Is it hard to find talented employees for the vacancies in your company? Are you still a 9-5 company? Well, there’s your stumbling block…

According to research from the British Office for National Statistics, 58% of older people (aged 50-65) who stopped working during the pandemic, would consider returning to work.

Their main condition—a flexible work model.

With younger generations of workers, these numbers are even higher. The UK Commission for Employment and Skills states that 92% of younger workers are searching for flexible positions. In the absence of those, they opt for temporary work.

Employers don’t seem to be aware of workers’ preferences and expectations. The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) reports that only 3 out of 10 job advertisements mention flexible working. If your organization is among the remaining 7—it’s time to connect the dots.

By refusing to accommodate the needs of job seekers, you are letting some great employees be snatched by your more adaptable competitors.

To attract top talent, your company must find a way to offer all the “mainstream” benefits, including flexible hours. In this article, we list some tried and true strategies to make this transition smoother.

What Is Work Hour Flexibility?

Flexible work hours, or flexitime, is the work model where employees can choose when they will start and finish their shifts. For example, an employee has signed a contract for 8-hour workdays. If they start their day at 8 AM, their shift should last until 4 PM.

The benefits of this work arrangement are numerous for both the employees and the employer.

What Are the Advantages of Flexitime?

We have already mentioned talent attraction as an advantage of flexible work hours. In addition to this, here are a few more aspects that this work model can improve:

1. Productivity

Studies have shown that when employees can choose their work times, they tend to be more focused and productive. So, instead of forcing work during fixed shifts, allow your team members to use their most productive hours. This will result in a much higher quality of work that you can track via Insightful software.

2. Work-Life Balance

With flexible working hours, employees can better organize their personal and professional lives. Greater control of time and schedules can reduce employee stress and improve their overall satisfaction.

3. Health & Well-Being

Flexitime allows your employees to schedule breaks for their physical and mental health activities or appointments. That way this work model benefits overall health, reduces absenteeism, and helps your workforce stay engaged and productive.

4. Employee Retention

Research by CPDI discovered that flexitime reduced attrition rates by 33%. So, employees who enjoy flexible working conditions are more likely to remain loyal to their employers. In other words, flexitime reduces employee turnover and associated hiring costs.

How to Switch to Flexitime?

Successful implementation of flexitime requires careful planning. Check out some practical tips that can help your company effectively implement flexible working hours:

1. Develop a Clear Flexitime Policy

To make the transition to the new work model easier, your organization should think about documentation that defines it:

• Define the Rules: Specify the level of work time flexibility within your organization. For example, specify if there is an hour by which your employees need to start their shift.

 

• Document Procedures: Create a detailed and easily accessible document that clearly states expectations regarding the availability, productivity, and accountability of your employees.

3. Rely on Technology

The right technology can be of great help when trying to sync a team on flexitime. Think about implementing:

• Collaboration Tools: Invest in a specialized communication tool such as Slack or Microsoft Teams. Also, choose project management software that can facilitate smooth interactions and workflow.

 

• Time-Tracking & Monitoring Systems: Implement digital time-tracking systems to monitor work hours. Time-tracking tools are often a part of more robust monitoring software. These multifunctional systems can help you better document your employees’ work habits and spot distractions.

Extra Tip: Try Asynchronous Communication—Set up a protocol where team members leave messages, comments, or documents in dedicated channels. Once other team members start working, they can respond to any items that they are involved with. This type of communication is great for companies without designated core hours or with employees in different time zones.

4. Set Core Hours

To preserve the structure of teamwork, set the core hours at the company or team level. Here are some more details:

• Establish Core Hours: Define specific core hours during which all employees must be available. This ensures there’s sufficient overlap between teammates’ hours for smooth interactions and decision-making.

 

• Allow Flexible Schedules: Allow employees to choose their start and end times around these core hours to balance personal and professional responsibilities.

5. Conduct Pilot Programs

Before implementing a company-wide switch to flexitime, it would be smart to ensure you are on the right path. Here’s how:

• Start Small: Begin with a pilot program to test your sketch of flexible working hours. Gather feedback from participants about potential issues and areas for improvement.

 

• Evaluate & Adjust: Use your insights from pilot programs to tweak policies and practices before a full-scale implementation.

6. Monitor Performance & Gather Feedback

As a leader, you should help your employees stay focused and assist your managers in running teams on flexitime. Check out how to do this:

• Set Outcome-Based Metrics: Measure your employees’ performance based on the results of their work. Set clear performance goals that your employees should strive for and frequently review their progress.

 

• Conduct Regular Check-Ins: Check in regularly with your employees. This makes it easier to assess their well-being, address any challenges, and provide feedback.

 

• Collect Employee Feedback: Asking your employees for feedback will help you understand their experiences with the new work model. Use this feedback to make ongoing improvements to the policy.

Conclusion

The modern workplace is becoming more flexible year after year. This flexibility outlines the new standard for both employees and employers.

The global pandemic brought many workers to the point of burnout. Companies are now aware of the importance of healthy work-life balance and general employee well-being. This is a precondition for employee attraction, retention, as well as the maintenance of company productivity.

Implementing flexible work hours is one of the main steps you can take towards building a more resilient workforce. This concise guide should help you navigate the turbulent waters of switching to flexitime without a hitch.