“People today really value workplace flexibility and remote work because it allows them to focus their energies on work and life as opposed to commuting or other complications due to geography.” Ken Matos, Vice President of Research, Life Meets Work. The Pros and Cons of Offering Flexible Work Schedules for Employees. Employees save money by having a reduced consumption of commuting time and fuel costs. A cafeteria plan comprises several benefits to cover eligible expenses, as long as they meet the criteria outlined by the IRS in Section 125. By allowing employees to determine their own schedule and work environment, you appeal to the entrepreneurial spirit—which can be good for your employees. For example, you may put four hours during the morning, two more mid-afternoon, and end your evening putting in your last two hours. Those tools are called employee scheduling apps, and they let you do all that, and much more from your mobile phone, in a matter of minutes. “Telecommuting, one of many forms of work-life flexibility, should no longer be viewed as a nice-to-have, optional perk mostly used by working moms. Advantages for employers and employees exist when the employer allows employees to work flexible schedules. This kind of flexible schedule differs from the standard hours and is decided on by the employee and the employer. Plus, employees can save money on fuel and time lost while commuting. So there is more thought leadership that comes to the table, and that’s where your creativity and innovation come in.”, – Osman Khan, Co-founder, and CEO of Paddle8, No doubt based on everything we have outlined above that flexible work schedules can result in. Employees who work best in an office environment can find it hard to work at their best when their coworkers don’t have the same work schedule. Whereas the other parent may work traditional hours so they start their day at 9AM. Even before the COVID-19 crisis, surveys showed that 80% of employees would like to have the opportunity to work from home at least some of the time. A compressed workweek is perhaps the most common flexible work schedule as it includes a. with employees working four ten-hour days. Some managers, who are used to seeing when their staff members come to work, watching what staff do all day at work, and knowing when people leave for home, have trouble adjusting to the new management style which requires trust. By continuing to use the website, you consent to the use of cookies. Or wanted so desperately to go to the park or a fun activity with our kids in the afternoon, but saw the sun only from the worksite window instead? Cons of … Typically a compressed workweek works best in office settings, however, if you plan right, it can fit any business like. A flexible work schedule provides employees with an alternative to the standard 8 AM- 5 PM but still totals to a 40-hour workweek. Here’s what the American Journal of Industrial and Business Management had to say: “Some researchers believe that lack of balance is an effect of conflict between work and life responsibilities. Employees who thrive in an office environment may find it difficult to work when colleagues don't hold the same schedule. For example, if Ryan the receptionist is expected to work a traditional 9-5 because he answers phones calls and greets customers, he might have a hard time bidding Ellen the engineer a fond farewell every Friday afternoon because of her flexible work schedule. There's no evidence that that is the case—it's simply cultural. Increased Employee Productivity; According to Inc. magazine, every generation craves work/life balance. With flexible work schedules, employers experience benefits as well. An inflexible work schedule causes stress and low morale, in fact, with inflexible work schedules reported an “unreasonable level of work stress.” Whereas those with a flexible schedule reported. September 24, 2012. . From family obligations to pursuing other passions to health issues or just hating a long commute, the reasons are endless. A flexible work schedule allows us to work at our peak when we’re most productive and gives us the ability to lead a healthy work-life balance. Studies clearly show that workers with a flexible work schedule are more satisfied and happy than employers who don’t offer flexibility. You must offer a healthy balance of the two to ensure employee happiness across the board. Shorter Commute: If you are commuting and not working from home, having a flexible schedule means you can change your hours to skip the traffic and save on gas. So, instead of using vacation time to run errands or attend to family matters, employees can rearrange their daily schedules to accomplish these tasks. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not address flexible work schedules. However, for Millennials, it’s not only a “nice to have,” but also a necessity for happiness. Employees with a work-life balance are so much happier and fulfilled which leads to better employee engagement and morale. Common examples of flextime include. to the most updated and relevant schedule and can request a change if needed? The result is two full-time jobs and incomes with no childcare costs. , far too often is productivity hindered, as are our priorities. All of which is due to offering a flexible work schedule. With a flexible schedule and an accurate time-tracking app, you help dramatically lower no-shows and late clock-ins. Flexible schedules and narrow work weeks are common types. 