9 to 5, Monday through Friday has been touted as the “ideal work schedule” since the beginning of corporate culture. Whether you’re a morning person or a night owl, the traditional work environment says to punch in at 9 am and start work even if you’re still half-asleep or not feeling particularly motivated. 

But when the pandemic changed the face of work around the globe, (and even before then for more forward-thinking organizations), flexibility in the workplace overtook strict workplace policies and people started choosing their own productive time. Surprise...it isn’t always 9 to 5.

Let’s learn what flexibility in the workplace actually means.

What are flexible schedules?

Like the name suggests, the meaning of a flexible schedule is to let employees deviate from the traditional schedule and choose a work time best suited to their lifestyle, productivity levels, or preferences. They can customize their day or week based on their needs and requirements. 

For some, that means they can start work earlier, others may still choose a roughly 9 to 5 schedule, and for others, they may work really late into the night.

Flexible schedules encompass varied working hours and working days, like the four day workweek or working core hours, then having the rest be a flexible schedule.

Here’s everything you need to know about flexible work schedules.

Recent data shows that flexible schedules have a major impact on employee productivity and loyalty.

• 76% of employees report that they would be open to staying with their current employer if given the opportunity to work flexible hours.
• 73% of respondents feel that flexible work improves job satisfaction.
• 86% of employees report that flexible schedules contribute to less stress, and 78% say flexible schedules help them be healthier
• Flexible schedules are key to retention— more than 25% of workers would take a 10-20% pay cut in order to have a flexible role
  
  

The numbers speak for themselves, don’t they?

Whether you’re an employer or an employee, remote and flexible work benefits both. Having clear policies on flexible schedules and expectations can help set the foundation for the best possible work environment for everyone involved. 

7 Myths About Flexible Schedules

Myth 1: A flexible work schedule means no synchronous communication/live meetings.

Technology now allows people to connect from anywhere at any time of the day. All people need to do to stay connected is arrive at a mutually agreed meeting time. This can easily be done through calendar-sharing apps and communication between the team members. If the agreed meeting time deviates slightly from the work timings of any individual, they can always communicate and put forward their concerns or can simply adjust their work around it. After all, it’s called a “flexible schedule” for a reason.

Many teams adopt “core working hours” or “meeting free days” so that they can have a combination of flexible hours and set working hours. 

Myth 2: People are less productive when they create their own schedules.

When allowed to work on their own terms, people can actually be much more responsible and maintain their productivity in order to keep their flex time benefits. On the other hand, forcing people to start working at the tick of the clock even if they’re not comfortable with the time can actually make them less productive.

78% of employees report that having the freedom of flexible work arrangements makes them more productive.

Myth 3: Flexible working days create more work for managers.

Managers are often worried that they might lose control over their people if they allow them to work flexibly. To maintain control and a smooth communication workflow on your hybrid or distributed teams, organizations need to correctly design, implement, communicate, and evaluate work policies about the flexibilities offered.

When expectations are clearly set and team members are given autonomy, there’s actually improved trust, happier employees (and managers), and less conflict.

Myth 4: Our team has too many time zones/preferences for flex time to work.

When teams work together, collaboration is often difficult. When people work flexibly, it’s important for the company to train everyone to maintain contact (even if it’s online), be responsive, and take responsibility for the team functioning. When each person adjusts to suit the demands of the team, productivity will never be compromised.

With the ability to sync up a few times a week in real-time and keep track of everyday goings-on with cloud-based software and project management tools, time zones or different schedules aren’t enough to keep teams from working together effectively on different schedules.

Myth 5: We are client-facing and our customers follow a 9 to 5 schedule, so we need to keep "traditional" hours.

These companies appreciate flexible working only in theory, completely discarding the fact that it can work for their industry. The truth is, flexible work policies can work in most organizations. (Even hospitals and more traditional industries already offer a degree of flexible work with per diem roles and varied shift lengths.)  

However, it’s important to note that the meaning of “flex time” isn’t always the same. There’s no one-size-fits-all formula and companies need to work around it to create an environment more conducive for their people. Use surveys, focus groups, and candid conversations to build out your flexible work policy and get buy-in from all teams before rolling out.

Myth 6: Flexibility means your employees work less.

An academic study that looked at those with flexible schedules versus those with traditional schedules found several interesting outcomes, including both that flex workers were happier and that they worked more. Despite more work not meaning more productivity, when given the freedom to choose when and how people work often leads to them taking more time on projects when needed and taking time off to take a break when needed.

The study also showed that flexible schedules had other unexpected benefits. Those with flexible schedules were more likely to display:

• Less burnout
• Less perceived stress
• Improved job satisfaction
• Less family/work conflicts
• Improvements in non-supervisory employee job satisfaction
• Increases in overall employee well-being
  
  

Myth 7: There are no flex time advantages for companies.

Clearly not true! Read on to know more about how this is just a flexible schedule myth.

Benefits of Flexible Schedules for Companies

Hyflex work policies, or hybrid-flexible policies are designed to support all types of flexible work schedules and allow employees to work from anywhere, at any time of the day. These policies have many benefits for companies.

1. Retain the best people

By adapting to the changing needs of their people, companies can prevent them from looking for better opportunities and can keep their best talent with them for a long time, reducing hiring, training, and onboarding costs.

2. Better productivity

The real meaning of flexible work hours is to work at a time you feel the most productive. This automatically enhances your ability to execute tasks more efficiently and produce better quality work. Eliminating distractions like noise, a commute, and the stress of trying to balance work and life, can help employees better focus on their work.

3. Improves mental health

Alternative work schedules promote better work-life balance by giving people more time to meet the demands and responsibilities of their personal lives, and prioritize work when it feels best. A study at a Fortune 500 company found that those on a flexible schedule at work were less prone to burnout and psychological stress and overall happier than those on a fixed schedule.

Not only can employees do more yoga and exercise and eat healthier when working a flexible schedule, but the overall reduction of stress contributes to more productive working hours whenever they may happen. 

Having employees in the best state of health (both physically and mentally) is the foundation of successful organizations. 

4. Better company culture

What comes from happy, content, and productive employees is a company culture worth every penny. When their needs are met through adopting a flexible work week, for example, people work for their company like it’s their own and do better work. They stick around longer and recruit talented friends and acquaintances to work for your organization, reducing your recruiting costs.

With the changing office landscape, the need for flexibility in the workplace is more pressing than ever. Here’s the ultimate guide to help you refine office scheduling and hybrid work policies and promote remote and flexible work.