by Jinianne Lutz

Created on: September 24, 2009

You're at a job interview and the hiring manager mentions that they offer flextime. You are thrilled at the prospect of having some control over your work hours. This is a benefit that you are looking forward to.

Employers are starting to understand the benefit of offering flextime to employees. For single-parent families, flextime may offer the opportunity for the parent to attend a child's play. It may offer a grandparent the chance to get the child off to school, knowing that the parent will be home in time for the school bus.

For two-parent families working different shifts, flextime could reduce childcare costs as the first-shift parent may be able to arrange her schedule in order to be home before her husband leaves for work.

Flex time is offered in different ways in various companies. While one company may require you to be at work during "core hours," another company may be totally flexible as long as you work eight hours in a day. Yet another company may only require 40 hours in a week so your flextime can be arranged to work four days of ten hours each. Whichever is offered by an employer, flextime is definitely a benefit that attracts and draws in new hires.

Studies have shown that employees are often more productive when they are allowed to work flex time hours. When you can balance your worklife and family life, you are generally a happier, more content employee because you know you can tailor your day to meet your family's needs. An article in "Entrepreneur" magazine dated June 5, 2006 expands on the positive effects of working flextime hours. The article also discusses the benefits to the company, namely decreased absenteeism rates, less turnover, and increased productivity. A workplace with satisfied employees creates a sense of loyalty and respect for the employer.

If you are a parttime worker, a company may offer you flextime in the way of job-sharing. Two employees share the same job and coordinate their time off and vacations with each other. These employees must be highly organized and communicate all tasks and issues regularly. The flextime schedule might have each person working two and a half days weekly, or alternating between two days on/three days off with three days on/two days off the following week. Of course, an advantage of this plan to the employee is that each employee knows the job thoroughly, reducing training or downtime. Another flextime option is working four days (40 hours) in one week and the traditional five-day schedule the following week.

The employer must be clear in his rules surrounding flextime. The expectations and goals of each employee must be understood. The employee should expect that an occasional event or issue might preclude him from working his flextime schedule in any specific day or week. Being mindful, understanding, and flexible allows flextime to be an effective, highly productive schedule.

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