What are the drawbacks to using flexible work hours from the organizations perspective
Working with a flexible work schedule is a growing trend for employers, especially given the employee demand. We highlight what a flex schedule is, share the pros and cons from both perspectives, and even answer some FAQs on flex schedules. Working with a flexible schedule is a growing trend for employers, especially given the employee demand. Let’s break down what a flex schedule is, its pros and cons for employers and employees, and even answer some FAQs on the topic. The demand for a flexible schedule has been growing
significantly over the last decade. Even before COVID-19, surveys showed that 87% of employees wanted the opportunity to work from home at least some of the time. Half are even willing to take a pay cut in exchange. A flexible work schedule allows employees to work at their peak productivity levels and gives them the ability to lead a healthy work-life balance. In fact, a flex schedule is becoming more common as more Millennials and Generation Z employees are entering the
workforce. In this blog, we’ll dive into the purpose of flexible schedules, their various pros and cons for employees and employers alike, and how to effectively implement a flexible schedule into your business. A flexible schedule provides employees with an alternative to the standard 8 am-5 pm but still totals to a 40-hour workweek. In general, that means that there is no strict schedule that is the same
for everyone. Instead, employees get to choose shifts or time slots that fit them the most throughout the day (or night). A flex schedule allows employees to vary the times they begin and end their workday, as long as they are still doing the same amount of work and keep the same or higher level of productivity. Whether you need to work outside of the office from time to time or can only work during the weekends, a flex schedule can be a win-win scenario for both employers and employees and can take many forms. A compressed workweek is perhaps the most common flex schedule as it includes a
four-day workweek with employees working four ten-hour days. This type of flexible schedule gives your team an additional day off so they can enjoy a work-life balance. Typically, a compressed workweek works best in office settings. However, if you plan right, it can fit any business like
retail, restaurants, and so on. Other benefits of compressed workweeks include better rest and less commuting. Through a daily flex schedule, employees have a couple of options at hand: A daily flexible schedule makes it possible to work from 10 am to 3 am or 7 am to 4 pm. This kind of flexible schedule differs from the standard hours and is decided on by the employee and the employer. With flex-time, the employer is not obsessed over
what time you clock in. Instead, they want you to work the standard amount of hours you agreed on and get all your tasks done. This means you could come to the office when you want and leave when you want! As long as the employee is responsible for their time and achieves their goals, that’s all that matters. So if they only spent 15 hours in the office and the rest was done from home, hey, more
power to you. Split ShiftA split shift schedule means that you are splitting your hours throughout the day. For example, you may put in four hours during the morning, two more in mid-afternoon, and end your evening by putting in your last two hours. Another variant is putting in four hours in the morning and then four hours at night. The split shift schedule simply means that your schedule for the day is split to allow for other life happenings in between. Based on everything we have outlined above, flexible work schedules can result in an effective and efficient work process. With the growing changes in the workforce, you must stay ahead of the trends to ensure employee engagement and satisfaction. Alternative ScheduleThis kind of flexible schedule makes it easier for employees who can’t work a typical five-day workweek. These employees need a schedule that enables their responsibilities, such as child care and other personal matters. An alternative schedule makes it easy for employees to work on the weekends, partake in second shifts, or even night shifts (all types of word shifts), giving them more freedom during day hours. FlexplaceFlexplace acts as a predetermined schedule designed to make it easier for employees to work from home or any remote location that isn’t their office. This can range from a few hours or days of the week to a full-time basis. Flexplace scheduling can be implemented in three ways:
Remote WorkingThis type of flex schedule allows employees to perform all work away from the office on a temporary or permanent basis. Today, many businesses embrace remote work, giving employees more flexibility than ever to work and live wherever they choose. Remote work programs open recruitment to a much wider range of candidates with relevant experience and skills. Part-Time PositionsPart-time work is a valuable substitute for workers who can’t work as many hours or days as colleagues with full-time work schedules. This kind of flexibility is for workers who have other commitments outside of work, such as parenting or studying. Job SharingIn order to complete tasks efficiently and effectively, managers might consider implementing work-sharing or job-sharing programs in their business. This is basically the division of full-time responsibilities amongst two or more part-time workers. The chosen employees will divide each work week between them, ensuring that the “full-time” job schedule is still complete. By increasing employees’ paid time off, you’re providing them with an incentive for continuing to carry out work routines that can easily become monotonous. Increased vacation time, or even unlimited vacation time, are policies that many businesses are seriously considering to motivate their workers to perform to their full potential. How to Make a Flexible Schedule Work for Your BusinessTruth be told, flexible work environments can make an employer’s life extremely difficult. After all, it can be a logistical nightmare trying to find the right employees to complete specific jobs depending on their availability. It can be a complicated way to run a business, especially if you are working with employees in different locations and time zones. With a handful of simple steps, though, employers can make flex schedules work seamlessly for the benefit of their business.
