Flexible working hours

Effective management of work schedules is not just a tool for cost optimization, but also a strategic approach to enhancing productivity and attracting top talent. Discover how to implement and manage flexible working hours in your team to benefit the entire organization.

What is flexible working hours?

Flexible working hours, or flextime, is an employment model that allows employees to set their own start and end times within a framework established by the employer. This approach provides greater autonomy, facilitates work-life balance, and ensures full-time work requirements are met.

Global trends in flexible working hours

According to research by the International Labour Organization, flextime has gained popularity due to the pandemic and the growing importance of work-life balance. Depending on company culture and legal regulations, flextime can take various forms:

• Flexible start and end times – Employees must be available during core hours but can adjust their schedules before and after.
• Work shifts within designated time frames – Employees can choose their working hours within a set range, helping avoid peak commuting times.
• Individualized work schedules – Employees negotiate work hours tailored to their personal needs.
• Support for caregivers – In line with the EU Work-Life Balance Directive (2019/1158), employees caring for children or dependents have the right to request flexible hours.
• Employee-initiated requests – In some countries, employees can request flexible working hours from the beginning of their employment, and employers must justify any rejection.

Benefits of flexible working hours for employees

Flextime empowers employees to:

• Achieve better work-life balance.
• Manage their time more effectively, increasing autonomy and control.
• Reduce stress levels.
• Save commuting time by avoiding peak hours.
• Adapt work schedules to personal needs, such as caregiving responsibilities.
• Enhance productivity by working during their most effective hours.

Benefits of flexible working hours for employers

Adopting flexible work schedules is not only a convenience for employees, but also a strategic business decision that boosts efficiency and competitiveness. Key advantages include:

• Increased productivity – Employees can align work hours with peak efficiency, improving performance and task quality.
• Higher talent retention – Flextime is an attractive benefit, helping companies retain top talent while reducing recruitment and onboarding costs.
• Operational cost optimization – Flexible schedules enable better office space utilization, reducing rental costs, especially in hybrid or rotational work models.
• Greater employee loyalty – Enhanced job satisfaction leads to higher engagement and reduced turnover rates.
• Improved adaptability to market changes – Flextime allows businesses to align workforce availability with changing market demands, such as peak service hours or seasonal spikes.
• Reduced absenteeism and sick leave – Employees with more control over their schedules experience lower burnout and maintain better overall health.
• Enhanced employer attractiveness – Offering flexible work conditions strengthens a company's reputation as a modern, employee-focused organization.
• Improved collaboration in global teams – Flextime facilitates cooperation across different time zones in international organizations.

How to track and manage flexible working hours

While flextime offers numerous benefits, effective management is crucial to balance employee freedom with business priorities and maintain transparent communication. A key challenge is monitoring work hours and team efficiency. The right tools can help streamline this process. Consider the following approaches:

Task-based time tracking

For smaller businesses operating under B2B contracts, freelance agreements, or project-based work, traditional time tracking may be replaced by task reporting. However, this approach can be challenging for full-time employment, where productivity varies, potentially leading to disparities in workload assessment.

Spreadsheet-based time tracking

Spreadsheets offer a simple solution for recording work hours but become inefficient as the organization grows. They require employee discipline and are prone to errors and unauthorized modifications, leading to inaccurate payroll calculations. Manual data management is time-consuming and limits automation in HR processes.

Electronic time tracking systems

Advanced time tracking solutions provide greater precision, automation, and efficiency control. Commonly used options include:

• Mobile applications – Intuitive time-tracking apps and digital timesheets (e.g., Toggl, Clockify) suitable for small businesses. They offer ease of use and mobility, but may lack advanced analytics and system integration capabilities.
• ERP systems – Comprehensive enterprise solutions primarily used in large-scale production and logistics companies. These systems integrate time tracking with operational processes such as production planning and cost optimization.
• HR platforms – Highly customized solutions like PeopleForce that support time management in organizations of all sizes. These platforms offer features such as efficiency analytics, performance reporting, scheduling optimization, and HR process automation. PeopleForce also integrates with Google Calendar, Zoom, and Slack for seamless real-time communication within teams.

Flexible working hours: A competitive advantage

According to CIPD research, 87% of employees prefer flexible working arrangements. Additionally, those who have access to flextime report higher job satisfaction and are more likely to go the extra mile compared to those in traditional work models.

Implementing flexible working hours can boost employee motivation and lead to improved business outcomes. However, to fully leverage its potential, organizations should invest in digital tools that enhance workforce management, facilitate collaboration, and optimize task coordination.

Discover how easy it can be to manage flexible working hours with an advanced HR platform. Request a demo of PeopleForce and enjoy a free 14-day trial!