After Bangalore-based Chitra Iyengar decided to adopt a child, she became serious about a adopting a flexible work schedule after an encounter with her manager at IBM India who said: “I do not care whether you sit in the park or at home. I am concerned with your deliverables.” For Iyengar, it was eye-opening to realize that work did not mean a place she went to, but something that she did.

In recent years, many firms like IBM India have taken to offering a flexible work schedule alternative to many of their employees, a benefit that offers positive outcomes to employees and employers alike. Flex-time allows workers to choose their own start and end times, as long as they put in the required number of hours following any limits placed by the employer. Susan M. Heathfield, a human resources and management development consultant, writes that flex-time enables employees to achieve a better work-life balance and to work when they’re at their optimal best, which reduces stress and burnout. For employers, flex-time typically reduces absenteeism and turnover, and helps employers attract the best candidates for job openings. 

Of course, individual managers may struggle with the logistics of flex-time, which is why Dawn Rosenberg McKay, a career planning expert, says that managers and employees must work together to devise a realistic plan that balances the company’s objectives with individuals’ needs. Done well, flex-time can ensure that all employees are available at peak times and that the office is manned during all operating hours and days of the week. Thus, it is probably useful to document the details of a flextime program and to evaluate how well the program is working from time to time. 

For Iyengar, a career-oriented person who loves to work, it took a lot of effort initially to adjust to the program, but now she is quite happy with the benefits, noting, “Flexi-work is a definite enabler in my life. 

Questions 

1. What are the pros and cons of flexible schedules from an employee’s perspective? 

2. What considerations should an employer take into account when designing a flextime work schedule? 

3. What can HR managers do to help facilitate flexible work schedules in their organizations?