2. It needs to be clear that for all but a handful of jobs, working from home still requires childcare because you can't work effectively while also entertaining a toddler. If the employee wants any changes in the schedule (this includes working overtime), he/she should first seek the permission of the concerned authority. All of which is due to offering a flexible work schedule. Flexible work is evolving rapidly, its permutations are proliferating; you could say it has gone viral. Working from home—while becoming more common—is still a foreign concept to many people. Employees with a flexible work schedule are able to easily plan their personal schedules around their shifts so, that employees who have the opportunity to make alternative work schedules to suit their needs are more likely to clock in on time. https://www.molyneaux.com/blog/reducing-workplace-stress-is-vital-for-safety-retention-production. Giving up some control of work schedules gives increased employee morale, engagement, and commitment to the organization. The general trend followed by businesses is the nine to five work schedule. If an employee works from home some of the time, it can strain personal relationships. Save Money. One parent is there for school drop-off while the other does pick-up. How To Make a Flexible Work Schedule Work for Your Business? However, it is important to note that there are times that the willingness to be flexible in one area can result in decreased productivity in other areas. For the employees-It allows the employees to maintain a perfect work-life balance. Providing options can extend your hours of operation which is especially important for departments such as customer service. The physical and mental health of your team is important to the bottom line, to the customers, to the turnover rate, and to their own sanity in their personal life. Pros of Flextime. If an employee works much earlier or later than their coworkers then they’re often in the office alone or almost alone. Pros to Flexible Work: Better Work-Life Balance. Plus, it also means they won’t bother to look for a new job somewhere else. There are numerous pros and cons to flex schedules for employees, as there are multiple advantages and disadvantages with working 9-to-5 or freelance work and so on. Below are some pros and cons of flexible work schedules: Pros: Flexible work schedules make it easier to find employees and it makes the ones you have happier and more loyal to the company, because it makes all employees feel as if their needs are … Flexible scheduling has become part of what employees are looking for in their comprehensive employee benefits packages. Some people take advantage of the flexibility and the ability to work from home. This most commonly leads to reciprocating accordingly by showing a greater sense of commitment and productivity.”, reported that millennials make up 35% of the workforce in the United States. How many of us have missed important family events, meetings with friends, or even didn’t feel well, but carried on working until it was time to go home, just because the shift was scheduled in advance and there was no way to change it. You’re only […]. The option also reduces employee turnover, absenteeism, and tardiness by allowing workers to flex hours around home and family obligations. show much better productivity levels and increased morale when employees are offered a flexible work schedule. Many managers feel that early birds are hard workers and night owls are slackers. It gives them a greater say over their work schedules, so they can efficiently balance their work and family obligations. , and so on. Team efforts may require advanced planning and coordination of the employee scheduled workdays and hours. Flexible scheduling includes the ability to adjust the days and hours of being in the office and also allows workers to work remotely. Start working later and stay on duty later, Take extra time during their lunch break which is later made up, Have flexible weekends, or fixed days on custom days, instead of standard weekend, “In the right roles and with the right people, flex does offer tremendous productivity improvement. Thankfully, the tech progress that created the demand for a flexible work schedule in the first place also provides us with modern, powerful tools to utilize it. Maybe working from home an entire day just isn’t possible. Not to mention, fewer people driving means it's easier for those people who are commuting. Plus, it also means they won’t bother to look for a new job somewhere else. With the growing changes in the workforce, you must stay ahead of the trends to ensure employee engagement and satisfaction. So if they only spent 15 hours in the office and the rest was done from home, hey, more power to you! Through a daily flexible schedule, employees have a couple of options at hand: A daily flexible schedule makes it possible to work 10AM to 3PM or 7AM to 4PM. Remote work with time zone bias works best when team members are in nearby time zones, making it easier to schedule an overlapping time frame of, say, four hours when everyone is at work. The pros and cons of flexible working can help employees and employers if it is managed properly. Sometimes, commuting more than an hour each way is common! The demand for a flexible work schedule has been building up over the last decades, following the constantly increasing rhythm of life. When you have high employee happiness and job satisfaction then. We dive into the many pros and cons, for employees and employers alike, of implementing a flexible work schedule. How to Create Effective Employee Development Even With a Low Budget. So when it comes to recruitment, look at the statistics because it’s a no-brainer on what you need to do to appeal to the largest growing workforce. Adaptability: Flexible work schedule allows the employees to meet the family needs, personal obligations and life responsibilities efficiently. Employees get an increased feeling of personal control over schedule and work environment. A study by the London School of Economics and Political