A Remote Future Envisioning a hybrid workplace at Duke
With thousands of Duke employees working remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, scenes like this one in Duke Human Resources offices have become common. Photo by Alex Boerner.
O
n most mornings, Heather Rabalais laces up her Brooks sneakers and ventures onto the streets of her Hillsborough neighborhood. It’s a habit that began after the pandemic forced her to work from home, and she replaced her daily commute to campus with walks. A year later, she’s lost 22 pounds, completed a virtual 5K and views her peaceful morning routine as an essential part of her day. And like most colleagues, she credits the shift to remote work with setting the conditions for a healthier lifestyle and more productive workday. “Working from home has given me that flexibility,” said Rabalais, 49, a Pratt School of Engineering program coordinator. Rabalais knows that, at some point, the coronavirus crisis will begin to be controlled as all staff and faculty have the opportunity to become fully vaccinated, and she – like thousands of other Duke employees – may return to campus in some capacity. What that looks like is a focus of Duke leaders, who are shaping the institution’s post-pandemic work landscape. A Work-From-Home Committee of 25 university and medical center leaders has been exploring telecommuting strategies for Duke staff. The committee highlighted that Duke’s overall remote work approach will evolve and require flexibility at the school, department and unit level due to Duke’s variety of roles. And any approach must also weigh maintaining camaraderie and connection to the wider institution. In some units, a 90-day work-fromhome pilot is underway to assess positions that could primarily remain remote beyond the pandemic. To assess remote work preferences, Working@Duke conducted an online poll of Duke staff and faculty late last year to gauge how often employees would prefer to work remotely after COVID-19 is no longer a threat. Of the
4
Without a commute for the past year, Heather Rabalais discovered a new passion in running and lost 22 pounds. Photo by Alex Boerner. WORKING@DUKE
