Have you ever thought about the future of work in the post-COVID world? Three years after the pandemic disrupted our work lives, many employees are returning to in-person work… but a lot of them have chosen not to. 

According to a survey by career site Monster, two thirds of workers said they would consider quitting if forced to return to the office full-time. And that speaks volumes about how the work culture has evolved from the pre-pandemic 9 to 5.

Returning to the office to work from the desk may seem like the correct way to go. But with the employees’ ever-growing call for flexible working hours, not even major corporations can deny that it is time for HR to look into a new working model. In this article, we’ll explore the benefits of hybrid and complete remote work arrangements either for project management or regular office work. Can employers create a successful model that maximizes productivity and employee satisfaction? Can we say goodbye to 9 to 5 forever? Let’s find out.

What Consists of Flexible Working Hours?

Flexible working hours basically means that employees have some control over when and where they work, as long as they get the job done and meet their productivity targets. This can include:

1. Setting Individual Schedules

Employees can set their own working hours, which can be different to the 9 to 5 grind. This allows them to work during their most productive hours; and that leads to better project management and tracking on the worker’s end. Not to mention, way more productivity. Microsoft offers flexible schedule options to its employees. They say that these policies have helped employees to maintain better work-life balance which increases their sales.

2. Remote Work

Flexible working hours can also mean totally working from home or basically anywhere outside of the office. This can help employees save time and money on commuting, and can also help them focus better and get into a workflow state in comfortable environments.

Buffer is a fully remote company that allows employees to work from anywhere in the world. According to Buffer, their remote work policy has helped them to attract top talent from around the globe and increase employee satisfaction and productivity.

Such companies often make use of team projects management tech to keep their widespread employees working toward a well-managed goal.

3. Job Sharing

Flexible working hours can also include job sharing, where two or more employees share the same role and responsibilities. This can help ensure that projects are still managed effectively even when one employee is not available.

Ford offers job sharing to its employees. This has helped them reduce the time it takes to complete a task whilst increasing employee engagement.

4. Compressed Workweek

Some companies offer a compressed workweek, where employees work longer hours in fewer days, or the other way round. For example, they may work four 10-hour days some days and 6-hour work days on other times. This basically gives them flexibility in their schedule. They can work in bursts of 4 long days and have the rest of the week off, or in several shorter work days.

Amazon offers flexible off times to its employees. Amazon’s Virtual Customer Service program allows employees to choose their working hours, which in turn maximizes productivity.

While some companies are insisting on a return to traditional office-based work, data scientists at Ladders are forecasting a different future. In 2022, they projected that flex time management is here to stay, with 25% of all professional jobs in North America expected to be remote by the end of 2022. This trend was expected to continue into 2023, with remote work opportunities increasing across the board… and it has turned out to be true. Graphic designers for example are often found working remotely for all types of employers on different freelance platforms.

Benefits of Flexible Working Hours

The future of work is evolving rapidly, and companies that stay ahead of the curve will be better positioned to succeed. The quicker employers embrace the new normal, the more benefits they will reap.

Let’s explore the benefits of flex time management.

Increased Productivity 

When employees have more control over their schedule, they can work during their most productive times, leading to higher quality work and better time management.

This doesn’t mean that there is no accountability. There will also be an increased dependency on remote work technology. TrackingTime is one such example. It can help managers track employee productivity and manage projects, even when employees are working remotely or on flexible schedules.

Remote companies like Buffer will have to manage teams that are spread over different time zones. So using attendance and time tracking adds a method to the madness that flexible working hours can bring. 

Improved Work-life Balance

Flexible working hours allow employees to better balance their work and personal responsibilities, leading to reduced stress and improved mental health. Employees can also take a project management approach. Instead of clocking in and clocking out, they can work on stages of the project. TrackingTime’s project management tracking can help managers organize their team’s work, communication, and leadership by assigning tasks, delegating responsibilities, and monitoring the progress of their projects and tasks. This helps both the assignee and the assigner keep track of the project.

