Flexible Working Hours: Do They Really Work?
It is easy to conclude that the old days of the rigid 9-to-5 working culture are slowly disappearing, given the current state of things. More and more companies as well as employees seem to appreciate the change and have embraced a more flexible style of working. While this approach seems to work for others, some of the big questions are, Does it achieve what it sets out to do? Can businesses thrive in a laissez-faire attitude towards time? And what benefits do employees derive from these arrangements? In this piece, I will attempt to analyze and attempt to see if the concept of flexible time benefits both employers and employees.
What Are Flexible Working Hours?
Shifts with flexible time, also known as flexi-time, set boundaries within which an employee must be present at work. These boundaries are referred to as “core hours.” Unlike most people who are required to have fixed working hours, workers are able to adjust their working periods so that their personal needs are met without compromising the minimum hours that need to be worked. For example, some people work from 7 AM to 3 PM, and others prefer to work from 10 AM until 6 PM. The purpose is to maintain a level of flexibility in the employee’s schedule while ensuring that important business goals are met or work productivity is not compromised. It contributes to boosting workplace productivity. You can also use monitoring tools like Controlio. It provides a means of optimizing time management strategies.
The positive aspects for workers
Improve Productivity With Improved Work-Life Balance
One of the rationales for the flexible working hours is improved balance between work and life priorities. Employees can schedule their healthcare appointments, family responsibilities, and personal obligations as needed. For instance, parents can pick their kids up from school, while employees who have a long commute can adjust their schedule to avoid traffic jams.
Higher Employee Satisfaction
While working for particular companies, employees get more personal with how they deal with work time due to flexible times. This fostered more trust in the employer and enabled empowered employees, which translates to better morale and job satisfaction. Many employees consider this change to be highly beneficial for their overall well-being.
Higher Productivity With Lower Stress Levels
Whether someone is an afternoon or morning person, the hours of work can be suitable for them. With such flexibility, stress levels are immensely reduced. Employees can also schedule breaks throughout the day to decrease the chances of feeling overwhelmed and mentally burned out.
Revised Output
Most people are more productive working during hours that are most appropriate to them. With flexible work rates, employees are able to set working hours when they feel they have the highest productivity level, thus improving their output. This can mean accomplishing a higher volume of work within a given timeframe or, at the very least, delivering work of enhanced quality.
Benefits of Using Flexible Hours By The Employer
Less Leakage Of Skills
Employers stand to benefit from the high-level skill retention where quality of work is not compromised and productivity is high. The competition for jobs in the post-COVID era has heightened because workplaces are eager to adopt innovative solutions. Organizations that tailor their policies according to their employee’s lifestyles will see a decrease in recruitment costs due to reduced employee turnover.
Recruitment of New Employees
Most people from any background will be drawn to a position with flexible hours. Those who are concerned about health and want to spend more time with family or engaging in other hobbies prefer to work for a company where they can easily achieve such goals. Soon, however, companies that do not have such policies in place and do not publicize them will face problems trying to recruit skilled employees.
Increased Staff Productivity
As discussed in the case above, employee engagement is one of the areas that benefits from flexibility in an employee’s work schedule. Employees perceive that more flexibility is allocated to them, which propels loyalty and trust towards the company. Employees are prepared to put in extra effort, use their imagination, and collaborate with other employees for the good of the company.
Decreased Expenditure
Increased productivity and employee satisfaction are gained when flexibility is adopted, but it can also help in reducing some expenses. For instance, the concurrent presence of fewer employees in the office allows for cutting costs on utilities and office space as well as supplies. Also, these conditions help employees work at their most productive levels, which is a great outcome as there is no need for constant supervision.
Do flexible working hours actually work?
To answer the question succinctly and directly: Yes, they can. If working hours are flexible, both the employee and the employer stand to gain, provided that it is done correctly. Unfortunately, it tends to lead to greater job dissatisfaction, lower productivity, and an increase in employee turnover ratio, which does not address any other issues. Other challenges like communication barriers, overloading work, or insufficient supervision also require serious attention. Having the right systems in place with set parameters allows for practical flexibility in the working environment.
