FLEXI TIME

Flexi Time System

Flexi Time System

In simplest terms, flexi-time is a system of organising the hours worked by a team of people such that it allows some individual freedom, whilst preserving the team's contribution to the organisation.

What a lot of people who have not come into contact with flexi-time do not appreciate is that it is not one holistic system. There are many ways of introducing flexible working hours into an organisation, and almost always a way to make it work for both the individual, and the business.

The key areas that need to be considered and locked in a policy before flexi time can be implemented are:

Core hours

Maximum hours

Measurement of hours

Flexi Periods and using Flexi Credit

Management of flexi leave

Core Hours

These are the hours that must be worked by everyone in a normal day, and is the building block upon which any flexi-time system must be built. In order to maintain a level of customer service (be they internal or external customers) a business can make the core hours as narrow or as wide as they wish, although making them too wide makes the introduction of flexitime rather pointless.

The hours outside of the core hours can be worked on a flexible basis. The key point to stress here is that although the hours outside Core are flexible, it may well be that a certain level of customer service is required, and as such staff may well need to alternate, or otherwise organise their flexibility.

For example, in a team of 5, it may be agreed that a minimum of 2 members must be present from 8.30am to 5pm, whilst the core hours are 10am to 4pm. This means that the team members must agree amongst themselves, ideally through the means of a published rota, which will be present outside of the core hours.

Given individual working preference it will likely be the case that these hours are covered easily, as some people like to start early and leave early, whilst others prefer to start late and work late. This is the nature and benefit of flexible working.

Some common core time examples that I have experienced are:

10am to 12pm and 2pm to 4pm

9am to 11.30am and 2.30pm to 5pm

10am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm

In two of the three examples above the lunch hours are outside of Core. This means that the same level of co-operation is required as for the periods at the start and end of the day. Typically in a system that has two hours for the lunch window, half the staff will go for lunch immediately, and the other half on their return.

Any staff member who wishes to use flexi-time to be absent from work during core hours must do so through management. This will be covered below.

Maximum Hours

Whilst sometimes overlooked, it is important to put a ceiling on the amount of hours that an individual can work in a given day, week, or flexi period.

This is in part to prevent staff burning themselves out through working constant long days, but ...