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The COVID-19 pandemic revealed a truth that was already bubbling beneath the surface of corporate America: a strict office schedule isn\u2019t necessary for success. In some cases, it can even get in the way of employee productivity.<\/strong><\/p>\n That\u2019s part of why many employers, despite ushering their employees back to the office, are leaning into flextime policies. Let\u2019s break down what flextime policies are, how they work, and why you should offer them to your employees if possible.<\/strong><\/p>\n Flextime<\/span> is best understood<\/span><\/a> as a flexible scheduling arrangement. In a nutshell, it gives both full and part-time employees the option to adjust or modify the hours they work in a given workday. Depending on the company, flextime policies can be more comprehensive or fairly limited; in either case, it doesn\u2019t lock employees into ironclad work schedules.<\/span><\/p>\n Say that you previously had a corporate policy that mandated all employees had to be in the office from 8 AM to 5 PM, no matter what and no questions asked. However, when you implement a flextime scheduling policy instead, you give employees the option to arrive at work at 9 AM and work until 6 PM instead. Alternatively, you might allow employees to come in at 7 AM and work until 4 PM if that works better for them.<\/span><\/p>\n Bottom line: flextime means more flexible time for your employees, plain and simple.<\/span><\/p>\n Flextime policies have sprung up as a result of new understandings of the <\/span>human circadian rhythm<\/span>, especially the fact that humans have different \u201cchronotypes\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n The circadian rhythm is essentially your biological clock. Most humans have a circadian rhythm that roughly works like this:<\/span><\/p>\n However, some people have different chronotypes. For example, \u201cnight owls\u201d are folks whose circadian rhythms cause them to have a burst of energy at night, while they feel sluggish in the morning.<\/span><\/p>\n Odds are your workplace is composed of employees with a great variety of chronotypes. Most people <\/span>have a standard chronotype<\/span><\/a> that gels well with the standard 9-to-5 workplace schedule. But the rest of your employees might be night owls or just have slightly different circadian rhythms that result in poor productivity in the workplace.<\/span><\/p>\n By implementing flextime policies at your business, you give employees the freedom to choose the working hours that best align with their most productive hours.<\/span><\/p>\n There are many reasons why you might consider offering flextime schedules to your employees. Let’s take a look at them one by one.<\/span><\/p>\n Firstly, flextime policies result in greater employee health. By giving your employees the opportunity to adjust their schedules and working hours, they can ensure they always get enough sleep, which is positively correlated with better <\/span>mental and physical wellness<\/span><\/a> across the board.<\/span><\/p>\n Furthermore, flextime often results in better employee morale. That’s partially due to getting more sleep, as described above, but it’s also because your employees will know that you value them and are focused on their well-being.<\/span><\/p>\n When employees know that executives care about their wellness, they\u2019re more likely to feel supported and comfortable at work and <\/span>less likely to feel burnout<\/span><\/a>. That provides many other workplace benefits as well.<\/span><\/p>\n In addition, flextime policies make your employees more loyal to your company. Given a choice between your brand and a business that offers a slightly higher paycheck but stricter workplace schedules, don’t be surprised if most or all of your employees decide to stay with your brand since you give them the freedom to work when they feel best.<\/span><\/p>\n Perhaps most importantly, flextime policies can and do result in more brand productivity. Simply put, when your employees feel productive and are at work, they will do more and better work than otherwise.<\/span><\/p>\n For instance, if you have a night owl employee and they <\/span>have the freedom<\/span><\/a> to come in from 12 PM to 9 PM, they might get more work done than if you forced them to come in from 8 AM to 4 PM. They might have six or seven complete hours of productive work, not counting breaks, as opposed to three or four hours at maximum.<\/span><\/p>\n\r\n
\nFlextime Policies Explained<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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\nWhat Are Chronotypes? And Are They \u201cReal\u201d?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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\nWhy Offer Flextime to Your Employees?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Improved Employee Health<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Better Employee Morale<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nBoosted Employee Loyalty<\/strong><\/h3>\n
More Productivity<\/strong><\/h3>\n