Making Flexible Working Work
KBR Global Communications and Marketing
The Global Communications and Marketing Team is a diverse mix of 25 professionals based in more than 10 different locations around the world, from Maryland, USA to New Delhi, India. The team’s purpose is to support KBR’s growth through a variety of different activities, such as marketing and events, press and public affairs, internal communications and employee engagement, digital marketing, social media, and graphic design. Prior to the pandemic, it wasn’t unusual for local teams to collaborate virtually with their colleagues living and working in many other countries. However, once working from home became essential, the global team quickly adapted to new agile ways of working, relying almost entirely on virtual tools and delivery methods. The transition was seamless, and the global team, working together while separated by miles and pandemic protocols, produced and delivered several key initiatives and new communication channels.
“When KBR announced the agile work arrangement, I approached my manager, and he was very supportive of me moving to Amarillo (600 miles northwest of Houston) to be near our family. I felt confident that I could do my job from anywhere, but as a manager, I was nervous that being fully remote would create new challenges for our team. Instead, everyone has been incredibly adaptive, and it has been a smooth transition because KBR has given us all the tools we need to succeed.”
CAITLIN GARDNER, KBR GLOBAL SR. COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
What’s more, KBR’s new Agile Work Weeks policy enabled some members of the Communications and Marketing team to coordinate with their managers if they needed to occasionally work non-standard hours, and, in limited cases, to move from their primary KBR location. One example of the latter is Caitlin Gardner, Senior Communications Manager, who moved with her family from Houston to Amarillo, Texas, last year. “At the beginning of the pandemic, my husband and I were both working full time at home with a 6-month-old and 3-year-old,” she said. “We had no extended family in Houston, so every day was chaotic. As the months went on, we realized we really could use the help of grandparents, aunts and uncles. When KBR announced the agile work arrangement, I approached my manager, and he was very supportive of me moving to Amarillo (600 miles northwest of Houston) to be near our family. I felt confident that I could do my job from anywhere, but as a manager, I was nervous that being fully remote would create new challenges for our team. Instead, everyone has been incredibly adaptive, and it has been a smooth transition because KBR has given us all the tools we need to succeed.”
A benefit of the Agile Work Week's policy is the flexibility in working hours and patterns. Members of the team have embraced the policy in their own ways, with some individuals adopting new work patterns that better coincide with their personal circumstances. For example, many team members now start their working day early to allow for more family time in the evening. Others often take an hour out of the day to exercise and flex their working hours around this. Over the past few months, many of the Global Marketing and Communications team have returned back to working from KBR offices. They have seen the benefits of being able to collaborate and work with team members in a face-to-face environment again and enjoy the balance this brings with home working. In all cases, flexible working and scheduling arrangements have been agreed upon with their manager based on their team’s needs and, crucially, our customers’ requirements. Regardless of work schedules, continued consistency in delivery and execution are always paramount. Please speak to your manager about flexible working possibilities.
Wait! Before You Make a Move …
As stated above, through KBR’s Agile Work Weeks policy, employees can work from places other than their principal KBR location. But there are some important stipulations to consider.
A move must be agreed upon in writing by your manager and HR representative. Also, advance approval from KBR’s Global Mobility team is required to ensure the company is able to comply if an employee wishes to work in a different tax or legal jurisdiction.
For example, say an employee wanted to move from the U.S. state of Texas to the state of Georgia. Without consulting HR and Global Mobility, that employee might not know that they would take on an additional tax burden after the move since Georgia has state income tax and Texas does not.
Additionally, employees should be aware that KBR will be benchmarking salaries based on local rates. A move to a different location could affect both current salary and future pay increases. Another crucial factor to consider is health insurance. KBR is proud to provide a wide range of excellent insurance options for our employees, including many that are regionally tailored. However, your current insurance plan might not be valid in your proposed new location. These are just a few of the issues that could arise. That’s why it’s imperative for any employee wishing to move away from their primary KBR location — even if they’ve received initial approval from their manager — to first consult with HR and the Global Mobility team so potential problems can be avoided.
Agile Working Achievements Unlocked
KBR LINK Every member of the global team contributes toward the production of KBR LINK — which was launched during the pandemic and is produced every quarter — in some way, shape or form.
Episodes of KBR’s first podcast series are recorded, edited and released virtually by a small team based on three continents.
Annual Global Marketing and Communications Conference
Every year the global team meets at a KBR location for their annual team conference. Since the pandemic hit and global travel stopped, the conference has been held on Teams. Highlights from the 2020 meeting included a trivia quiz and a team awards ceremony.
Each episode of KBR president and CEO Stuart Bradie’s vlog series was filmed by a member of the EMEA Communications team and produced by team members in the U.S. before being viewed by thousands of KBR employees worldwide.