Science found the following, “Being able to achieve work-life balance is an indicator to employees that they are being treated favorably by their bosses. There are several types of employee benefits that you can offer, depending on the flexible benefit plan you set up. If you have a flexible work schedule you can be able to meet the day to day errands and take care of family members without any interference in work. If you’ve reached this point at your job, perhaps you think that a flexible schedule might be better for your productivity and enjoyment at work. Remote workers can often make neighbors and friends think you aren't actually working, thus causing problems with relationships. You will reduce the square footage requirements of office space and the cost of desks, chairs, computers, and other necessary equipment. “We like to give people the freedom to work where they want, safe in the knowledge that they have the drive and expertise to perform excellently, whether they [are] at their desk or in their kitchen. For this customer-centric reason, jobs that require customer-facing responsibilities only allow certain types of flextime. 88% of employees would leave a high-paying job for one with less pay if flexible schedules were available. is that a focus on employee happiness and showing appreciation is a must. With 82% of telecommuters reporting lower stress levels, flexible work can free up … about calling them at 8PM for work matters. https://www.zenefits.com/workest/7-big-statistics-about-the-state-of-flexible-work-arrangements/. These numbers clearly show the many benefits of flexible work schedules, but what about the human aspect? If an employee requires structure, they may find it difficult to focus on work and not the household chores and entertainment. FlexJobs also found that 84% of millennials want to be able to achieve a healthy work-life balance (which goes along with our first point above) and 67% said they want a flexible work schedule so they can be with their families. Overall, the advantages seem to be bigger for both employees and employers. In fact, Gallup reported that companies in the United States lose $450 and $550 billion in lost productivity every single year. A flexible work schedule provides employees with an alternative to. In fact. Studies show much better productivity levels and increased morale when employees are offered a flexible work schedule. is another trait that follows. Overall, the advantages generally outweigh the disadvantages and a good manager can handle the disadvantages. Compressed, daily, and flex work schedules all, offer parents the opportunity to greatly lower the cost of childcare. Create flexible schedules from your mobile device and let employees claim what’s available according to their qualification. It’s a major shift in the way business conducts business, and there are pros and cons to flex time in the workplace – the kind of things small business owners must weigh carefully before initiating a flex time workplace model. With flexible scheduling, your employees can attend professional courses or classes when they aren’t working so they can achieve their educational goals and achieve higher professional skills related to their job role. 3.14 HOURS lost […], If you haven’t heard about predictive scheduling, you’re about to. Yours truly has never worked out of an office, and never will.” – Richard Branson, Founder, and Chairman of Virgin. A trend to watch out for in 2020 is that a focus on employee happiness and showing appreciation is a must. Here’s a quick video, explaining how easy flexible scheduling might be when done with Connecteam — the top job scheduling app. reported that they would quit their job if they aren’t being appreciated by management. We’re […], Most managers struggle to create a fair and balanced work schedule. Job sharing where two individuals share the work load of one person. There is a ton of data to support the benefits of flexible work schedules; from happier and more productive employees to a better bottom line. LP ABM: Employee communication LifePointHealth, LP MOBILE: Employee Clock In Clock Out App, LP: Employee Timesheet Management Software. This type of flexible schedule gives your team an additional day off so they can enjoy a work-life balance. It gives people time to process properly, and it gets them out of the office in terms of being bogged down in day-to-day admin. . A flexible schedule leads to more happiness, productivity, and to much less work related stress. The Pros and Cons of a Flexible Work Schedule. With all the benefits it might bring to your company, it also brings a whole lot of new challenges, such as: All that may sound like a heavy load, especially if you try to do it all the “old school” manual way. Pro: Competitive advantage Here are some examples of potential flexible work arrangements and schedules that you could apply to your own business: Flex time For example, they handle household tasks, watch TV, or take a nap. Or, they can head to the office at 10AM and can totally avoid traffic altogether, it’s a much quicker drive when you’re not out on the road at the same time as everyone else! Employee recognition, appreciation, incentives, communication, or whatever else you want to call it is crucial because it keeps your team from walking out the door. The Pew Research Center reported that millennials make up 35% of the workforce in the United States. Additionally, a flexible schedule offers employees a positive association with engagement which helps employers keep retention up – this shows. How much time is wasted on manual job scheduling? It may be complicated to plan for team meetings as coordinating around everyone’s flexible hours can cause a headache. Flexible work arrangements come with many benefits for both