With the number of companies now offering flex time, many employees perceive the arrangement to be, not just a work incentive, but an actual job requirement. In order to maintain a competitive position in the marketplace, it is very important that business owners consider implementing flex time policies. For many companies, however, the thought of flextime in the workplace is quite scary. However, with the right tools and information, the process that be implemented fairly easily.

Managing flex time is much easier that it may first appear. There are no set hours for flextime and a company does not have to meet any legal requirements in order to offer it to their employees. As a result, flex time proposals can be made at any time and for any type of company. Before rolling out flex scheduling, however, it is important to address the key concerns:

1. The specific hours and days that need employee coverage.

2. What criteria your employees must meet in order to participate in flex time.

3. A specific flex time policy. Although it's important to remain fair, certain positions may be unable to use flex type.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Evaluate employee productivity to determine set hours for flex schedule

For a flex time policy to work well, it's important for companies to make sure there is adequate coverage during peak hours. In order to do this, you'll need to know which days and what times tend to be the busiest and therefore need your attention.

I recommend: Before implementing flextime, make sure your productivity expectations are reasonable. Use reporting from Argent Global to determine accurate times for specific job duties and gain insight on areas in need of improvement. Once this information is known, you can use that data to determine your scheduling needs, or what specific times and days employees must be available (between the hours of 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., for example). Use a scheduling management tool to ensure appropriate coverage each week. Schedule Anywhere is an easy-to-use program that can be accessed from any computer via an Internet connection.

Consider offering other options to employees who are not eligible for flextime in the workplace

For employees whose job duties do not allow them to participate in flextime, the implementation of such a policy may seem unfair. It's important to remember that flextime is commonly used as a way to improve overall employee morale - not the morale of a few employees.

I recommend: Check out alternatives to flextime. Compressed workweeks are favored by many employees and may be an easy solution to your needs. Commuter Challenge provides example schedules and info on how to implement a compressed workweek. For honest feedback, you may want to distribute anonymous employee surveys. NBRI provides customized employee opinion surveys that can help you determine the appropriate alternative.

Amend your employee guidebook to include all flex time information

Avoid future problems by documenting a specific flextime policy. This gives your employees something to refer to should they have questions and protects your company from legal issues.

I recommend: HR.BLR.com offers customizable forms to help you update your employee handbook to include a flex time policy. Once you update your handbook, make sure you have all employees sign a form acknowledging their understanding of the issue. Check out the Employment Law Advisory Network for a sample acknowledgment form and to learn more about why it's needed.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Implementing flexible schedules for your employees takes creativity and patience, but studies prove such policies improve productivity and employee morale.

Flex time scheduling in the workplace has grown in the last 20 years. The structure of flex time schedules varies among companies when it comes to determining when employees can start and end their work day. But the most common flex time arrangement is when employees work a 2-part schedule. There required “core hours,” which are the times when all employees must be present, but as long as they work the agreed number of hours, employees can pretty much manage their own work schedules.

Flexible schedules for many employers has resulted in more productive employees, improved customer service and better employee morale while in the workplace. With all of the benefits flex time schedules can bring employers, it is important to establish clear guidelines and procedures when introducing this alternative scheduling option. This guide will help companies navigate the process of implementing flex time schedules into their organizations by first:

1. Defining employee roles when offering flex time in the workplace;

2. Establishing a good communication process for all departments;

3. Reviewing the duties of the employees being considered for flex time to see if it will work in the company’s best interest.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Consider a flex time schedule that allows workers to telecommute from home on certain days

If you are considering flex time proposals, you need to clarify your employee's roles and what they are expected to accomplish day-in and day-out. You will also be creating flex time policies and including telecommuting for certain positions can be a smart one. It can be cost effective reducing the cost of office overhead.

I recommend: Stay in the loop even on the days that you are working from home. Webex online meetings allows you to attend web meetings and share work spaces online without installing expensive, complicated software. Skype is also a great way to stay in touch using its business features including free phone calls, video and instant messaging online for optimum communication.

Make flex scheduling a success by improving inter-department communications

When employees are working varied shifts, there may be times when managers and supervisors will not be available to troubleshoot issues with them. There could also be instances of failure to effectively pass along important information between two co-workers working flexible schedules.

I recommend: Online courses like eVital Communications and BizTrain provide training and plans for improving communication issues in the workplace.

Review your employees work tasks to determine if flex scheduling will work for your business

If you are on the fence about approving flex time proposals for your company, what could help is to develop a system that allows you to access the work your employees perform so you can provide valuable feedback and determine the best way to establish flex scheduling and appropriate flex time policies to ensure a smooth transition.

