The Good and The Bad of Flexi Work Hours

A lot of companies out there are embracing the flexi-hours trend, giving their employees the opportunity to set their own schedule and for some, to work from home on certain days. The key to making it work is finding the right balance so that employees can enjoy that personal time while also excelling at work. But it’s not for everyone though so before you sign up for a flexi-schedule, here are the pros and cons that you need to know.

Let’s start with the good... • You have time for personal obligations. A flexible work schedule is especially ideal for those with children as it allows them to accommodate their child’s needs (being sent and picked up from school or if the child is sick) with their working hours. For those not married yet, having this flexible time lets you take a business course or MBA during office hours or even be home when the repair person comes before you head to work.

• No traffic jam stress. Because you don’t have to be at work the same time as everyone else, you get to cut out rush-hour stress from your routine. Instead, you can spend that time at home getting busy with work, coming in later when you’ve gotten most things done. Oh did we also mention the potential savings on petrol?

• Be in control of your own time. One reason why people love flexi hours is that they get to control their own schedule and work environment. Because you might work better in your coffee shop rather than your boring cubicle. Or you’re most creative and focused at 10am when the caffeine kicks in. For employers, allowing employees to set their own time taps into their leadership skills where they take charge of their own schedule to get things done on time.

• You work when you are at your most motivated, focused and freshest. Some people work better early in the morning; some need slightly longer to jumpstart their machine. Having a flexible work schedule means you’ll have the freedom to come to work and get things done when you’re likely to be the most productive. So long as you complete your task for the day!

Then there is the bad... • Sometimes everyone needs to be on the same schedule for work to be done. Flexible work hours are not ideal for all jobs; there are some roles where you all need to be on the same schedule for work to be done. For this to happen, it is more important to get everyone in the office at the same time, especially those working in a team.

• Friends and family think “you’re on leave”. And take advantage of your flexible hours to get you to do things for them – like run an errand, help look after their dogs, wait for the repairman or courier guy because after all, you’re home all day, right?

• All you do is work. A good thing about having a nine-to-five is that there is clear distinction of clocking off. With flexi hours you may find yourself working all the time!

• No clear distinction between work day and off day. Just because you’re flexi, your boss may also think it is flexible to call you after hours at 9pm. There’s no real time for you to log off and call it a day.

• You get nothing done! It only works for those who are disciplined so if you’re spending your flexi day watching Netflix instead and catching up on work when everyone else is sleeping, then you’re better off having a regular office schedule.

Photo by Sanah Suvarna on Unsplash