STORY HIGHLIGHTS:

• ConocoPhillips introduces Hybrid Office Work (HOW) program in 2021, blending in-person engagement with individual flexibility
• Hybrid approach proves to be a ‘win-win for the company and employees'
• HOW program team earns 2022 SPIRIT Award for planning, implementation efforts

BY GUS MORGAN 

When ConocoPhillips introduced its Hybrid Office Work (HOW) program last summer, Talent Management Manager Kyla Gonzales immediately thought of what it would mean for working moms.

“I’ve been a working mom my entire career with four children spanning 16 years apart in age,” Gonzales said. “As a mom, you don’t want to miss out on anything. There have been many challenges to navigate along the way while trying to juggle a busy career plus four kids who were very active and typically playing multiple sports. I have never wanted to miss a single kid’s activity. I remember the feelings of guilt because I could not be the one to take them to school or pick them up, or surprise them and meet them for lunch.

“Working moms face a lot of challenges that can potentially hold them back in pursuing the career they would like to have, and I believe the HOW program has gone a long way to help working moms overcome these challenges.”

First launched in July 2021, ConocoPhillips' HOW program has empowered employees like Gonzales to experience the advantages of both in-person engagement and individual flexibility.

“HOW sets us up to be better able to accomplish things on both fronts,” she said. “I like having both aspects. It’s a win-win for the company and employees. And as much as I appreciate all the benefits of the flexibility of being able to be home and be there for my kids, I also value being in the office and being around my team and my coworkers and having that face-to-face engagement with them.”

Cultural evolution

By pivoting to a hybrid work setup, ConocoPhillips has enhanced its people-centric culture, a move to boost employee well-being, engagement and retention.

Here’s how the program works: Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays are core in-office days; eligible employees can work remotely on Wednesdays and Fridays. The program is designed around the company’s existing flexible work schedules, with 9/80, 19/30 and other local flexible schedules remaining in place.

Employee participation in the HOW program is optional. For employees who prefer or need to work from the office on a regular basis, the company’s offices are open and available throughout the week.

Balanced approach 

“While we still value the benefits of in-person interaction, we recognize that our ways of working have fundamentally changed,” said Human Resources Shared Services Manager Nikki Benson. “The HOW program gives our employees the best of both worlds.”

The HOW program, she said, enables employees to balance the needs of their teams and the business with their personal needs.

“Employees have demonstrated they can deliver strong performance and meet business needs while working remotely,” she said. "We also acknowledge that many of our employees are field-based or in roles that cannot be performed remotely. The efforts of these employees are essential in running the business, and we are especially thankful for their commitment and contributions."

A program based on trust and performance

Chief Diversity Officer Natacha Buchanan said the HOW program is a response to an evolving work environment.

“ConocoPhillips trusts its employees to do their work and is providing them the flexibility to do it in a way that is convenient and most effective for them," she said. "I'm incredibly proud to be at a company that is willing to do that and that trusts its people.”

As the mother of two teenagers, Buchanan said the program’s flexibility enables her to be more visible and present with her family.

“The HOW program meets employees where they are,” she said, “and allows them to leverage the program in the way that works best for them.”

Meeting the needs of a global business

Members of the Australia business unit Legal team in Brisbane are making good use of the HOW program, its flexibility enabling them to keep up with the fast-paced, high-value legal matters that come through the business unit.

For instance, Senior Counsel Tom Jantunen said the HOW program makes it easier to handle early morning and late night international calls, as the time difference between Australia and the U.S. means that members of the ABU Legal team often have calls after 9 p.m. and before 7 a.m.

“This avoids the need to commute in at a very early hour,” he said. “It also allows more prep time for the calls. Working from home is a lot easier when I can just log on. It allows for a better work-life balance.”

Senior Counsel Claire McAndrew said not having to be in the office to take those calls makes a real difference to the length of her working days.

Days in the office are great for collaborating with colleagues, McAndrew said, while days at home are great for productivity, eliminating the commute and spending the time instead with family. Increasingly, she finds herself allocating certain tasks to do in the office and others to do at home.

“For example, it is rare to have an hour without interruption in the office,” she said, “so it makes sense to use my time at home to work on matters that require a prolonged period of concentration. What matters to the Australia business unit Legal team is getting our work done in a timely way and the quality of that work rather than keeping set office hours every day.”

Flexing in Oklahoma

Cybersecurity Analyst Amani Monga, based in Bartlesville, Okla., enjoys the flexibility of being able to work from home several days each week, a perk that maximizes his creativity and productivity.

“I have the option to either start my day an hour earlier or gain an extra hour of sleep since my hour of preparation/commuting to the office becomes freed up,” he said. “I also save money on gas by avoiding the commute to and from work.”

However, Monga said going into the office has its advantages.

“It’s nice to come into the office and catch up with my friends and teammates over walks and lunch meetings.”

Turning the HOW program into a reality

A small team from Human Resources (HR), Communications and Legal developed and implemented the HOW program.

They created guidelines, training and frequently asked questions to educate employees and supervisors about the new program. The team implemented HOW on July 1 in the U.S., and broader global adoption occurred throughout the remaining portion of 2021. For their efforts, the HOW program team earned a 2022 SPIRIT of Performance Award, an honor bestowed upon individuals and teams who best exemplify the company’s highest standards of performance.

“The HOW program marks an exciting milestone in our innovative culture,” said Maria Lorenzo, supervisor, HR and Real Estate & Facilities Services Communications, a member of the SPIRIT Award-winning HOW Team. “Work-life balance is vital to our employees’ success, and the HOW program advances this concept.”  

The Hybrid Office Work Team created a work program that advances ConocoPhillips’ innovative culture and reinforces the value of its workforce, while retaining the advantages of both in‐person engagement and individual flexibility.

Brenda Hampton (team lead), Nikki Benson (co-team lead), Natalie McElroy, Tonda Crane, Annette Cremer, Kate Hoback, Andrea Urbanek, Maria Lorenzo, Kris Sava, Tonya Jordan, Nelsy Lipford, Jackie Cervantes and Dan Mecham