Flexi-Time vs. Fixed Time

While some workers are tied to their desks in a standard 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. shift, in some workplaces, employees are given a more flexible working arrangement. They can pick their own work hours or days within a set period or given limits. They can come in later than the standard hours or make some allowances or adjustments to be able to clock out early. The flexible work schedule may even allow work-from-home options or working remotely from any location where mobile Internet is available in order to communicate electronically with clients and other co-workers. This flexi-time schedule can be a win-win situation in some businesses, giving employees a little bit more freedom with their time while providing employers with some benefits of their own. This, however, may also come with some disadvantages that both employers and employees must watch out and be ready for.

• A more flexible work schedule allows workers to pursue other vocations, hobbies, or higher learning.

• By managing their time better, workers can maintain a work-life balance, gain more control over life events, and have reduced stress, as they find more time to attend to family and personal matters. Depending on their schedule, workers can work at their most productive and most convenient hours.

• Workers with a flexi time work schedule can avoid the inconveniences of traveling during the rush hours, letting them save more on fuel and car maintenance costs, avoid traffic stress, and come to work more refreshed and motivated to start their day right.

• A more flexible schedule can be part of non-monetary employee benefits, which can be an advantage to the employer in terms of staff recruitment, employee retention, and reduced absenteeism and tardiness due to stress, sickness, and other reasons.

• The flexi-time gives the business more flexibility with extended coverage beyond traditional work hours, letting the business save from overtime fees for employees who work beyond the regular schedule and meet business and client demands after the standard office hours.

• If employees are allowed to work from home or in remote locations and spend less time in the office, employers can benefit from reduced business spending, from desk space to power use.

• The flexi-time schedule allows a lot of distractions and intrusions, which may result in reduced focus, low productivity, and poor time management.

• Workers with flexi-time arrangements may come and go at different hours, which can affect their interpersonal relationships with other employees and make it more difficult to establish rapport and teamwork.

• By providing access to office facilities and utilities beyond traditional work hours and at different times, employers will have to deal with added business expenses (such as higher energy bills and utility costs).

• Flexible working schedules mean added work to the administrative staff who has to make a special recording system for irregular work hours, monitor the varied schedules, and implement special policies for added security, especially for unscrupulous employees.

• Overseeing the performance of workers with flexible working schedules can be more challenging for supervisors, team leaders, or managers.

• Workers with fixed time work schedules can coordinate better with other employees and their superiors because of shared time and common workspace, which help establish better working relationships.

• Giving instructions to and tracking the performance of people who work during the same hours or shift are more manageable.

• It's easier to schedule and conduct team meetings and trainings when colleagues and other team members have common work hours.

• Normal pacing and scheduling can make it easier to focus on project deadlines, team initiatives, and company goals, resulting in higher work productivity.

• With a regular work shift, employers won't have to accommodate workers beyond the traditional work hours, letting the company save on operational cost.

• Inter-office communications are more convenient when employees have the same work schedule.

• When workers don't work at the same designated hours, not only is it more difficult to supervise them but keeping them engaged and motivated can be a challenge as well.

• With a rigid work schedule, workers aren't given the much-needed flexibility with their time, which could have been spent doing important errands, attending classes, or pursuing hobbies for personal growth and for dealing with personal needs.

• Absenteeism and tardiness can become a common occurrence especially during bad weather when traffic is long and heavy and travelling to and from work becomes inconvenient.

• An inconvenient fixed work schedule or shift can lead to attrition or recruitment problems as some workers prefer having flexible work hours.

• The rigid work schedule can be restricting to some employees, especially during emergencies or other circumstances, affecting their motivation and productivity.