What is Flex time?

The concept of Flex time, is allowing employees to work at times that are convenient for them. While most companies ask employees to work the standard 9-to-5 Monday to Friday, some employers are starting to see the benefits of letting employees choose when they start and finish their day. As long as the employee is fulfilling the required daily or weekly hours required to perform their job, it does not matter how they structure their day. Some employers even allow employees to choose the days of the week they work.

Benefits of offering Flex time as an employee benefit

Below are some of the many benefits of implementing a flexible work schedule to help you decide how and if you should implement a Flex time work policy:

1. Building employee loyalty

When you put trust in your employees they, in turn, will show you loyalty. By implementing a Flex time policy, you show your employees that you trust them and that you care about their work-life balance. Employees appreciate the freedom to work the hours that suit them best.

Building employee loyalty will help you to keep your top performers. Low employee turnover is also beneficial for a company’s bottom line, so fostering a loyal employee base will save you money long-term.

2. Fostering positive work-life balance

All your employees have lives outside the office, and life doesn’t always fit the standard nine to five schedule. Allowing employees to work flexible hours gives them the opportunity to run important errands or attend medical appointments they would otherwise have had to take time off work to do.

A flexible work schedule can also help parents with school-age children or children in daycare. They may be able to structure their day to reduce stress.

Additionally, implementing a flex time policy will help the employees that commute to the office avoid traffic. This gives them more time at home with their families, which reduces stress and anxiety that often come with long commutes in traffic.

3. Helping people work when they are at their most productive

Not everyone thinks or performs their best between the hours of 9 to 5. Some people are their most productive first thing in the morning and others late at night. Allowing employees to choose when they work gives them the opportunity to work when they are at their most productive. This improves productivity and creativity within your organization by making a simple change.

How to implement your flex time policy

Of course, before you start or implement a Flex time policy, it is important to sit down with the Human Resources department so they can help you create and set clear guidelines for your employees. This may involve a trial period of a couple of months, so can monitor the success of the program. When starting the program there are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Be absolutely clear about the expectations of each employee

If your employees work their own hours, it is important to be very clear about the expectations of their job. Perhaps this means setting clear goals or targets for them to hit. You may also wish to have regular meetings with them, so they can catch you up on what they have been working on. Having clear expectations allows both you and your employees to understand what success in the role looks like and what they need to do to meet those goals. It can also help them figure out the details of their schedule, and clarify when and how many hours they need to work.

2. Set guidelines about availability and communication times

Having all of your employees working on a flexible schedule can often create communication problems and slower responses. It is important to set guidelines to eliminate these issues. Perhaps this means organizing a mandatory company-wide meeting once a week. You may also wish to implement a two-hour response time policy between the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

3. Try to establish a regular schedule

Another way to keep productivity high and response times short is having your employees set their own regular schedule and communicate it to the rest of their team. This way, their colleagues know the ideal times to communicate with them. Consider asking your employees to include their work schedules in their email signature so anyone they work with can clearly see their working hours and quickly reference an email when needed.

Sample of a Flex time policy

When creating a policy, you must first introduce it to your employees, most likely through an email. This message is best coming from the owner of a company or the person in charge of the Human Resources department. After you introduce the policy, have the managers in the organization email their teams with clear expectations, regular communications, and meeting schedules.

Here is an example of an introductory email to send:

To all employees,

It is with great excitement I am writing to you to introduce a flexible work policy for our company. I am hoping that by introducing this program you will be able to structure your day in a way that allows you to work at your most productive times and, most importantly, spend more time with your families. Your direct manager will be following up with more details about the expectations of this policy. Should you have questions please do not hesitate to reach out to me or Wendy, Human Resources Manager.

Thank you,

Marley

Here is an example of a follow-up email from a manager:

Good morning team,

As per Marley’s email about our new flexible work policy I’m following up to lay out some guidelines for us to adhere to. If you have any questions or concerns please let me know. For now, here is what we are looking for:

• Please ensure you structure your schedule, you are still required to work 40 hours per week
• Our Tuesday and Thursday morning, meetings will be mandatory for all to attend, this will allow you and your colleagues to communicate in live time about any concerns, questions, or project updates
• Please aim to have a response time of no greater than three hours in ‘regular’ business hours during the week
• Once you have determined your preferred working schedule please be sure to communicate it with me and include the house in your email signature

Regards,

Sarah

FAQs about understanding Flex time as an employer

What are examples of flexible work schedules?

There is an infinite number of ways an employee can structure their flexible work schedule. Some examples of what a flexible work schedule may look like are:

• Tuesday to Friday: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Monday to Friday: 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Monday to Friday: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Sunday to Thursday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

How do you manage Flex time?

Make sure your employees are clear with the schedules they plan to work. It may be best to keep a log somewhere that you can easily refer to. If a regular schedule is not part of your Flex time policy, then be clear about your expectations with response times, project deadlines, and mandatory company meetings.

What is the difference between comp time and Flex time?

Comp time, or compensation time, refers to the reimbursement employees are entitled to for working extra hours. Even if an employee is working on a flexible schedule, they may still be required to work additional hours and are therefore entitled to comp time. The best way to manage this is to have a logging system where employees are able to record the hours they’ve worked.

Flex Time Policy Templates for PDF & Word

Use these templates to help introduce your flex time policy to your employees.

*Indeed provides these examples as a courtesy to users of this site. Please note that we are not your HR or legal adviser, and none of these documents reflect current labor or employment regulations.