Getting a team to collaborate from different time zones and locations can be tricky. That’s why establishing a common work window is essential. For example, that core work window could be from 11 am until 4 pm and during the week. Only during this time can team meetings and task delegation be performed. With this disciplined base, employees know exactly when are the optimal times to communicate with each other and upper management while also being granted the autonomy they require.
In this day and age, it’s not enough to simply know your employees in terms of the jobs they perform and the skills they bring to the table. If you have a clear picture of who they are as individuals, and what commitments they have outside of work, then you have a better understanding of their availability and everyone is more likely to trust each other. As a result, tasks can be managed more efficiently. It also means that you know which individuals are best suited for specific jobs. This also reduces the chances of needing to micromanage employees. Getting to know your remote employees on a personal level can be challenging. But there are some steps you can take to make it easier:
While team meetings can be time-consuming and get in the way of the actual work, they are essential to establishing team spirit and morale. In order to make the most of these meetings to accommodate everyone’s busy schedules, you should:
A digital scheduling software solution can help employers prepare detailed, easy-to-read flexible schedules for their workforce. Employees can make personal adjustments to the schedule from the comfort of their mobile devices to ensure that all shifts are prepared in advance.
Software of this kind, like Connecteam, can allow managers to:
Manage Flexible Work Schedules Like a ProMaximize your employees’ availability and make their schedules more flexible with Connecteam. Learn More If you’re still not convinced that you need a flex schedule, let’s dive into the pros and cons from an employer and employee perspective. Pros and Cons of Flexible Schedules for EmployersPros for EmployersYou, the employer, could benefit from implementing flexible work schedules in various ways. These include:
Cons for EmployersWith all of that said, flexible work schedules aren’t necessarily the perfect arrangement for the employer. For example:
Pros and Cons of Flexible Schedules for EmployeesPros for EmployeesYour employees could also benefit from using flexible work schedules in a variety of ways. These include:
Cons for EmployeesJust like employers, flexible work schedules can also pose downsides for employees too. These include:
FAQsWhat is the purpose of a flexible schedule?A flex schedule allows employees to adjust their work hours so that they don’t necessarily correspond with traditional work schedules such as 9-5 to 8-6. As the name suggests, flex schedules provide flexibility for both the employees and employer, as long as the former are still completing their contracted number of hours per week. What factors should you consider when creating a flexible schedule?In order to create a relevant flex schedule for your employees, you need to assess the current culture of your workforce and identify the individual and collective needs of your employees. From there, you can start to build policies and structures that make flex schedules in your workplace realistic and sustainable. You need to find an effective tool to create the actual schedule, whether that be through manual processes or with a digital solution. Once implemented, it’s important to monitor the success of the schedule and adjust it as you go. Which questions should you ask your employees when creating a flexible schedule?Some questions worth asking your employees when designing a flex schedule for them include:
The Bottom Line on Flexible SchedulesIt’s important that you weigh the pros and cons of providing a flexible work schedule for both your employee and your business. We’ve highlighted numerous benefits, from increased productivity to less employee turnover. While there may be some disadvantages, with careful planning, an effective employee management strategy, and an employee scheduling app, you can easily combat the cons mentioned. Create Your Flexible Work Schedule Efficiently with ConnecteamWhat are the drawbacks of flexi time?Flexitime also presents some challenges for employers, such as less supervision during certain time periods, and understaffing at times. It may also create difficulties with scheduling meetings, and tracking working hours can be difficult (if you don't have an advanced solution like All Hours).
What are some negative aspects of being to flexible?Tendons will stretch, but only so far before they too will become injured. Healthy muscles will have a balance between flexibility and strength. Overly flexible muscles without strength will not be able to support joints as well when they come under stress, thus predisposing one to joint injuries.
What are the pros and cons of a flexible work schedule?Pros and Cons of Flexible Work Schedules. But first of all – do we know what “flexible working” even means?. Pro: Gives you the freedom to do some errands.. Con: Vague boundaries.. Pro: Less cost.. Con: It's not for everyone.. Pro: You're able to concentrate better.. Con: Far from sight, far from mind.. |