Notices

Please see the PEA Holiday Closure Guidelines and circulate to staff as appropriate.

Please see the CUPE 917 and CUPE 951 Holiday Closure Guidelines and circulate to staff as appropriate.

We know that conflict is a fact of life, and the strategic goals set out in our various university plans are going to require us to dialogue respectfully across difference. The Conflict toolkit is now available at uvic.ca/conflict and includes the principles and process that guide good conflict resolution as well as self-serve videos and worksheets for both individual employees and the leaders who support them.

Although we’re still enjoying long, warm days, we are looking ahead and dreaming of crisp, cool air and beautiful autumn foliage. Lean into fall with us and register for fall learning opportunities! Registration is now open on Learning Central for our fall course offerings (September – December 2023). Please take a moment to see what is available and feel free to share information regarding learning opportunities with colleagues.

Celebrating all UVic employees! Pop by and join in the fun at the Best-Fest Pop-up Stand. You’ll find food, fun, games, connection and chances to win prizes. Come and enjoy a sweet summer treat! Wednesday, August 23, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the Petch Fountain

Please see the PEA Holiday Closure Guidelines and circulate to staff as appropriate.

Please review the CUPE 951 and 917 Holiday Guidelines which were developed jointly with the two CUPE Locals, and which provide additional information on how the leaves of absence with pay are to be administered. Please circulate this bulletin to all CUPE 951 and 917 staff in your area of responsibility.

A Letter of Agreement (LOA) between UVic and CUPE 951 has been established that significantly improves people’s access to learning. Regular CUPE 951 employees who apply for development opportunities can now access up to $5000.00 per person on an annual basis. This is the first major update to the policy since it’s inception in 1981. The types of learning and resources people can apply for have also expanded to include equipment and technology, learning supports, travel, and personal learning opportunities. Invest in yourself! Visit https://www.uvic.ca/hr/pay-benefits/pro-d/ for more information, to review the policy and to download the new application form. *Applications will only be accepted for upcoming opportunities as per the CUPE 951 Career Development Fund Policy. Please contact howes@uvic.ca if you have any questions.

Background: A Remote Work Arrangements (RWA) framework for UVic staff was introduced in the summer of 2021 to coincide with the fall return to campus with the promise that HR would review and recommend adjustments to the initial framework in 2022. A review of the 2021 RWA framework for staff was conducted by the Remote Work Arrangements working group in the spring of 2022. The review included a survey of staff and supervisors at UVic, interviews with key HR staff, discussion-based management forum with over 50 participants in April to understand current challenges and issues, and additional research such as a review of remote work processes and workforce trends at other Canadian institutions. The review documented the changing attitudes, norms and trends in the workforce, highlighted that those most advanced in their RWA practice are functioning on a continuum of flexibility (such as at TMU) and verified that organizations that do not embrace remote working as a key human resources strategy risk their ability to attract and retain talent. All of this validates UVic’s need to ensure our initial RWA framework keeps pace with the shifting landscape of work. A detailed report of the survey findings and recommendations was shared with Integrated Planning in June and directional approval was provided for implementation. Resource development and web updates will take place over the summer and shared in the Fall of 2022. Survey results: The survey had an excellent return rate with 1,329 responses, of which 31.6% of respondents supervised other staff. The survey was mostly completed by employees represented by the Professional Employees’ Association (52.3% of respondents). CUPE 951 (27.0%) staff, and Decanal/Management Excluded leaders (10.2%) also contributed significantly. People from over 135 departments participated. The top reporting portfolios were VPAC (42.0%), followed by the VPFO portfolio (20.9%). 76.5% of respondents worked full time. There was good representation between people who had formally worked one or more day per week remotely since 2021 with those who did not have a formal RWA in place (56.7% vs. 43.3%). Key high level results are: Only 3.9% of respondents were unsatisfied with the remote experience provided. Across 12 measures of work satisfaction and effectiveness, most respondents either reported increases or no change. 7% of respondents, including supervisors, want remote work arrangements to continue, while 4.1% want them to end and 6.2% are undecided. 1 % of respondents said that if given the chance, they would work more days remote or full time remotely. Nearly 40% of supervisors would support that. Supervisors are also interested in more flexible work arrangements with the majority supportive of compressed work weeks and flexible start and finish times. Intended next steps: The following changes will be incorporated into UVic’s RWA Framework and associated website and materials for the Fall of 2022 and references to the initial pilot project will be removed. Remove the part-time limitation on remote work arrangements but maintain the requirement for connection to campus and the ability to attend campus as required. Include that while long distance RWAs will not normally be considered, UVic will create a process and criteria for those temporary or exceptional circumstances that may necessitate out-of-province employment (limited to Canadian locations only). Retain the core principle that Remote Work Arrangements will be voluntary and approved on the basis of the core principles but provide an opportunity for leaders to initiate a request of staff to voluntarily establish RWAs based on operational requirements such as office space constraints. Reinforce the expectation that staff participating in RWAs will normally be required to give up dedicated on-campus office space and be assigned to on-campus space that has been configured for part-time use. Clarify that the employer may provide furnishings if the employee does not retain a dedicated office space on campus and the remote work location is considered the employee’s primary (4 days a week or more) work location. An employee with a hybrid RWA remains responsible for the purchase of ergonomic office furniture for their home office if also provided dedicated office space on campus. Additional Resources in Development Guidelines for the (limited) consideration of long distance or out of province remote work arrangements. A new resource to help leaders establish and communicate departmental criteria for remote work. Additional resources to support hybrid meetings. Support for leaders to assess issues and challenges presenting as remote work issues, which may have other underlying causes and solutions.

There’s still time to register for You’re the Best-Fest—a festival of celebration, appreciation and reconnection for UVic employees from May 9 to 13. If you can’t attend, visit the website to read stories about some of the amazing work that has happened across campus since March 2020. We appreciate you and the amazing work you do, and look forward to seeing everyone at You’re the Best-Fest! Events are free and open to all UVic employees. Interested in volunteering at the Thank You booth? Please email odls1@uvic.ca or sign up. Register for Best-Fest events today. We hope to see you next week!

A video mini-series around what we each can do to get along better with our colleagues and improve workplace relationships.

The Long Term Disability (LTD) Trust consists of six (6) Trustees including three persons appointed by the university and three other persons, one of whom shall be elected by a vote of the Management Excluded employees of the university. An individual must be appointed to a continuing Management Excluded position, be a contributing member of the LTD Plan, and consent to the nomination in order to be eligible for election as a Member Trustee. Nomination information will be e-mailed to all eligible Management Excluded staff on Mon., Jan. 10th. The deadline to return completed nomination forms to Human Resources is Fri., Jan. 28th. Ballots and candidate biographies will then be distributed by mail to all Management Excluded employees on Thurs., Feb. 3rd with a deadline of return by Thurs., March 17th. The results will be communicated shortly thereafter. If you have questions, please feel free to contact Cordelia Horsburgh, LTD Trust Secretary at (250) 721-8032 or avphrassist@uvic.ca.

The UVic Mentorship Program enhances professional and personal development by establishing a close relationship between two staff members that provides informal guidance, coaching, knowledge-sharing, and a deepened understanding of the University of Victoria environment. Mentee applications are due by October 29, 2021.

New Employee Tours provide faculty and staff with an overview of our campus. If this is your first job at UVic (and even if it's not), join us to get a better idea of your new workplace and the UVic community.