When COVID-19 hit our islands back in March 2020 many companies switched to remote working where possible. Eighteen months on, and given it was proven successful, remote working is still being implemented by many companies. While some have returned to working from their offices, many have opted for hybrid working. With the implementation of hybrid working many offices are going a step further with the introduction of flexitime.

The web defines flexitime as a working schedule granting employees the choice as to how to alter the start and end of their workdays. Flexitime can be implemented in many ways so long as it does not compromise deadlines, efficiency, and the standard of work.

Flexitime was introduced in the late 1960s at the HQ of an aerospace company located in Munich. The company employed some 3,000 workers. The company was encountering major issues when it came to all the staff entering and exiting the office building at the same time. In addition to this, its employees encountered heavy traffic to get to work in the morning and many were arriving late. As a result, both work efficiency as well as employee’s motivation was hampered.

The company then decided to do some research to try to improve the situation. With the help of Christel Kammerer, a German management consultant, the concept of flexitime was introduced. A lot of research was carried out in the years that followed. Flexitime has, over the years, played an important role in the reduction of employee turnover, sick leave and absenteeism. Research also showed an increase in employee motivation.

A typical full-time workday requires employees to work a normal fixed hour day, for example from 8.30am to 5.30pm with an hour for lunch break. Working hours vary with every company. One way of implementing flexitime is setting a core period during the day within a variable schedule, when employees need to be in attendance, be it at the office or remotely. The core hours could be between 10am to 2pm. Outside of this core period, the employee is flexible vis-à-vis starting and ending time.

Another option, perhaps the most preferred by many companies, is the setting of staggered hours within a fixed schedule. This method of flexitime enables employees to establish their own starting and ending times that differ from the typical fixed times but must maintain the same schedule daily. An example could be from 7am to 3.30pm or 10am to 6.30pm.

Flexible hours have shown to increase productivity in many companies.- Stephanie Mizzi

A third option would be working variable hours where employees are required to work a consistent schedule of a different number of hours each day so long as they achieve the expected number of hours within the week. This option is ideal for parents who juggle with their children’s schedule such as school hours or childcare arrangements. 

One advantage of flexitime is the avoidance of the morning and evening rush hour where one is commuting to and from the office. The rush hour can be stressful for many, especially where the company insists on the importance of arriving to work on time. Flexitime facilitates the planning of quiet time both in the office as well as at home thereby reducing unnecessary stress and fatigue. It also helps employees achieve a work-life balance which leads to increased motivation, satisfaction and enhanced productivity. Flexible hours have shown to increase productivity by 150-200 per cent in many companies.

Once flexitime is implemented in a workplace, an agreement should be reached between both parties with regard to the setting up of a suitable working schedule and work location. The company needs to invest in a good software programme which generates timesheets in order to record the working time of its employees.

As with all else, flexitime also comes with disadvantages. Some may argue that having a fixed working schedule would grant them better personal time which could be invested in family, hobbies, fitness, and social welfare activities, thereby ensuring a disciplined and organised work-life balance. Employers may be faced with difficulties such as less supervision and understaffing during certain times as well as the timing of scheduled meetings which may fall outside of the working hours.

Furthermore, the implementation of flexitime may not be a good fit for some occupational sectors such as the medical sector, retail sector, and the tourism and catering industry, where employees work on a shift basis in which they must work a fixed number of hours ensuring production targets are hit. 

COVID-19 has changed the working life of many, with the introduction of hybrid working and flexitime in many offices. It is highly likely that many employees would be reluctant to return to the pre-pandemic way of working.

Furthermore, job seekers tend to go for jobs that offer flexible working opportunities.

Whether flexible working is appropriate for a company or not ultimately boils down to its requirements.

Stephanie Mizzi is a freelance writer and photographer.