What is a Flexitime Policy?

Flexi time (or flexitime) is a scheme where an organisation gives its employees the opportunity of a flexible working hours arrangement

Under flexi time, there is normally a core period of the day when employees must be at work (eg between 10 am and 4pm), whilst the rest of the working day is "flexi time", in which staff can choose when they work, subject to achieving total daily, weekly or monthly hours. An employee must work between the basic core hours and has the flexibility to clock in / out between the other hours.

An example of a typical flexi time day is below:

Begin work between 0700 – 1000 (flexitime)
Must be there between 1000 – 1200 (core time)
Lunch break between 1200 – 1400 (flexible lunch hour)
Must be there from 1400 – 1600 (core time)
Leave between 1600 – 1900 (flexitime)

The hours you work between these times are credited to your flexi time balance.

Most schemes allow you a credit or debit margin, often of about 8 hours.

For example, if you work a 35-hour week, then, over four weeks, you will be obliged to work for 140 hours. If you work more than the required hours in those four weeks then you will be in credit. If you work fewer hours then you will be in deficit. If you exceed a stipulated credit level you might lose those extra hours you have worked, but if you go into excess deficit you might lose pay, have to use up annual leave to make the difference or be disciplined.

If you have enough flexi time credit you can turn that into time off, and this is one of the best liked features. This could be one or maybe 2 days a month depending on your scheme.

Clock illustration, people at work

Benefits of Flexi time

Utlising a flexi time policy in your organisation can benefit everyone involved, employers, employees and their families.

Benefits to your organisation

Introducing flexible working could bring the following benefits to your business.

Greater staff morale and job satifaction. Most employers offering flexitime working report improvments in recruitment, absenteeism and productivity
Reduces stress and fatigue and unfocussed employees
Increases employee satisfaction and production
Greater staff retention and increased ability to attract new staff. Recruitment costs are thus reduced.
Ability to attract a higher level of skills because the business is able to attract and retain a skilled and more diverse workforce.
Work time visits to doctor / dentist are in employees time
Measures employee’s attendance – you only pay or time in attendance (delayed arrival caused by traffic congestion, delayed trains etc. are at emloyees expense)
An incentive to complete tasks instead of being carried forward to the next day as extra hours worked count towards the final targetGreater competitiveness, for example being able to react more effectively to changing market conditions
Increased customer satisfaction and loyalty as a result of the above.

Benefits to your employees

Increased opportunity to fit other commitments and activities in with work, and make better use of their free time.
More in control of their workloads, and manage a better balance between life and work. Allows you to schedule your travel; time to avoid congestion
Allows you bank time to be used for leisure / personal activities
Avoid the stress of commuting at peak times if their start and finish times are staggered or if they work from home
Personal matters can be sorted without having to take time off
helpful for people caring for children or other dependants, but others may find flexible working helpful too

Disadvantages of Flexi time

If the scheme is not monitored properly, there is potential for employees to abuse the system. For example if time is recorded on paper or spreadsheets by staff they can easily fabricate their time.

Administration of the system may make demands upon a HR department and create additional workload.

These are the issues that Flex Planner resolves.