TRANSFORMING TEAMS

Reimagining your workplace: Hybrid work

Oin the current COVID world with the relaxing of COVID restrictions across the country requires considering what your future workplace will look like. According to a survey conducted by orrester Research, while only of companies offered remote work options prior to the pandemic, going forward more than plan to offer fully remote or hybrid work arrangements.

An equally important factor in the structuring of the workplace will be how employees want to work. According to a FlexJobs survey, 96% of employees would like some form of remote work arrangement. The primary reasons for their desire to remain remote are their continued concern about COVID-19 safety as well as their concern with having less fle ibility and less work-life balance. econdary reasons employees want to keep a remote work arrangement are due to the cost savings and their not having to commute. In fact, remaining remote is so important that of surveyed employees are willing to take a pay cut to continue their arrangement and 58% are saying they would look for another job if they cannot continue with some sort of remote work arrangement.

What does this mean? It means that, while you may be uncertain about the need to offer some remote work arrangement, not offering something may result in valuable employees leaving you in a job market which is very employee-friendly. And who are the companies finding candidates to accept their positions he ones who are offering remote work.

While weighing options for your workplace, consider some of these thoughts:

COVID is not gone yet. With a large unvaccinated population and the once-again increasing percentage of COVID cases due to the Delta variant, no one should act like everything is “back to normal.” As long as there is a chance someone can contract COVID-19, employers must take actions to prioritize the health and safety of their employees. his may mean offering reasonable accommodation to those who are at high-risk or who legitimately cannot get the COVID vaccine. If an employee is still staying isolated in fear of contracting ID, then offering a remote work arrangement may be necessary. But if they are eating in restaurants, going to the movies or sporting events, and traveling on vacation, you have more of an argument to require some in-office work.

Changes to policies and work arrangements can be

temporary or become regular practice. As with any policy or practice (except employment-at-will), employers should always reserve the right to modify or rescind an agreed-to arrangement based on company needs. This allows employers to try a new arrangement while not being committed to it if circumstances such as poor performance, lower ID rates, need for more in-office man power, or financial impacts change in the future.

Most employees do not expect a fully-remote schedule but would prefer a hybrid arrangement to always work-

ing in-office. By having some days each week that they do not need to commute or face the disruptions in the office, employees can balance their face-to-face needs while having time at home to concentrate on their productivity.

If you cannot have a fully-remote workforce, look into

hybrid options. This could be having employees stagger

their workweek with certain days in the offi ce with the rest at home. Most companies have certain positions that cannot work remotely but that does not mean you should not try to off er a partially-remote option for those positions that can.

Avoid falling into the “presenteeism” trap of valuing the work of employees in the offi ce more than the work

of those who are remote. Instead, create realistic performance expectations for every employee regardless of where they work and hold each employee accountable. Someone being in the offi ce does not mean they are working harder or more eff ectively than someone who is remote. ou can learn more about presenteeism in our video found here.

Focus on availability for remote employees as you

would attendance for in-offi ce employees. Require remote employees to be available during certain days and times so they can be reached by clients and co-workers. But also allow some freedom when possible as long as their work is being done. If they are not available and/or are not producing, talk to them about their failure to meet expectations and then off er options such as increasing their in-offi ce time or reassessing how their tasks are done.

Create effective communication methods for all

employees. Employees should be connected with their managers and co-workers so create requirements for scheduled and impromptu communication using phone and video calls, not just email. Most remote employees do not need to talk to their manager more than a couple of times a week but, since each employee is incentivi ed diff erently, you may need to create diff erent plans to interact with each one.

Establish policies to defi ne expectations and require-

ments. Your policies should cover the issue, use, and return of company computers and laptops, the protection of company and client information, network security, expense

Q. I received a call asking for a verifi cation of employment for one of my employees. I thought everything was good based on recent conversations, but now I’m not sure what is going on. Can I ask them if they are job hunting?

