Having considered the virtues of having a flexible working scheme most people will want to know what disadvantages could possibly lie in store, that they may not have considered.   We at FlexTime have found that there are several arguments cited against it's introduction. However most are dispelled once organisations...

• take a serious look at where they stand in terms of the appropriateness of their current arrangements
• compare that to what can be achieved through combining newer, more effective practices with specially designed web technology
• appreciate how research confirms that absences, overtime and staff turnover will all reduce through flexible working  

Here are some of those issues that are raised:-

Extra or Less Heating/Lighting Costs -

which is it ?:
 

Some will argue that because buildings have to be left open through a wider bandwidth, extra lighting, and heating costs can result. 

However, that point of view can equally looked at in another way.

Therefore through a well managed flexible working policy, where job sharing, hot desking and home working are applied, working space can actually be  utilised in a more efficient way.  

So a sound energy policy matched with flexible working arrangements can in fact result in facilities being run more cheaply.

This provides management with new choices:

• To turn off Light and Heating in areas not now being used
• To use the Space now available in new ways

For example, often organisations are hard pressed to find space to hold meetings - some even resorting to hiring rooms at a cost. 

Instead customers of FlexTime are now using our Working Space & Room Booker - part of our Resource Allocation system, to support this more efficient method of utilising workspace.  Ask us for more details at 003531 2609680.

Fears that staff will not be available when needed are sometimes felt by management.

As when any new system is introduced, a certain amount of adjustment is required and obviously departments will not always be fully manned during flexible times, at the beginning, middle and end of the day.

However, concrete evidence shows that even with the opportunity of flexible hours, people do set their own patterns of arrival and departure and usually stick to them.  This in turn means that a Manager can be fairly sure of knowing what time each of his staff will be available for work.  In a survey carried out in one organisation, 1,000 calls were made to staff before the introduction of FWH and again afterwards. It was found that they were just as easy to contact on flexible working hours as they had been on fixed hours.

Again FlexTime is also playing it's part to help ensure good cover exists - see below a report available in "The Flextime Staff Cover Module". 

Individualised flexible arrangements if not monitored well, can put pressure on the workplace :  

As individualised flexible working arrangements are on the increase, it places further empahsis on managing a flexible working scheme more closely.  To specifically counteract issues that can arise, VisionTimeWeb, our specialised system for managing such schemes, has programmes to draw attention to "stress points" that might occur. 

For example, in the "FlexTime Staff Cover Module", one report available shows the numbers of people present in the 15 minute segements of any day, over any date range. 

A supervisor can then check how many people were present over the past week or month or year,  between say, 9.00 and 9.15  or 10.30 and 10.45 or whatever.   From that analysis and other reports/outputs, management can constantly assess the effects of arrangermements that have been agreed to.  Indeed, VisionTimeWeb offers many methods of ensuring that the workplace is protected from any knock on pressure connected to working time issues.  This way, within any group of employees, or at an organisation-wide level,  management have an  overview on how working time arrangements are being "treated".     

The Time Recording System: 

The system itself can be viewed by some as a "disadvantage", in this context.  So, some staff might initially be uncomfortable at the prospect of having to use a time recording system.  Well, according to our latest independent research - those concerns are toally unfounded and the opposite is the case. 

The research found that over 1,000 users of VisionTime, when surveyed, strongly felt that they have enhanced job control which points to their being less stressed than employees not using the system.     

Therefore after a short while the benefits to be gained will override that concern. For example,

• punctuality is no longer in need of being watched
• being an interactive system means they keep a permanent and personal check on worked time
• there is an appreciation that because of the sheer flexibility of what is being offered, and the associated calculations required, that management would not cope without a system, and thus flexible working would be a “non starter”

Some organisations might feel that they can offer flexible working on an honours basis – as we “trust our staff”.  Trust is not the primary issue here and the main consideration is the “loss of shape” which would become quickly evident in the organisation trying out flexible working on an honours basis.

The specially designed VisionTimeWeb system – will ensure that “shape” will be kept, meaning that flexible working will not only stay for good in the organisation, but will allow for will allow for newer flexibilities to more easily emerge to the benefit of management and staff e.g. home and mobile working, term time, time in lieu, individualised working time arrangements, varieties of job and work sharing.

Such wide combinations of flexible working arrangements, are becoming commonplace in our user group. However, it would be a fearsome consideration, were it not for the availability of a system specially designed and fit for the purpose.

For more information phone: 00353 1 260 9680