I recommend: Business management tools like ManagerAssistant and SuccessFactors can help you access your employees and their work tasks. They even provide feedback for improving their current performance and managing flex time once scheduling changes are made. This kind of information could be valuable as you create a flex time policy.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Schedule periodic evaluations throughout the initial trial period once flex scheduling has been implemented.
• •  Management may modify flex time in the workplace depending on changing company needs for a better flex schedule.

In order to stay competitive in the marketplace, many businesses may consider implementing flex scheduling. Usually referred to as flex time, these types of alternate schedules are used by many employers as a way to improve office morale and increase productivity. Although flex time policies are becoming more and more common, many business owners may not be completely familiar with the term.

The use of flexible schedules allows employees to choose the hours they want to work. Typically, the employer specifies a set amount of hours that must be worked (between ten and two, for example), and the employee then chooses what time to come in and what time to leave each day. The use of flex time in the workplace has three main benefits:

1. Flex schedules are proven to reduce tardiness and absences.

2. Flextime helps employees avoid traffic, thereby reducing commute time.

3. Overall employee satisfaction increases.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Determine productivity guidelines for flex time

One of the primary purposes for establishing flex time in the workplace is to increase overall productivity. Before creating flex time proposals, it's important that you make your expectations clear to all employees. To prevent employees from taking advantage of flextime opportunities, you should establish productivity requirements for flextime.

I recommend: Evaluate your employees' current productivity. If you already have a tracking method in place, you can use that information to calculate appropriate productivity requirements. Companies without a productivity tracking system may want to hire a consultant to determine. Pace Productivity specializes in productivity studies and after a six- to eight-week period, the company analyzes the data to provide recommendations. Once you've determined current productivity, you can then use that information to establish new goals. After you've decided these goals, you'll need to address them with your employees. The Center for Competitive Management offers a course that goes through the productivity boost available through offering flex time.

Define each employee's role and job responsibilities before starting flextime in the workplace

In order to avoid confusion and prevent employees from taking advantage of flextime, make sure you fully understand what each of your employees actually does.

I recommend: Meet with your employees to discuss their specific job responsibilities. Sit with them one-on-one to see how they spend an average day. Once you've learned your employees' roles, you can then use role playing and cross-training techniques to educate employees. Learn role playing tips from Agilean and then check out Conductor for customized training programs.

Test out flexible schedules over a brief time period

Before making flextime a permanent policy, you need to be aware of any potential problems that can occur. Once issues are known, you can then modify your flex time plans as necessary to make the policy more effective.

I recommend: Use a scheduling software program to create a temporary schedule. With customizable programs such as Kappix, you can easily create a trial flex schedule that can be modified in the future. You should also track the hours that your employees work. TimeForce is an online program that tracks employee time and attendance.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Because some of your employees may not qualify for a flexible schedule, you may also want to consider alternates such as telecommuting or compressed workweeks.

Flex time and flex place policies can afford your employees more flexibility as well as reduce your overhead costs. Telecommuting and compressed work weeks can help you have happier employees as well as increase production by offering some flexibility throughout the work week. Many companies rely heavily on technology and therefore can allow their employees to work from wherever, or whenever, they prefer.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Core hours

Core hours are the hours that all employees are required to work. Even with flex time, many companies have restrictions on when the flex time can be taken and require set core hours employees must work.

I recommend: The U.S. Office of Personnel Management explains the details of how core hours fit into flex time policies.

Flex place

In addition to flexible work hours, it is also possible to offer flexibility with where the work is done, which is called flex place. As long as the work is being completed, with flex place, the actual place where the work is done is not important.

I recommend: Cornell University details its policy on flex place.

Telecommuting

Telecommuting provides your staff the flexibility to work from home or to report in on the phone or on the computer. In this day and age of rising technology, telecommuting can offer a company flexibility in combination with flex time.

I recommend: Columbia University explains its telecommuting policy.

Overhead

Overhead is the amount of money spent for necessary business functions to keep the office up and running. Overhead includes office supplies, equipment, office space rental fees, utilities and all other costs related to keeping the office open. The appeal of flex time is often that a company's overhead can be greatly reduced.

I recommend: US Legal details the specifics of company overhead.

Bandwidth

The bandwidth places some parameters on when employees can use their flex time. It defines the beginning and end of a work day to use as a starting point for employees to schedule their flex time.

I recommend: The Community and Public Sector Union uses the term bandwidth in context.

Compressed work week

A compressed work week is one type of flex time schedule. This happens when employees work a full 40-hour work week in less then a typical work week, often within three or four days. Although these days are long in length, it reduces the number of times the employees need to report to work.

I recommend: Womans-Work explains the specifics of a compressed work week.