A. Legally, yes, you can ask since you learned about the job search through a legitimate source. However, you should not if you learn of it through an unreliable method such as the rumor mill, by searching an employee’s social media page, or by fi nding the employee’s resume on a job site. The more important question is SHOULD you ask and if so, HOW.

If this is a valuable employee, then you may want to have a conversation explaining that you received the employment verifi cation request and were wondering if they are searching for a new job. If they are, you can ask why and see if you can offer some reason for them to stay. You may not be able to meet their demands, but it could help ease the transition out when they do leave.

If you are not going to be sad to see the employee leave, perhaps you stay quiet and hope they get the job. Their resigning should alleviate your unemployment burden as well as a wrongful termination charge.

I would also think twice about asking certain employees, however. It may be best to not mention it to an employee who is angry or vindictive or who would burn the place down on their way out. Even if they are valuable, you may be making the situation worse for yourself. So instead of confronting them, you may want to bide your time and quietly start looking for their replacement. reimbursement, time-tracking for non-exempt employees, and ergonomic work areas to reduce Workers’ Comp claims.

If you are hesitant, consider asking those who move

to remote work to offer a concession. Employees who value remote work may be willing to take a reduction in pay, benefi ts, or perks. hile not eff ective in a fully remote workplace, it may help balance morale in a company where some employees must work in the offi ce.

Set different in-office policies for vaccinated and

unvaccinated employees. Follow the guidelines of the CDC, OSHA, and most states by allowing vaccinated employees to forego masks and social distancing while still requiring it of the unvaccinated. Require employees to prove they are vaccinated or else require them to follow the policies for the unvaccinated. Please note: This is not requiring anyone to get vaccinated or submit proof of vaccination but rather off ering a mask-less option for those who can prove they are vaccinated. veryone had to be fl e ible when everything shut down. he best approach going forward is to remain fl e ible since COVID-19 is still impacting employees in various ways, some of which are unexpected and cannot be planned for. Understand if a family need arises which requires more working from home as that accommodation is probably better than having to fi nd a new employee.

Paige McAllister, SPHR Affi nity HR Group contact@affi nityhrgroup.com

888-807-2580

Bend, OR www.pelicanbayfp.com

DISTRIBUTION LOCATIONS Colton / Fontana / Modesto / Salinas / Stockton, CA PRODUCTS & SERVICES Framing Lumber / Pallet Stock / Industrial Lumber / Softwoods Hardwoods / Cedar / Fencing / Decking / Redwood Custom Cut Stock / Treated Lumber / Tile Battens 3-Hole & Slotted Vents / Custom Cutting / Remanufacturing Heat Treating / Fire & CCA Treating

White Cap Supply, Atlanta, Ga., has sold its 14-unit Roseville, Ca.-based Contractors’ Warehouse business to an undisclosed buyer.

White Cap will now focus entirely on being a “one-stopshop providing concrete accessories and chemicals, tools and equipment, building materials and fasteners, erosion and waterproofi ng and safety products to professional contractors.”

Sanders True Value, Silverthorne, Co., closed July 30 and sold its property.

Ace Hardware opened a new 18,000-sq. ft. store in Elk Grove, Ca.

US LBM has completed its acquisition of American Construction Source, operator of 70+ locations in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, Washington and Wisconsin, including Meek’s, Homewood,

Weaver Lumber, Breckenridge Building Center, Edwards Building Center, Evergreen Lumber,

Eagle Creek Siding, Custom Choice Door, and The Door Mill. US LBM is now the nation’s largest privately owned full-line building materials distributor.

US LBM has also inked a multi-year sponsorship agreement with legendary pro golfer Bernhard Langer.

ABC Supply added a greenfi eld location in Lihue, Hi.— its fi rst branch on the island of Kauai. Rocco Ranallo is branch manager.

GMS has completed its acquisition of 10-unit Westside Building Material, Anaheim, Ca.

BMD, Galt, Ca., is now distributing RDI aluminum and steel railings from Barrette Outdoor Living throughout California.