More Upskilling and Reskilling

With the job market wider open, employees will be encouraged to upskill and reskill  to stay competitive in the workforce. More focus on training and development can lead to the birth of newer skills. This has also opened the path for more remote learning courses. Platforms like Udemy have also seen a significant rise in popularity as the demand for flexible working hours has increased. 

Attract and Retain Diversity, Equitable, and Inclusive Talent

Offering flexible working hours can really help in attracting and retaining top talent, especially in a competitive job market. This also means a more diverse and inclusive environment for all employees. 

Traditional office environment makes diversity more visible. Remote work on the other hand is what actually provides an opportunity to attract more people that cannot work in an office circumstance. This includes women with children, and people with disabilities, more people of color and much, much more. GitLab has a diverse workforce remote policy that enables them to have an 85% employee retention rate.

Finding Tech Solutions for Flexible Working Hours

The best way to go about a workforce that has flex time management is to integrate management solutions into your tech or HR systems. 

Employees working different hours (and maybe different time zones) can be chaotic to manage. As long as you can organize the chaos with tech, you can succeed. Take TrackingTime, for example. As a management tool, it enables you to keep up with the very 2023 problem of a remote workforce. 

Your tech should be able to provide:

1. Project management tracking to streamline work based on projects.

TrackingTime allows employees to track their time on specific projects, which can help managers monitor progress and identify areas where additional support may be needed.

2. Have a workable mobile app

The TrackingTime mobile app allows employees to track their time and manage their schedules on the go, making it easier to work remotely or on flexible schedules.

3. Have easy integration with other tools

TrackingTime integrates with a variety of other tools, including Trello, Asana, and Slack, making it easier for employees to manage their workflow and communicate with colleagues.

By integrating management solutions like TrackingTime into your tech or HR systems, you can stay organized and effectively manage your flexible workforce.

Pro-tip: When working flexible hours or having a flexible schedule, project management and productivity can get inconsistent and  tough to track. TrackingTime features are the perfect solution for this recurring issue in flex time management. For instance, you can take advantage of the project management tracker, which suits everyone, regardless of their work activities, schedule, location or style. There you can also get an overview of your work, gaining insight on your workload while avoiding interruptions. We are proud to be trusted by all kinds of clients. Md Ashfak S., who is a web Developer and SM Marketer says, “Highly recommended! I’ve used quite a few time tracking apps and TrackingTime is one of the easiest apps I’ve ever used! I’m using it for more than 3 years now. UI & Dashboard is the easiest you can find.”


Flexible Working Hours’ impact is undenialable

As we wrap up, it is undeniable that flexible working hours are here to stay, and they will offer many benefits to both employees and employers. It allows employees to have control over their schedule, leading to increased productivity, improved work-life balance, more upskilling opportunities, and a diverse and inclusive work environment. 

For the employers, it offers the opportunity to hire more qualified people, improved project management, better work environment, work-life balance, and improved productivity. 

But it is important to manage this flex time management by using remote work technology like TrackingTime. As companies embrace the new normal, they will be better positioned to succeed in the future of work.

Author’s bio:

Michael Baker is a digital marketing manager at ZillionDesigns, a crowdsourcing graphic design platform for custom branding. He writes about branding, technology, and graphic designers. Connect with him via LinkedIn.

Benefits of Having Flexible Working Hours

  1. Increased Productivity 

    When employees have more control over their schedule, they can work during their most productive times, leading to higher quality work and better time management.

  2. Improved Work-life Balance

    Allow employees to better balance their work and personal responsibilities, leading to reduced stress and improved mental health.

  3. More Upskilling and Reskilling

    With the job market wider open, employees will be encouraged to upskill and reskill  to stay competitive in the workforce. More focus on training and development can lead to the birth of newer skills.

  4. Attract and Retain Diversity, Equitable, and Inclusive Talent

    Offering flexible working hours can really help in attracting and retaining top talent, especially in a competitive job market. This also means a more diverse and inclusive environment for all employees.