Track work hours with Clockify<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n However, there is often a \u201ccore period\u201d when all employees must be on the job. It creates a good balance between collaborative work and focused solo work. For example, if the core period is from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., you can start working anywhere from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. \u2014 it\u2019s just important that you\u2019re at work from 12\u20134 p.m.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Each business decides on a flex-time policy. However, due to the nature of their jobs, flexible working might be harder for client\u2014or customer-focused employees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the other hand, types of employees that can (and often do) work flex time are: freelancers, part-time workers, remote workers<\/a>, healthcare workers, consultants, and creatives like writers and graphic designers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These are some of the most common types of flexible working<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n A flexible schedule is not one-size-fits-all. It could be:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udca1 Check out another interesting type of an atypical work schedule: 9\/80 work schedule: what it is and how it works<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n If you think about adopting the flex time business model, you should take into consideration these pros and cons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These are the most prominent benefits of flexible working.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Arguably, the biggest advantage is being satisfied with your job \u2014 and, according to a workplace study by Staples Advantage<\/a>, \u201c63 percent of the happiest employees say they are able to telecommute, work flex time, or both.<\/i>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n A similar conclusion can be found in a Forbes article<\/a>: \u201cResearch (our own and others) shows that employees are healthier, experience less stress, and are more productive and engaged when they effectively make choices about how, where, and when they work. One way to do this is by responding to individual \u2018work styles\u2019.<\/i>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Choosing your own hours is the perfect opportunity to work in tune with your circadian rhythm. For a lot of people, periods of high alertness and wakefulness are in the late morning and late afternoon<\/a>, while energy levels are lower in the early afternoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It doesn\u2019t have to be like that \u2014 some people are at their most productive state early in the morning or late at night. Flex time allows you to work at the time of the day when you\u2019re the most efficient, thus increasing your productivity<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You have more time for things outside of work that are important to you; you also don\u2019t have to sacrifice your personal life for work obligations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have to commute to get to work, traffic won\u2019t be as big of an issue as it would be if you worked 9-to-5. Choosing your own schedule means that you can go to work a little earlier or later than the majority and avoid the rush hour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re a parent, getting ready in the morning can get hectic \u2014 but having a flexible schedule can make your life much easier. You can help your children get ready, make them breakfast, or give them a ride to school without rushing and wondering if you\u2019ll manage to be in the office on time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The same goes for picking them up from school, coming to their soccer games, or being able to work from home when they\u2019re sick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Flexible scheduling can reduce absenteeism, as employees are less likely to arrive late or call in sick. It also allows them to complete all personal obligations they may have during the day, while still working their regular number of hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Track work hours with Clockify<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Flexible working allows you to save money in many different ways, from spending less on electricity bills to buying fewer office supplies. When fewer people are coming to the office, you can rent a smaller office and spend less money on rent. Flex time also has some downsides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To some people, spending time alone and working by yourself is as close to paradise as it gets. To others, it can be quite isolating and negatively affect their mental health<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Determining when every employee works can be quite time-consuming. If everyone\u2019s schedule is different, finding a time that works for everyone can be next to impossible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With so many different schedules in the equation, it can be difficult for managers to keep track of everyone\u2019s overtime work<\/a>. That can turn into a problem when it comes time to get paid for those extra hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udca1 If these disadvantages make you prefer working 9-to-5, learn How to make an 8-hour workday schedule work<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n What is work-life balance<\/a> like when you\u2019re working flexible hours? Either really good or really bad, depending on the circumstances \u2014 hence it is its own category.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On one hand, you are able to choose your own hours and make the optimal schedule. That allows you to be in tune with your natural rhythm and make time for everything important to you. It reduces stress and it\u2019s good for your overall health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the other hand, you can end up getting many important emails and messages before and after your working hours. Since there\u2019s always someone working, there\u2019s always something going on. That creates an \u201calways-on\u201d mentality and leads to burnout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re working flexible hours, do your best to work only during your working hours, not the whole day. It\u2019s easy to get caught up in work, but it\u2019s crucial to have a balance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You decided that the pros outweigh the cons and you want to include flex time in your business model? Here are some tips to make that change as smooth as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The process of adopting the flex time model should include addressing everyone\u2019s concerns and questions, as well as jointly resolving any issues that may occur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But open communication shouldn\u2019t stop there \u2014 when your team is virtual<\/a>, frequent and transparent communication is a must. In their book, Effective Public Relations<\/a>, professors at the University of Wisconsin Scott M. Cutlip and Allen H. Center defined 7 C\u2019s of effective communication:<\/p>\n\n\n\n To have a clear overview of everyone\u2019s schedule and the number of hours worked, it\u2019s best to use a time tracker such as Clockify by CAKE.com<\/a>. It may take a few minutes out of your day, but it will leave no room for any confusion and misunderstandings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want to go an extra mile and ensure everyone’s always on the same page even with flexible work hours, you can always opt for a set of productivity tools<\/a> designed with every work schedule in mind. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This way, you’ll be able to communicate with your teams smoothly, assign tasks and stay on top of everyone’s hours within seconds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n Time tracking software used by millions. Clockify by CAKE.com is a time tracker and timesheet app that lets you track work hours across projects.<\/p>\n\n A flex time policy consisting of specific rules relevant to your company should be your top priority when implementing a flex time work schedule. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, before you add your flex time policy to the employee handbook, make sure it includes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether your employees are working on a fixed or flexible schedule, tracking their time and attendance is crucial for any business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the best ways to track your employees\u2019 work hours and attendance is by using an employee time and attendance software such as Clockify<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Clockify lets you record your and your employees\u2019 work hours via timer<\/a> in real time or add it manually using timesheets<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\nTypes of flexible working<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Advantages and disadvantages of flex time<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Advantages of flexible schedules<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Increases job satisfaction<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Boosts productivity<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Gives more freedom and flexibility<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Helps you avoid rush hour<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s helpful for parents<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Decreases absenteeism<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Greater cost-efficiency<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Moreover, higher job satisfaction (that we discussed earlier in the article) means higher employee retention<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nDisadvantages of flexible schedules<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Can be isolating<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Can be complicated to coordinate and schedule meetings<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s harder to monitor overtime hours<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Work-life balance with flex time<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Advice for successfully adopting flexible working<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Have good communication<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Make the most out of tools<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Illustration\"](\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/clockify\/landing-4@2x.png)
\n <\/picture>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n \n\n\n\nInclude flex time policy in the employee handbook<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Track employee time and attendance with Clockify by CAKE.com<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Clockify](\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Clockify-time-tracking.png\"){kind=tracking}
![\"Clockify](\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Clockify-attendance-tracking.png\"){kind=tracking}