Flextime Definition – Terms, Instructions, Pros and Cons

Flextime revolves around a non-customary work-scheduling practice that permits full-time employees or workers to pick their specific entry and exit times inside some specific limits like not sooner than 5 a.m. and not after 9 p.m.

Even flextime working options via virtual workplaces are also gaining good prevalence seeing the shift in working culture after Covid-19.

When it comes to regular office hours, we are used to the standard 9 to 5 jobs. This timing has been the universal routine for quite an extended period. It is partly because these hours used to be the most convenient ones.

But when we sit back and ask whether these hours are relevant in today’s times, do we get a positive answer?

Many of the employees’ circumstances make these pre-set office hours quite inconvenient. Also, the same office hours daily make the job feel monotonous to the employees.

It has been observed that except for some jobs that include field-work, all the other office-based jobs can conveniently let their employees choose their working hours. Here comes the concept of flextime into play.

What is flextime?

Flextime is a modern concept where the employees are given the liberty of choosing their office hours according to their convenience. It is a flexible work hours policy where the employees decide when their working day will start and end.

It doesn’t mean the work hours get reduced. The employees have to complete the daily or monthly hours set by their employers but at their convenience.

How does flextime work exactly?

Now that we know what flextime is, we should look at what aspects are included, particularly in this concept. The employees can choose to opt for any of the following schedules when they are granted this privilege.

• Personalized start and end times with an hour-long lunch break that remains even throughout the week
• Personalized start and end times that might change every day, but the working hours remain constant.
• Personalized start and end times with irregular work hours every day but an endless number of working hours completed every week.
• Increased lunch-hours and extended working hours at the start and the end of the day to counterbalance that
• Reduced lunch-hours and compressed work hours at the start/end of the day to counterbalance that

Though it is expected that the employees complete the daily, weekly, or monthly set work hours, there are some jobs where work hours are not analogous to someone’s productivity.

Some highly progressive enterprises also refuse to consider work hours as a standard of productivity. When flextime is exercised at such places, the employees only need to complete their duties in the given period in their convenient time without any mandatory work hours.

What kinds of employees have flextime?

Almost any job function can have flextime.

Jobs, where the employees are needed to complete their tasks on their own, are best suited for this concept.

However, flextime is challenging to implement to the employees who are focused on customers and clients.

Also, it isn’t easy to implement it in the kind of jobs where the employees need to be in the working premises at fixed hours or the jobs that include work on-field

How is flextime granted?

The employees initiate the request for flextime to their team leader/ supervisor/ department head. One can present a formal proposal towards them as these positions have the authority to grant flextime. They can expect to do so by considering its feasibility, employee’s credibility, and nature.

At first, this privilege is always exercised on a trial basis. It is approved to be permanent only if it works well for the organization. The authority granting the flextime has every right to take it back if there comes any situation where the job needs demand its suspension or the employee’s productivity gets hampered.

After this trial, if the flextime schedule is agreed upon, there is formal paperwork involved for its approval.

A Flextime Work Arrangement Form has to be filled. The form must include agreements that are time-specific. The arrangement needs to be reviewed. It may be reconsidered after a specific time, and that date has to be mentioned in the form.

All the further re-scheduling and renewals need to be appropriately documented.

Terms to be fulfilled while managing a flextime schedule

• Flextime of a worker should not affect his productivity.
• Flextime of a worker should not adversely affect the productivity of the co-workers. The schedule might shift the workload to others or create hindrances in their work by creating additional steps.
• The employee should always stick to the schedule of the flextime that is agreed upon.
• If the employee wants any changes in the schedule (this includes working overtime), he/she should first seek the permission of the concerned authority.

Pros of Flextime

For the employees-

• It allows the employees to maintain a perfect work-life balance. They can overcome the conflicts that are created due to the clashes between personal life and work.
• Some employees have their old parent’s responsibilities while some have to look after a child; some want to pursue their hobbies while some have personal medical conditions. Flextime allows them to overcome all these problems and have a happy and productive work life.

For the employers-

• Employers can save on overhead costs. Different schedules of different employees allow the sharing of office space and equipment.
• It saves all the hassle when an employee calls in work at the eleventh hour. Any change in schedules can be reported before due time.
• Happy and satisfied employees tend to put in more effort and be more productive. Also, they won’t quit the job and continue to work better for your enterprise.

Cons of Flextime

• There might be miscommunication or lack of communication if employees are working on the same projects but drastically different timings.
• As discussed above, flextime cannot always be appropriate for all employees, industries, or work setups.

Fortunately, with a positive approach and correct measures, all of these cons can be easily alleviated.

Instructions to Make Flextime work for your business 

• To start with, you need to ensure that your objectives for implementing flextime culture are apparent.
• Your flextime employees should also have proper and quantifiable goals for opting for this culture.
• Your employees should agree to the extent of work, the deadline, and the final product.
• Then, you should guarantee that everybody on flextime scheduling knows their specific job in the organization. Each individual must know precisely who does what and who answers to whom.
• You need to set a few rules concerning the frequency, conditions, and methods of communication. The amount of contact is decided as per your specific operational and business needs.
• In case your flextime employees are also working remotely, you should make standard hours of work that they have to do. You should ask them the time when they will be available for calls, messages, or emails.
• You may also set a period when flextime employees should be physically present at your office if needed and possible.
• Also, you should include tools for alleviating and automating management, analysis, tracking, and reporting services.

How to Track Flextime Employees

When it comes to monitoring flextime employees, it may seem daunting, but it’s genuinely not troublesome at all.

You can easily find many electronic timesheet solutions along with scheduling and automation tools. All these tools enable you to catch the work hours of your flextime employees handily.

You will get all the essential and related data and info in a simple and easy-to-understand style.

actiTIME sorts of tools comprise a special report intended to give you a more exact and proper look about flextime employees. It will let you see how their revealed time stacks up against their day by day, week by week, or month to month working hours.

Final Thoughts!

From looking at all the points, it is evident that flextime, if implemented efficiently, creates a win-win situation for everybody. Every modern enterprise should try to teach this system.

HRs and business owners opt for flextime culture to offer an alternative and more flexible work schedules to their employees and workforce. The proper use of this enables employees to choose a personalized scheduling option without compromising their as well as the organization’s operational potential.

For the correct implementation of flextime culture, HRs needs to ensure the right policies for employee accountability, planning, and logistics along with technology and performance solutions.

Now, we hope you would have what flextime is and why it is becoming so popular around the world.

Do you also prefer working in a flextime culture?

Do you have any suggestions for the businesses and employees working in flextime?