Tips on Flextime & Telecommuting

Last week we discussed the different ways to attract quality candidates to your business. Here are some additional tips on flextime and telecommunication.

Flexible hours, also called “flextime,” allow employees to choose their working hours within a range of times agreed to by their employer. The arrangement does not alter the total number of hours to be worked, but starting and ending times for the working day can be non-traditional. For example, a flextime schedule might let employees work their mandatory hours any time between 7 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. Sometimes, employees on flextime schedules are required to work certain standard hours (often called "core hours") every day—for instance, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., working the rest of their daily hours at any time during the agreed-upon range.

Flextime is often combined with telecommuting, a policy that allows employees to spend all or some of their workday offsite, working from home or another location. Telecommuting offers benefits to both employees and employers. As with flexible schedules, telecommuting employees can better attend to family and personal matters, improving their work-life balance and in some cases avoiding the need to take a leave of absence. Permitting employees to work from outside the office can also enhance their productivity. For example, telecommuting employees typically spend less time in office meetings during the day, which can result in more focus on projects that must be completed. Some of the other ways businesses can benefit from a telecommuting policy include:   

• Saving money on workspace;
• Retaining valuable employees who have difficulty traveling to the office location; and
• Bringing on outside project teams.

Creating Flextime & Telecommuting Policies