What is Flex Time?

Flextime is a non-traditional work policy that enables employees to choose their working hours. It goes against the usual 9 pm – 5 pm that doesn’t work for everyone, allowing people who work better at different hours or have personal responsibilities outside of work to choose a better schedule.

Employees and employers need to agree to flex time and fill out the appropriate paperwork. That agreement would settle when the employee works and for how long. More often than not, it involves the same number of shift hours, just at different times. For example, instead of the traditional 9:00 am until 5:00 pm, an employee might work from 7:00 am until 3:00 pm. If several staff members work flex time, employers often use scheduling tools to keep track of each shift. Also, there is often a time set where everyone needs to be in the office to facilitate meetings and group work. Employees and employers can work this out during the agreement.

For many companies, flex time is a great policy to bring in, as the flexibility provided to employees helps boost productivity and even cuts down on sick days. Plus, there is the option of hiring flexible remote employees, which helps save the company money. The benefits to employees are significant, too, as they can schedule their time to suit their personal life. For example, flex time might allow parents to spend more time with their children.