What Are Flexible Working Hours?
2nd Dec 2022
Flexible working hours, also known as flexi-time, allow flexibility around start and finish times. This means that employees can start work earlier or later depending on preference and what works best to suit their needs and personal lifestyle.
Many companies will opt for core hours, for example, 11-3; the remainder can be worked around lifestyle and other commitments.What are the benefits of fully flexible working hours?
Fully flexible working hours host a long list of advantages not just for employees but employers too.Retain and attract top talent
Having fully flexible working hours can help companies not only retain their best talent but also attract high-calibre candidates. And with higher levels of flexibility, employees are more likely to remain loyal to their employer.
Data from the Flexa platform over a 3-month rolling average also shows that 24% of candidates are searching for roles that offer fully flexible hours - so it’s a popular choice.Increased productivity
An employer's main concern with flexible working hours is likely to be that they are no longer able to keep track of employee's working hours and what they are doing / if they are completing tasks.
Companies, however, should focus on output giving employees the autonomy and trust to structure their tasks and plan their days in a way that they are most productive.
Rather than focusing on how many hours an employee is tied to their desk, it should be around output and results - bringing to life an output-driven work culture.Improved morale
There is no denying that flexibility, in general, helps improve work-life blend. With flexible working hours, employees can structure their days around their personal schedules / commitments instead of the other way around. This means more time with the family and time to do the things we enjoy, like going to the gym or spending time with friends. All whilst fulfilling work responsibilities. Not only does this improve morale, but it also improves job satisfaction.Increased candidate diversity
Offering fully flexible hours enables a company to hire from other locations worldwide (if you have the legal infrastructure to hire from anywhere) - Deel, provides helpful information on this if you’re looking for advice.
Flexible hours also takes into consideration those who may find it challenging to work the standard hours due to care commitments or health conditions, and many neurodiverse individuals find this way of working really beneficial.
The candidate pool becomes much larger, and the likelihood of finding candidates that align and fit well within your business increases.The challenges of fully flexible working hours
It’s essential to also consider the challenges, such as communication breakdown and employee isolation, when looking at offering fully flexible working hours.
The latter can be solved by implementing core hours where all staff are expected to work during set hours in the day and can work the remainder when suitable for them, whether that be early morning or in the evening.
Feeling isolated is something that many employees fear. With the proper support and tools, this can be managed, i.e. having some form of internal communication such as Slack, and regular check-ins - whether daily or weekly. Here at Flexa, we greet everyone on Slack before we start the work day - we also have different channels for random chit-chat, sharing photos of our floofs and communicating about projects and tasks. Not to mention the monthly meet-ups where we make time for fun activities and food.
Offering other employee benefits, such as mental well-being support can also be incredibly beneficial.Companies that offer fully flexible working hours?
There are some incredible Flexified companies that offer fully flexible working hours. Each company hosted on Flexa has its own FlexScore - calculated using several different metrics, including company benchmarking and employee surveys.
We’re sharing the spotlight on some of these companies below:
They are Matchmakers of the remote world, bringing companies and professionals together across the world - and they offer their employees unlimited annual leave.
They are an award-winning Executive Search firm trusted by Tier 1 VCs and high profile Founders to scale some of the most innovative companies in the world. They have great benefits on offers, such as work from anywhere and unlimited annual leave.
They are a forward-thinking company that uses AI to automate large parts of the dubbing process. They strive for transparency where people can show up as themselves with their voices welcome and heard - they also offer unlimited annual leave and some other great benefits.
An education company designed to enable go-to-market teams to achieve revenue and growth goals from industry experts. They also offer incredible benefits such as unlimited annual leave and work from anywhere.
With an app-based solution, they help legal and property professionals verify their clients quickly, safely and remotely. They offer their employees unlimited annual leave and enhanced paternity and maternity leave, amongst other benefits.
