The extended period of virtual work during the COVID-19 pandemic has provided valuable insights into the potential benefits of thoughtful use of Alternative Work Strategies for our staff and for our institution. Northwestern recognizes that the implementation of Alternative Work Strategies supports a variety of goals related to staff engagement and well-being, recruitment and retention, sustainability, service excellence, cost efficiencies, space utilization, and the overall enhancement of the employment experience.

This survey represents NUSAC and Central HR’s initial attempt to understand staff attitudes towards alternative work strategies (previously referred to as “flexible work arrangements”). The availability of alternative work strategies (or flexible work arrangements) varies by school, unit, and position based on business and operational needs. The results of this pulse survey thus do not function as a guarantee of policy or a reflection of what final options may be available.

NUSAC is grateful to the many staff who took the time to complete this survey. The results present a key opportunity for NUSAC and Central HR to learn about the pulse of the staff with the goal of recommendations on arrangements in future. These results also provide additional context for schools and units to consider as they create, implement, assess and adjust their post-pandemic plans. Long-term, this information supports NUSAC in engaging fully with University leaders on such issues and in helping Northwestern model success in a post-pandemic workplace.

Survey Results

Note from Nate Daigle, NUSAC Chair (7/16/21) – The data for survey questions that allowed for multiple answers has been re-framed in the results document. This has been adjusted to better illustrate the individual preferences of the respondents rather than the choice being a part of a finite grouping of options, the default calculation of Qualtrics survey data. The number of responses has not changed but the percentages have been updated.

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Survey Overview

The survey was developed by NUSAC and the Office of Human Resources in collaboration with members of the HR WELL Council Well-being Working Group. It consisted of 5 questions with an additional 3 questions for respondents who supervised one or more direct reports.

The survey was sent to 8,194 staff members on 5/14/21 and closed on 5/26/21. It received 4,153 recorded responses, yielding a response rate of approximately 51%.

Demographic information was limited to exempt and supervisory status. The majority of respondents (76%) indicated they were exempt staff members. Similarly, most respondents (63%) indicated they were individual contributors rather than managers.

Summary of Results

• While telecommuting was selected as the alternative work strategy of most interest (81%), a number of respondents also indicated that they would utilize flextime (48%), compressed work weeks (48%), and/or seasonal arrangements (33%), if available to them. Fewer than 3% of respondents selected “my school/unit does not support flexible work arrangements.”
• 2% of respondents selected “other” as the alternative work strategy they would utilize, if available, and elaborated on this selection via a variety of open-ended responses. A few consistent themes emerged from these responses:
  • Some (1.3% of overall respondents) explicitly indicated a desire for a hybrid on-site/remote work strategy, with on-site work focused on essential activities that could only be performed in person.
  • Others (1.7% of overall respondents) explicitly noted a preference for a fully (or almost fully) telecommuting alternative work strategy.
  • Some respondents specifically detailed the positive benefits that telecommuting during the pandemic had on their physical and emotional well-being; their caregiving responsibilities; and their productivity.
  • Several noted a preference for additional types of alternative work strategies such as summer Fridays (working half-days on Fridays or Fridays off during summer quarter); splitting each workday between on-site and remote; shifting to part-time hours or job share positions; and rotating schedules with colleagues.
  • Concerns raised included: lack of communication and guidance from school/unit leaders regarding alternative work strategies; ensuring that alternative work strategies were offered and implemented equitably; and the risk of retention issues for those not utilizing (or unable to utilize) alternative work strategies.
• If telecommuting were an option, the majority of respondents (70%) noted a preference for telecommuting 2-3 days a week. This finding mirrors surveys conducted outside of academia.
• For those currently telecommuting, respondents largely found the challenges listed not challenging at all or only slightly challenging. Among respondents who experienced extremely to moderately challenging telecommuting issues, the top challenges were maintaining and building working relationships with colleagues; work/life boundaries; access to office equipment; and feeling lonely or isolated.
• The majority of managers (72%) were most comfortable with their teams utilizing telecommuting as an alternative work strategy, followed by flextime (61%) and compressed work weeks (51%). Fewer than 2% of managers indicated that their school/unit did not support the use of alternative work strategies.
• Open-ended responses from managers who selected “other” (1.6%) mirrored the open-ended responses from individual contributors, with some explicitly indicating they were comfortable with their teams utilizing hybrid or 100% telecommuting strategies; others noting that business needs and specific role requirements would dictate the nature and use of any alternative work strategy; and several pointing to a need for clear communication and guidance from school/unit leaders. A few specifically noted that alternative work strategies supported their team’s productivity, morale and ability to manage work alongside caregiving responsibilities this past year.
• Managers’ assessment of the challenges their teams encountered while telecommuting mirrored the individual responses noted above; respondents generally rated the challenges listed as not challenging at all or only slightly challenging. Among managers who rated challenges as extremely to somewhat challenging, the top challenges were the same as those for individual respondents (maintaining and building working relationships with colleagues; work/life boundaries; access to office equipment; and feeling lonely or isolated) but with one addition: “keeping up with what others working on”.
• Managers by and large rated themselves as extremely confident in their ability to envision how an alternative work strategy could work for their team (74%); in having the knowledge and experience to manage telecommuting team members (63%); and in managing telecommuting team members with access to robust training and resources (71%).

What’s Next

NUSAC and Central HR have shared this data with schools and units and encouraged them to consider the information as they finalize and then implement their post-pandemic work plans. Central HR will also continue to develop training and resources to support managers and individual staff members in effectively utilizing alternative work strategies.

A follow-up pulse survey will be sent at the close of Fall Quarter to assist in assessing the initial AWS implementation phase.

NUSAC thanks the community once more for participating in this survey and welcomes additional feedback at nusac@northwestern.edu.