Seers Lumber, Hawthorne, Ca., has become a new stocking dealer of NewTech Wood composite building products, supplied via Kelleher Corp., Ontario, Ca.

Core Products, Haiku, Hi., the sales representative for Wooster Products in Hawaii, is now also repping Wooster’s line of stair and walkway products in Oregon.

Nucor Corp., Charlotte, N.C., has agreed to purchase racking manufacturer Hannibal Industries, Vernon, Ca., including its manufacturing plants in Los Angeles and Houston, as well as three distribution centers.

Envision Outdoor Living Products is the new brand that encompasses both Envision Building Products composite decking collections and the recently acquired Fairway railing systems.

Western Forest Products, Vancouver, B.C.,

has released its 2020 Sustainability Report detailing the company’s progress and commitment to key sustainability initiatives, such as the completion of its first full lifecycle carbon accounting.

Anniversaries: HPM Building Supply, Keaau, Hi., 100th ... Kodiak Building Partners, Denver, Co., 10th.

US LBM has acquired Home Center Supply, a specialty building materials supplier in central Arizona. Home Center Supply will join US LBM’s Arizona-based R&K Building Supply and operate under the R&K brand. Home Center Supply operates two retail locations in Heber and Payson, Az., providing lumber, doors, windows, drywall, hardware, roofing and decking products to professional builders and DIYers.

With the addition of Home Center Supply, US LBM now operates four locations in Arizona, including R&K’s 20-acre property just outside of Phoenix in Gilbert, which includes sales offices, showrooms, a lumberyard, truss plant and several warehouses. In addition to R&K, US LBM’s Rosen Materials also operates a location in Arizona.

“Home Center Supply is a trusted partner in its community, known for its superior products, expert advice and customer service, and this will be a great addition to US LBM and R&K,” said US LBM president and CEO L.T. Gibson. “As a leading distributor in the Phoenix area, these new locations will help R e pand its reach and product offering to customers in central Arizona.”

Coos Bay Sawmill Auctions Wares

Industrial Asset Recovery Group (IARG) will hold an online auction to sell equipment from the former Georgia-Pacific mill in Coos Bay, Or.

Built in 1994, the 162-acre mill was one of the largest in the acific orthwest, operating for years and producing up to 1 million bd. ft. per day. his mill is filled with high- uality machinery and e uipment and we e pect buyers to find tremendous deals, said Stuart Millner, president at IARG. “The equipment at Coos Bay produced many millions of board feet of lumber each year, and we are now pleased to make these assets available to our customers.”

The online auction, held by Murphy Auction Co., will run from Aug. 18-25, with an auction preview held on Aug. 24.

IARG’s parent company, Commercial Development Co., purchased the Coos Bay mill site early this year and earmarked it for redevelopment.

NEW SITE showcases products available from Boise Cascade’s eight millwork shops across the country.

Boise Cascade Launches Website for Millwork Business

Boise Cascade Co. has launched a new website for its millwork business. This dedicated website will showcase exterior and interior doors, finish options, door hardware, and other complimentary products. e re so e cited to offer this site as another valuable resource for our customers, contractors and homeowners,” said Stefanie Couch, regional marketing manager. “We’re proud to partner with best-in-class brands, like Therma-Tru and Simpson Door.”

The company’s Building Materials Distribution division currently operates eight millwork door shops, in Atlanta, Ga.; Grand Junction, Co.; Dallas and Houston, Tx.; Memphis, Tn.; Milton, Fl.; Tulsa, Ok.; and Salt Lake City, Ut.

Visitors to the new website—millwork.bc.com—can see what products are available at their local branch by entering their ip code or can find the closest dealer with the dealer locator option. Visitors have access to a wide range of product literature, videos, technical and warranty information. e also offer special-order custom wood e terior and interior doors in almost any style and size you can imagine,” continued Couch. “Doors are the gateways to our homes, so we want to promote their beauty. When it comes to doors, if you can dream it, Boise Cascade can get it or create it.”

Homeowners and builders can upload finished door photos to potentially be featured on the website or social media.