Flexing Time: What Is It And What Are The Benefits?
byIf you’re looking for ways to help your team be happier and more productive, flexing time might be the answer! It’s a strategy that allows workers to adjust their hours within set parameters. In turn, they’ll have more control over when they work and when they can schedule personal obligations.
Here are the key details you need to know about flexing time:
- It makes employees feel in control of their work schedule
- It can help improve retention
- Keeping up with it can be tough without the right tools
- Schedule management software makes it easy to let workers flex time
- It promotes a greater work-life balance
Table of contents
- What is flexing time?
- Benefits of flexing time: Employees
- Benefits of flexing time: Employers
- Examples of flexing time
- How employee scheduling software can help you incorporate flexible schedules
- Flexing time with When I Work
What is flexing time?
Flexing time, or using flex time, allows employees to adjust their start and end times around a set of core hours when all team members are expected to be at work. Most traditional business schedules run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but a flex schedule may establish a set work window that runs from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Employees must work their full shifts on scheduled days within that window. For example, one worker might come in from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. But another worker who has family obligations early in the morning may choose to work from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. These arrangements can help your team manage personal responsibilities while still meeting work commitments. It’s a true win-win!
But that’s not the only way that flex time can make a difference. You can also let workers “flex off” extra hours if they don’t want to log overtime. For example, let’s say someone stays for an extra two hours one Thursday because things are very busy.
You could give that worker the choice to either earn two hours of overtime or leave their Friday shift two hours early. That kind of freedom rewards hardworking employees by giving them back lost time in a way that is more beneficial to their personal lives.
Benefits of flexing time: Employees
Here are a few perks that employees can enjoy by using flex time:
Work-life balance
A fixed work schedule can interfere with team members’ work-life balance. For example, employees may not be able to pick up and drop off their children if you require them to work rigid hours.
Flexing time allows workers to adjust their hours so they can handle these kinds of obligations or even enjoy more time for hobbies. Being able to better manage their personal lives leads to reduced stress and greater job satisfaction.
Better commutes
By flexing time, employees can avoid peak traffic hours and spend less time on the road. That can be a great benefit for workers living in crowded areas with bad rush-hour traffic.
For example, suppose that one of your employees typically commutes an hour each way to work an 8-to-4 shift. But traffic is much less dense in your area between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. With that in mind, the worker adjusts their shift from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The change cuts their commute time in half, saving them roughly five hours per week in drive time!
More productive work
One last benefit for employees is that flexing time allows them to align their schedules with when they feel most productive.
Some people are more focused and energetic early in the morning. Others hit their stride in the afternoon. Flexing time allows employees to work when they are at their best. They’ll get more done each shift and accomplish their daily tasks at a higher level.
Benefits of flexing time: Employers
Flexing time can be great for your business, too. Here are a few reasons why you may want to let your staff flex their time:
Better retention
Today, the job market is more competitive than ever. And rigid work schedules may cost you top talent. But the good news is that offering chances to use flex time can improve employee retention. That’s because it’ll make your business more attractive to current and potential employees. Candidates may be more likely to join and stick with your company if they see that you respect their work-life balance.
Increased employee autonomy
Flex time fosters a sense of autonomy among your workforce. Employees will have the freedom to choose their schedules. In turn, they will feel respected and empowered. And that will lead to higher job satisfaction and motivation as a result.
Increased autonomy may also promote less absenteeism. Think about an employee who has to attend an important appointment that overlaps with normal business hours. If they work on a rigid schedule, they will have to use PTO to attend the appointment. If you offer flex time, they can come in earlier or start their shift later to accommodate the time away.
Improved employee engagement
Employees are more likely to be engaged and present during work hours if you respect their personal lives with flex time. They’ll be able to focus on the tasks at hand, knowing that their needs are met. That translates to better engagement as well as productivity. Companies with highly engaged workers experience 21% higher profitability!
Examples of flexing time
There are a few different ways to structure your flex schedule. You’ll want to choose a method that best aligns with the demands of your business.
Here are three examples of how your schedule might look:
Staggered hours
A staggered approach can accommodate restaurants, retailers, and other businesses that serve customers on-site. You’ll need to identify your scheduling needs and then determine how many people need to be present for each shift.
After figuring out your staffing needs, you can plug workers into shifts that best align with their personal obligations. For example, let’s say one employee prefers the early shift to avoid rush-hour traffic. They could start their workday at 7 a.m. and end at 3 p.m. to make their commute easier.
On the other hand, if another worker lives closer and doesn’t have a tedious commute, they could take on a 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. shift to cover your company’s evening or closing needs. These are just broad examples, though. Adjust your shift windows based on company needs and customer demand.
Compressed workweek
A compressed workweek can be a good fit for businesses that don’t serve clients on-site. A technology firm or security services business would be a good example. The idea is that employees work longer hours across fewer days. For instance, an employee might work four 10-hour days instead of five 8-hour days. That gives them an extra day off each week, which they can use however they like.
You can still use a compressed workweek approach even if you need to provide Monday-Friday coverage, though. You could assign half of your team to Monday-Thursday shifts and the other half to Tuesday-Friday shifts. Every few weeks or months, you could reverse the schedules so each group gets some Fridays off.
Core hours with flexibility
A core hours approach is one of the most common when it comes to flexing time. You’ll identify a window where everyone has to be available and at work. Perhaps it runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. In any case, the window ensures that things like team meetings and training sessions can be conducted.
It also helps hold your staff accountable. As long as workers are present during the designated window and log the appropriate number of hours, they can start and end their days whenever they like. One person may work from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. while another comes in for a 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. shift.
How employee scheduling software can help you incorporate flexible schedules
The thought of keeping up with all these schedules might have your head spinning. But that’s understandable, especially if you manage your team using manual processes. Incorporating flex time into your business model can be a headache without the right tools.
When I Work makes it easy. Our platform allows you to build and manage custom schedules from a user-friendly interface. It has features like drag-and-drop scheduling, shift swapping, and time-off request management. When I Work allows you to meet your business needs and unlock the benefits of flexing time with ease.
Flexing time with When I Work
By letting your employees flex time, you can promote a better work-life balance, boost morale, and reduce your overtime costs. All you need is a user-friendly tool to help you keep up with schedules and hours worked.
When I Work is here to save the day! Our scheduling software does it all. You can track time and talk to your team in our secure app. Rethink the way you manage your team by signing up for a free trial of When I Work today!