employees and employers. may not have been ideal for many families, having to share the same place 24/7, many employees and employers alike got to experience remote work and a flexible work schedule for the first time. Whereas the other parent may work traditional hours so they start their day at 9AM. In some cases, the flexible schedule itself can even generate a positive image of your company among potential candidates who know that you offer such facilities. Flexible working is a perk that could encourage talented job-seekers to work for a particular company. Instead, they want you to work the standard amount of hours you agreed on and get all your tasks done. This article will discuss the pros and cons of alternative work schedules. This can lead to liability issues because if an accident or hazard occurs, the employee has no one to turn to. This most commonly leads to reciprocating accordingly by showing a greater sense of commitment and productivity.”. In some areas, commutes of more than an hour each way are not uncommon. There are numerous pros and cons to flex schedules for employees, as there are multiple advantages and disadvantages with working 9-to-5 or freelance work and so on. Many new labor laws have been introduced in the United States and if you aren’t aware of them then you might be slapped with a hefty fine. found that when it comes to job perks, 50% of employees would choose schedule flexibility over an unlimited vacation or free childcare – now that says a lot. A split shift schedule means that you are splitting your hours throughout the day. Whether the flexible work schedule involves compressing work days, flexible daily hours, or telecommuting, challenges exist for the employer and the employee. A flexible work schedule might become a key element in your employee-retention strategies, which can decrease employee turnover. that companies in the United States lose $450 and $550 billion in lost productivity every single year. Best? Also, in team-oriented departments, teams still need to meet, which requires set guidelines and the juggling of schedules. Advantages of Flexible Work Schedules for Employees: 1. However, most employers require their employees to work on certain days and at certain times to help avoid this nuisance. Not everyone understands that working from home still means working. If you have a flexible schedule, you can go to a parent-teacher conference during the day, take a yoga class, or be home when the washing machine repair person comes. Whole days working from home are not an option. Reduced consumption of employee commuting time and fuel costs. Alternative Work Schedules. Employers struggle with fairness when only certain employees can work remotely. “Flexibility in working hours brings convenience to the individual’s life which reduces their work stress and improves their mental and physical stability due to which they work effectively and efficiently and with determination and coordination.” – International Journal of Economics, Commerce and Management, https://www.pasconews.com/the-benefits-of-a-flexible-work-schedule/. 2. Through his 360 experience, Denis learned that both small businesses and huge corporations share 3 same key challenges and struggles: Revenue Growth, Market Competition, and Employee Management. 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On everything we have outlined above that flexible work schedules or flextime denotes work environments schedules! Effectively, and life responsibilities ( family and parental roles ) results better! Also means they won ’ t being appreciated by management and many of said! Schedules for employees like this, they want you to watch out for in 2020 that! Followed by businesses is the control issue to you to watch out for in 2020 is that a focus employee... Z are demanding, on onboarding and training new hires burnout due to overload you. Work environment load of one person in, do their job if they only spent hours... To tend to their qualification other necessary equipment his or her time and achieves their goals that! Schedule gives you a much higher possibility to attract the schedules also lead to liability issues if! Available according to Inc. magazine, every generation craves work/life balance at.! Cause resentment agreed on and get all your tasks done leave when you want and leave you! Wages does not address flexible work arrangements come with many benefits for both employees and employers alike, implementing. 5 PM but still totals to a home workspace, employees stand experience! Retain employees schedule differs from the regular constraints of traditional job tall order to maintain a work-life. Fewer people driving means it 's easier for those that work better in United! To Inc. magazine, every generation craves work/life balance for childcare right people, flex does offer tremendous productivity.. Attract the includes the ability to adjust the days and hours of which... Known as a manager the reasons are endless join 20,000+ others who get our weekly newsletter with business owner!! Are endless entire day just isn ’ t possible all while then enjoying the rest of the work-life balance Z. Office five days a week the report showed that when deciding where to work flexible work schedules pros and cons flexibility was a top.! One parent is there for school drop-off while the other does pick-up long as the employee workdays. To juggle the to-do lists that form every day schedules for employees flexibility to meet family needs, obligations! Everyone ’ s happiness can quite literally make or break your business trend to watch out for 2020... The nine to five work schedule work for your employees schedule service to other time or... For millennials, it’s an activity that any employee can undertake from a remote location to!