Flexible work schedule: implementation, monitoring, and calculation of hours worked

Should companies abandon the traditional schedule and use remote staff monitoring software?

Flexible working hours are no longer a freelance job — many “traditional” companies offer it to their staff. There is much evidence that this approach to work is critical to employee satisfaction, productivity, and the success of the company as a whole. Still, if you don’t use remote staff monitoring software, it can be challenging to control the process, primarily if large teams work on flexible schedules. But first things first.

What is a flexible work schedule?

A flexible work schedule is the ability to come and go from work within a specific time or choose work days. For example, an employee is allowed to start the day from 9 am to 11 am and end from 5 am to 7 pm. Or he can work on Sunday instead of Friday.

As an employer, you can offer employees various options for cooperation, for example:

• part-time;
• remote work;
• organization of work in any place;
• floating start/end time of the day;
• shift schedule;
• seasonal work;
• compressed work week.

How do you switch to flexible working hours?

The alternative to the traditional workweek is becoming more and more common in business because an employee may need flexible working hours, not every day. Still, when the kids go to the doctor’s office, the weekend trip starts at 2:00 pm on Friday or during parenting assemblies.

Of course, flexible hours depending on the degree of interdependence required in the job, often industrial, manufacturing, warehouse, or customer-oriented workplaces, such as retail, healthcare, grocery stores, and service stations. It will be difficult for a nurse who works the afternoon shift to be flexible if there is no colleague to back her up.

Also, a flexible schedule should cover all working hours during which the company produces a product or serves customers.

Benefits for the manager

The components of flexibility listed above are not as simple as they might seem. In reality, employers will still have to impose some restrictions, such as requiring employees to work certain “basic hours” that coincide with other team members. It will ensure regular team meetings. However, there are many undeniable advantages of flexible working hours.

Employees can work when they are most productive

One of the reasons employers don’t allow alternate hours is because they’re worried they can keep up staff efficiency. However, flexible working hours, including remote work, increase staff productivity. It is proved by the employee time tracking statistics provided by Yaware.

Sign up and check where your employees are more productive: at home or in the office.

Flexibility allows employees to become more efficient — not feel burnt out trying to work during unproductive hours.

You give staff a sense of autonomy

People like to be in control of their schedule, which increases their responsibility for work and personal life, and positively affects the level of trust in the company. Results are more important than the number of hours worked and even more important than where the employee spends them. The Economist has released a chart confirming that fewer hours worked correlates with higher productivity levels in the form of an increase in GDP (gross domestic product). So why not let people choose the time they need to achieve the best results?

Flexible working hours allow you to hire and retain valuable employees

Providing alternate hours is one of the most important benefits employees want from their employers.

The survey showed that 80% of workers prefer the freedom to choose their work hours, and 35% said they value flexible working hours over career opportunities. In addition, respondents are ready to receive 8% lower wages if they can work in a company with a flexible schedule. Is it news that 30% of those surveyed quit their jobs because they were forced to stick to a traditional schedule? Now think about how much it costs a company to hire a new employee, and you will realize that a flexible schedule, in the long run, will save you much money.

You increase your level of job satisfaction and engagement

Engaged employees understand their contribution to the company’s success and work more productively in a team where they are respected and empowered.

And, you guessed it, one of the best ways to do this is to allow flexible working hours. By this, you say that you trust them, no matter where and when they perform their duties.

Engaged and happy employees are those who:

1. Sick so that they cannot go to the office but can work from home;
2. Loyal and well-balanced between work and personal life, thanks to flexible graphics

They have been part of the company for so long that they deserve alternative options for cooperation without losing the quality of work.

Secrets of moving from traditional to a flexible schedule

Flexible scheduling ensures employees will be present during the daily “main time.” Knowing this helps anxious managers take the first steps toward implementing alternatives. If you’re willing to try it, here are a few do’s and don’ts for implementing flexible working hours that benefit employers and employees.

Give yourself time

Do not rush to get everything at once. Try flexible Fridays first, then implement an alternate work week. For hours, start with core times, including when staff is required to attend meetings or other key events.

Don’t penalize employees if they don’t invest in regular time at first

Remember, it’s about flexibility, not proving who’s in power. Nothing ruins innovation like the fear and anger surrounding something that should make your company more successful.

Chat with staff

Set metrics for teams and hold people accountable if they are not met. But before you take any drastic measures, talk to your people and let them decide for themselves how to improve below-par results.

Don’t make exceptions without a good reason

There will be departments that cannot be converted to flexible schedules. If possible, consider a workaround allowing some team members to work from home on certain days. If this is not possible, give these teams another motivation to reduce dissatisfaction.

Recognize employee achievement

It’s easier to learn about staff victories if they sit a few meters away from you or work simultaneously. When you have different schedules, it will require more focused effort. Flexible working hours increase productivity, so ensure everyone on the team understands the benefits and recognizes every team member’s success.

How to control hours worked?

Regardless of the chosen schedule: shifts, compressed, complimentary, or traditional, the manager expects that the staff will be responsible for the performance of work and the achievement of goals for the position.

Trust is the most important element of successful flex work. Also important are measurable indicators and clear accounting of employees’ working hours.

Even with the most flexible schedules, which allow employees to come and go at will or work remotely, managers must establish the characteristics by which they will know that everything is going according to plan. The list can include:

• the amount of time worked;
• productivity level;
• the lower limit of unproductive time — resources spent on social networks and entertainment sites;
• the time interval for the beginning and end of the working day;
• hourly rate.

Manually checking the quality of remote and flex work requires a lot of time and effort, especially if there are more than 10 people on the team. Therefore, automatic systems are used. They provide all the necessary information in the form of convenient reports. For example, in Yaware TimeTracker, you can set up a work schedule for each employee or department, personalize the collection of statistics as much as possible and watch it not only from a computer but also from a phone. With this program, you will allow employees to start and end the day as they see fit, knowing that they are productive and fulfill their duties with a conscience.

There is a possibility that some workers may take advantage of alternative schedules to work less. If you do not use an employee time tracking system, it will be difficult to distinguish between flexible and hack work.

On the other hand, more dedicated employees may overwork. This sounds good in theory, but it can directly lead to burnout.

To ensure that all the necessary data for analysis are available automated systems are used. They help the manager move from the post-Soviet strict schedule to a more flexible one, thereby increasing the chances of the company’s success.

When you find alternatives, you force yourself to evaluate the work of the staff on what matters and not on their physical presence in the office at the same time as you. It fosters a results-driven culture and helps the business thrive.

Work smart, work flexibly

With the impact of COVID-19 on the business environment, people have learned that flexible working hours balance work and home life. And remote work has its benefits, including being more productive. Employers have also realized that their ability to adapt and be flexible will determine the success of a business in an emergency.

When the pandemic is over, there is a good chance that the business environment will reconsider what to choose: office or remote work. The alternative schedule trend was on the rise even before 2020 and has become more common because it benefits the employer and the employee in many ways. And while this may mean a dramatic shift in how you did things in the past, agile planning now will help you succeed in the future.

Yaware TimeTracker provides employee time tracking software that makes it easy to transition to remote work and flexible schedules. They know not only the intricacies of increasing productivity but also make collaboration more precise and transparent.

Order a time tracker presentation of Yaware and find out how to give your staff more freedom and not lose productivity.