Looking at the future of work.

Can you believe May is almost here? In the same way that time marches forward, V Teamers are excited to Work Forward. To shed some light on that program and answer other questions, Chief HR Officer Christy Pambianchi joined host Andy Choi on today’s Up To Speed Live.

Work Forward

As Christy shared, we have a tremendous opportunity to define a future of work that works for all of us. Work Forward marks our transformation in how, when and where we work. She introduced three working models that reflect our future of work:

• Home-based: Teams that interact with peers and customers entirely from their home offices.
• Hybrid: Teams that will split their time between working remotely and at a work location.
• Worksite-based: Teams that work on site at a Verizon or partner location.

For our associates, work arrangements are, of course, subject to collective bargaining agreements.

As part of Work Forward, we have developed a suite of new resources to enhance productivity and collaboration. This includes:

• New technology to enable stronger collaboration across teams
• New tech and training to strengthen and level-up how we work
• New leadership practices to help managers support their teams and drive efficiency in these new models
• And a microsite that’s a one-stop resource for all things Work Forward

Nearly a month ago, we kicked off the Work Forward pilot that included over 3,000 V Teamers from across 50 teams in the U.S. While it's still early in the pilot, we issued our first touchpoint survey to gauge participants' feedback on the tools and resources within the microsite.

• Over 80% of participants are satisfied with their onboarding into Work Forward
• Over 90% of participants reported being very productive in their working model
• Over 90% of participants are very comfortable with their current ways of working

VZPulse+

Last year, we introduced VZPulse+, our supercharged employee survey that helps us benchmark employee engagement and understand how we compare to other industry leaders from around the world.

Work Forward and other initiatives from across the company were born from employee feedback to ensure we remain an exceptional place to work. As Christy shared, the data from our VZPulse surveys is used to influence where and how we grow as a company.

Starting May 3 and running through May 17, V Teamers will receive communications from Gallup to complete this year's VZPulse+ survey. We’ll find out how much progress we've made this past year and continue the conversation on how we can improve even more, so it’s important all V Teamers participate.

COVID-19 update

While we are eager to get going with Work Forward, it’s important to continue to remain vigilant when it comes to health and safety. As Christy shared, we are still operating within our COVID-19 response strategy and will continue with our current operations through June. We will provide more information next month so V Teamers know what to expect.

Christy, who is getting her first COVID-19 vaccine today, encourages all who are able to get vaccinated to do so. That's why, Verizon is playing an active role in promoting the benefits of getting vaccinated and working with partners like Ad Council to drive greater awareness.

Verizon employees who need time off from work to attend their COVID-19 vaccination appointments can request up to four hours paid to get the first dose and then again for vaccines requiring a second dose.

In terms of masks and social distancing, we will continue to follow our safety procedures and protocols in our offices, stores and other Verizon locations.

We will continue to monitor the situation very closely and keep you informed. In the meantime, please continue checking our COVID-19 employee resource page for the latest updates and information.

Giveaway Winners

Andy shared the winners from both the 1Q21 Webcast Survey giveaway. To see if you’re a winner, watch the video.

Continue the Conversation

Over the last year, thousands of you have participated in Courageous Conversations with our Employee Resource Groups or with your respective work teams. V Teamers, including our leaders, opened up about racial bias and social injustice, and many shared their own personal stories.

Beginning tomorrow, April 27, our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion team welcomes you to "Continue the Conversation" in a discussion open to all employees. Each month, will have a designated subject, with April's topic kicking off with "Family Conversations and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion".

Ciao from Italy

Today’s sign off was from Elena Vergine, a Marketing Consultant from the recently rebranded Verizon Connect team in Ferrara, Italy. She showed off a beautiful medieval castle in her town and the local favorite way to get around: biking. Thanks, Elena!

If you have any questions, email them to live@verizon.com.

Click here for a transcript of the webcast.

Get the latest information on our Coronavirus Resource Page (Inside Verizon, The Street).

Tell us what you think of Up To Speed.

​​V Team, go to VZWeb to join the conversation