Workplace Flexibility for Staff

Beginning Jan. 4, 2027, the university's baseline standard for staff is either a fully in-person schedule or a hybrid schedule with four days onsite and one day remote each week. Existing schedule exceptions are being reviewed, and any staff member whose schedule exception is not renewed will adopt the 4:1 schedule.

Refer to the updated Flexible Work Arrangement Guidelines for Staff [pdf] for details.

Our Approach to Flexible Work

Over the past several years, our university community has been on an important journey in reimagining how we work together. Our ability to innovate, solve problems and foster community is strongest when we are working together in the same physical space.

Decisions regarding flexible work arrangements are based strictly on operational and business needs and will be determined by the supervisor and leadership.

Guiding Principles

Placing in-person collaboration at the center of our daily interactions is fundamental to our university's success. While the flexible work arrangement guidelines are intended for staff, both faculty and staff are expected to embrace these principles:

• Advance the mission of the university. Every faculty and staff member directly contributes to the university's mission to deliver excellent education and research. Flexible work requests will be considered in the context of the mission rather than group or individual preferences.
• Support the effectiveness of teams and individuals. Flexibility in the workplace will be balanced with organizational objectives and job function.
  • Role-Based Exceptions: Roles requiring less than four days per week on-site typically involve highly technical work, require substantial uninterrupted deep focus and have minimal dependency on regular colleague interaction.
  • Collaborative Balance: Decisions on flexibility will consider both team contribution and collaboration requirements and an individual's effectiveness in meeting their responsibilities including essential engagement with colleagues and students in support of our mission.
• Recognize and appreciate the benefits of being physically together. Sustaining the positive CMU culture and community requires staff and faculty working together in person. The energy of our campus — the exchange of ideas, the mentoring of students, the collaboration across disciplines, planned and spontaneous interactions and the shared sense of purpose — is foundational to who we are as an institution and to the impact we have on the world.
• Value the opportunity for flexibility. Our flexible work guidelines encourage supervisors and employees to work together on how best to support the work and well-being of staff as we strive to advance the overall mission of the university.

Exceptions to the 4:1 Standard

Certain positions or groups of positions may be eligible for alternative arrangements — working fewer than four in-person days per week, or working completely remotely. Exceptions will be granted based on role responsibilities rather than individual preference. The requesting department must demonstrate that a non-standard posture will deliver superior outcomes for the university compared to maintaining the 4:1 posture. Applying for an exception does not guarantee approval.

The exception process uses a data-driven, tiered framework:

• Tier 1 exceptions permit fully remote work outside the local commuting market or out-of-state but are limited to rare operational necessities. Departments must provide verified recruitment data (covering 6–12 months) proving local recruitment failure, demonstrate that the role requires niche/highly specialized talent and show quantifiable financial or operational risk to the university if the role remains vacant.
  • See the Tier 1 pre-screening tool [docx] for the qualifications and requirements for a Tier 1 exception.
• Tier 2 exceptions apply only to positions located within the local commuting market and allow a non-standard hybrid schedule of 2 to 3 days on-site per week. To qualify, the role must be highly digital/independent, have a low-touch stakeholder footprint (minimal direct contact with students or physical campus resources), and be an individual contributor role. Current staff must have a documented track record of high performance, and new hires must complete a mandatory 90-day onboarding period in the standard 4:1 posture before a Tier 2 exception will be considered. 
  • See the Tier 2 screening tool [docx] for the qualifications and requirements for a Tier 2 exception.

All exception requests must be approved in advance by the supervisor, the VP or dean, and the FWA Committee. Refer to the Flexible Work Arrangement Guidelines for Staff [pdf] for more information on the exception process.