Telework

What is Telework?

Telework is a temporary arrangement that allows an employee to work from a location other than their regularly assigned place of employment.  The purpose of telework may be to address a lack of available office space or to provide flexibility to enhance the University’s delivery of services, while supporting SHSU’s operational needs and mission. Provided however, that telework may not be a condition of employment, and agreement or allowance of such arrangements may be revoked at any time, and the agreement must be renewed annually.

Guidelines

• Eligibility

  • Eligibility for faculty and staff is detailed in FO-HR-17 at § 2.02.  Briefly,

    • Staff must be in a position that does not require physical presence or in-person interaction with students and demonstrate the ability to work remotely. 
    • Full-time faculty must be assigned only to distance education or dual credit courses or programs.
    • All telework for staff or full-time faculty requires prior written approval from the Senior or Divisional Vice President.

    Part-time faculty who are hired on a semester-by-semester basis (pool faculty) assigned to teach distance education or dual credit courses are authorized to telework with the written approval provided by FO-HR-17 2.03c.

    Position or situations ineligible for telework include student workers, graduate, teaching, or research assistances and are detailed in FO-HR-17 2.04.

• Securing Approval and Location of Work

  • Telework requires advance approval through completion of the Telework Proposal and Agreement, which must be routed through lines of supervision authority, approved by the appropriate Vice President, and sent to HR.  An important consideration prior to approval is the location where the employee will perform work.  Employment law and mandates for taxes, fees and additional insurance are controlled by the jurisdiction where such work is performed.  Therefore, to ensure the ability to comply with Texas, federal, and the laws of the location where the work is performed, the University does not permit telework from international locations, nor several states in the U.S.  For more information on which states beyond Texas are eligible, please contact the Payroll Office. Departments are charged any additional taxes, insurance, or fees required by a state or even county where a teleworking employee may be located. 

• Length of Telework Arrangements
  • Telework assignments are temporary. Regardless of the start date, all telework arrangements end on December 15^th of each year. When agreed by the supervisor and Vice President, a new Proposal and Agreement may be executed for up to an additional twelve (12) months, beginning December 16^th and running through December 15^th of the following year.
• Compliance and Security Controls
  • Teleworking employees must adhere to all existing SHSU policies regarding physical security, data protection, and acceptable use of university resources (see generally, https://www.shsu.edu/intranet/policies/information_technology_policies/).
  • Telework arrangements do not alter the terms or conditions of employment; employees remain responsible for maintaining information security standards identical to on-campus requirements.
  • A teleworking employee must designate a secure, private workspace at the teleworking site (e.g., a lockable office or room).
  • Ensure that any printed or hard-copy university documents are stored in a locked drawer or filing cabinet when not in use.
  • Employees are responsible for safeguarding SHSU equipment (laptops, mobile devices) and data from theft or damage.
  • Any suspected data breach or security incident must be reported immediately to SHSU Information Security and your supervisor.
  • A teleworking employee may not conduct in-person University business or meetings at their personal residence.

Criteria for Evaluating Performance: 

Performance management is a cycle that builds on continual feedback and ongoing evaluation, both positive and developmental. The process includes setting clear expectations and performance outcome measures in the job description and through supervisor communications.  Thereafter the supervisor should continually

• observe performance;
• provide support, corrective action, and recognition of positive outcomes; and
• conduct and communicate regular performance evaluation.

• Set expectations from the onset

  When employees know what to expect, they can perform accordingly. It is critical to clearly define work requirements from the beginning. Make sure all employees know what is expected of them, which may include:

  • Meeting set performance metrics every week
  • Accomplishing predetermined goals
  • Providing project updates
  • Sticking to task timelines
  • Working agreed-upon business hours

  Document the expectations and dates the expectations were communicated.

• Set a schedule for regular check-ins

  Regular check-ins are a critical component of effectively managing remote or telecommuting employees. These meetings help ensure that both the supervisor and employee remain aligned on expectations, priorities, and progress towards performance goals. Establishing a set schedule for these meetings provides structure and ensures that performance management remains an ongoing process. These check-ins should go beyond status updates; they offer valuable opportunities for supervisors to provide real-time feedback, offer coaching or support, and address any challenges or barriers the employee may be facing.

• Use of SMART goals to define expectations

  Staff supervisors are encouraged to use the SMART Performance Goal model to define expectations:

  • Specific
  • Measurable
  • Achievable
  • Realistic and
  • Time-bound

  All staff, but especially those who are teleworking, should be provided with action items and goals with deadlines established by their supervisor. Deadlines help employees to plan work, create task calendars, and clearly understand what is expected of them. Deadlines provide opportunities for regular check-ins to see if an employee is managing assignments according to your expectations. Follow up on action items with employees to see how goals are being met.

  Goals work best when they are a stretch to meet, but not so difficult that they are unattainable. The more specific and measurable the goal is, the more likely it is the employee will achieve the desired results.

  Effective Examples of SMART Goals:

  • By X date launch the web page advertising the new service to
  • Respond to at least XX service calls per day with fewer than Y callbacks for the same
  • Enhance division visibility by publishing an article on X topic by Y
  • Process travel reimbursements within X business

  Publicizing our upcoming event on a variety of social media outlets, resulting in XX event registrations on our website.

• Use video conferencing for accountability

  Communication with employees is vital for success. Technology can make managing remote employees easier with the use of available video conferencing technology such as Zoom, MS Teams or other popular applications, to provide feedback. A supervisor should require that a remote employee have a camera and keep it turned on for such meetings. Discussing items face-to-face requires more attention from the supervisor and accountability from the employee.

• Full-Time Faculty

  Faculty are expected to meet the criteria detailed in the Academic Policy Manual, to include APS 980204, 820317, 890301, and 900417. The department chair should ensure a teleworking full-time faculty member is provided an electronic copy of any departmental evaluative or promotional expectations at the beginning of the telework arrangement. Further, the department chair should share any other specific expectations necessary for the effective work of the department or for the development of the faculty member with a deadline. Examples of such expectations might be: 

  • Submit your complete and policy-compliant syllabus to chair via email by X date.
  • Encourage your students to attend virtual office hours and submit a list of those you were able to visit each week.