Flexible hours: a new step towards flexible work

Flexible work has become a major challenge for companies and employees. In particular in the current context of transformation in the world of work.

Flexible hours, also known as flexible working hours, are one of the most popular forms of flexibility.

They allow employees to choose their working hours within certain limits set by the company. This thus offers greater autonomy and a better balance between professional and private life.

This trend is part of a wider context of seeking a balance between professional and private life, the search for meaning at work, and the consideration of aspirations and needs.

Hybrid work, combining remote work and office presence is one of the most common forms of this flexibility of work.

It allows employees to benefit from the advantages of remote work while maintaining the benefits of being in the office.

However, its implementation or that of flexible hours requires careful thought and good preparation.

It is important to clearly define the rules of the system, to train managers to manage teams on flexible hours. Appropriate communication and collaboration tools should also be put in place.

It is also essential to ensure equity, and to prevent the risks of overwork or Blurring.

The purpose of this article is to present flexible hours, their advantages and challenges, as well as best practices for implementing them.

Flexible hours: definition, advantages and limits

Flexible hours, also called flexible working hours, are a work organization system that allows you to choose your working hours. All within certain limits set by the company.

This system offers greater autonomy to employees in the organization of their work. And at the same time a better balance between professional and private life.

Flexible hours can take many forms:

• The staggered schedules: they allow you to choose to start and end your work day earlier or later than usual.‍
• Longer but fewer working days: they mean working four days a week instead of five. The corollary is that the working days are longer.

Read also our article on the 4-day week

• The modulation of schedules: employees can choose to modulate their working hours according to their personal constraints. For example by working earlier in the morning to be able to leave earlier in the afternoon.

Flexible hours have numerous benefits for all stakeholders in the business.

For employees, they offer a better balance between professional and private life. But also a reduction in stress related to time constraints, and greater autonomy in the organization of their work.

For businesses, flexible hours can contribute to better productivity. But they also have an impact on reducing absenteeism, and improving employee satisfaction and retention.

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Implement flexibility, tools and best practices

Setting up flexible hours, or hybrid work, requires careful thought and preparation. Here are some tips and best practices for a successful transition:

1. Clearly define system rules and boundaries. It is important to clearly define the rules and boundaries of the system in order to avoid misunderstandings and conflicts. The rules should be clear, fair and applicable to all.
2. Train managers to manage teams in flexible hours and hybrid work. Managers need to be trained in order to be able to support and support their employees in this transition. They need to be able to manage the challenges of communication, coordination, and mutual trust.
3. Set up appropriate communication and collaboration tools. These elements are essential to ensure good coordination and effective communication within the team. The tools must be adapted to the needs of the team and allow for smooth and effective collaboration.
4. Ensuring fairness. It is important to ensure equity between employees. In particular with regard to access to flexibility, which is a new form of “employee benefit”. Employees should have the same opportunities and the same working conditions, regardless of where they work or what hours they work.
5. Prevent the risks of overwork and the spillover of work into private life. Flexible hours and hybrid work can lead to risks. It's important to prevent these risks by setting clear boundaries and encouraging employees to take breaks and respect their privacy.
6. Regularly assess the impact of flexible hours and hybrid working on employee productivity, satisfaction, and well-being. This will make it possible to identify possible problems and to put in place corrective measures if necessary.

Flexible hours and hybrid working are increasingly common trends. They offer employees greater flexibility and a better balance between professional and private life.

These ways of organizing work have numerous advantages, such as better productivity and improved satisfaction. However, they require good organization and effective communication within the team.

To successfully implement flexible hours and hybrid work, it is important to clearly define the boundaries of the system. But also to train managers to manage teams in flexible hours and hybrid work. Of course, it is necessary to set up appropriate communication and collaboration tools, and to ensure equity between employees.

Discover m-work for team planning

In short, flexible hours and hybrid work are ways of organizing work that offer numerous advantages. And which can contribute to a better balance between professional and private life. By following the best practices presented in this article, businesses can make the most of flexible working arrangements!

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