accessed 16 May 2022.

Woodhouse, Skylar, and Michelle Kaske. “NYC Subway Ridership Hits Pandemic High, Passes Pre-Omicron Peak.”

Bloomberg.com, 6 May 2022,

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-05-06/nyc-subway-ridership-hits-pandemic-high-passes-pre-omi

cron-peak. Accessed 16 May 2022.

employees, our students and all members of the community. Maintaining sufficient

in-person staffing is an important consideration in this regard. An increase in foot traffic

is also an important deterrent to crime. As tourism to New York City, work and school

commuting, and pedestrian traffic increase in areas like Washington Square Park, Union

Square Park, and other locations around NYU, the presence of our community

members will also make a significant impact in the overall character and population of

the surrounding areas.

Space Utilization & Sustainability

Some units and schools have started to evaluate their space planning needs as

priorities continue to emerge to allocate additional space for student purposes. In these

cases, hybrid/remote work options may be appropriate to reduce the amount of space

required for existing teams. The Education Advisory Board (EAB), convened a group of

campus leaders to discuss ways to discuss space optimization. While viewpoints were

mixed, “campus leaders were most interested in renovating or building more shared

workstations as well as prioritizing investments in multi-purpose spaces that can be

used by multiple stakeholder groups. Both of these strategies encourage efficient space

usage by promoting more mixed-use workspaces on campus while eliminating

underutilized spaces reserved for select stakeholders.”

In making decisions regarding the use of hybrid or remote options that fall below the

60-80% onsite threshold for space planning purposes, generally only those positions

with minimal in-person interactions should be classified as eligible for shared

workstation arrangements.

Under all circumstances, the committee discussed the need for management presence

to be high even as options are explored for hybrid/remote options for administrators and

staff more generally.

NYU continually seeks to identify strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

towards our 2025 and 2040 goals. When aligned with space planning efforts, durable

emissions reductions may be achieved cost-effectively. This is especially true if there is

a reduction in the amount of total NYU space (especially leased space), as partially

occupied buildings tend to experience only modest reductions in energy use. There may

be opportunities for further savings through building service reductions if hybrid

schedules naturally result in buildings that are essentially unoccupied according to a

predictable schedule (so that heating and cooling can be limited in the building at those

Loosbrock, Liliana. “Optimize office space on the post-COVID-19 campus.” EAB, 2 February 2022,

https://eab.com/insights/expert-insight/facilities/optimize-office-space-post-covid-campus/. Accessed 17 May

2022

times). In addition, hybrid and remote work may create additional reductions from

emissions due to travel through daily commuting and other travel.

Overall in the last two years, NYU’s reduction in air travel continues to provide

significant reductions in emissions through the use of virtual attendance at various

meetings and conferences that would otherwise include travel. We will continue to

encourage community members to utilize alternatives to air travel when feasible in

accordance with the Expense and Travel Policy, including especially the use of ground

travel within the Northeast corridor.

The Committee recommends that a group be convened with a specific focus on

reducing our reliance on leased space but with emphasis on only those positions or

functions with minimal in-person interactions.

Special Thanks

The Committee wishes to thank the administrators and staff who provided research and

support in the completion of these recommendations. These include:

Kate Gaffney, Director, NYU Employee Experience

Scott Harlow, Director, Budget Planning & Strategic Projects

Marina Kartanos, Deputy and Senior Associate Vice President for Human Resources

Grace Cosachov Protos, Executive Director, Work Life

Mirta Salomon, Chief of Staff to the Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer

Leonard Tjondro, HR Analyst, Special Projects