This is the basic premise behind Flex Time, or the idea that workers can set their schedules around their lives.
But what if working hours didn’t have to be set by a universal standard? What if they could be set-up to maximize the balance between life and work? It’s so ubiquitous that many people don’t even question it.
It’s a colloquialism, it’s a movie, it’s a Dolly Parton song. The 9-to-5 has been a staple for businesses for so long that you don’t even have to think about what those numbers mean you already know. Offering more flexibile hours can boost employee satisfaction - but there are drawbacks. For virtual office solutions to help you manage your staff no matter where they are in the world, visit. You can use your virtual office's meeting rooms to bring employees together for face-to-face gatherings, and you can take advantage of a virtual PA to help you keep on top of your staffing administration needs. In addition, virtual office solutions can also help you deal with this issue in a manner that works for both you and your employees. Through consultation with your employees, though, you should be able to find a flexible solution that works for both parties. (“Flexible working arrangements boost productivity: Survey”, The Economic Times “Focus on Workplace Flexibility”, Boston College Sloan Center on Aging and Work)įor many modern work-at-home employees, the 9-5 schedule simply does not provide enough flexibility, and as a result, productivity often suffers when employees are expected to follow a rigid work schedule.įor employers in this new working world, the answer to the age-old time clock dilemma might not always be clear. In fact, studies have found that flexible working hours actually boost employee productivity. While clocking in allows you to keep track of when people are working, it doesn't actually tell you anything about how productive they are. While requiring your employees to clock in gives you a better idea of when they are working, paying your employees hourly in this manner can sometimes harm productivity. It can also simplify administrative practices to pay employees by the hour rather than working out salaries or paying based on productivity levels.ĭisadvantages of Clocking In for Employers By keeping close track of employee hours, you can be sure that you are paying your staff only for the time that they are actually working. It can also lead the employee to believe that they have no value outside of an hourly wage.įrom the employer's side, virtual time clocks can act as a cost savings tool. When an employee is forced to clock in, especially when they are in their own home, this can give the impression that the employer does not trust the employee to get the work done on their own time.
On the flip side, clocking in can also erode the sense of trust between employee and employer. Especially when an employee works from home, creating barriers between work time and off-work time makes a huge difference when it comes to stress levels and overall mental health.ĭisadvantages of Clocking In for Employees These days, many employers expect their employees to be available at all hours of the day, and this can be very stressful for employees who are trying to achieve a healthy work-life balance. In order to help you decide what's best for your business, let's take a look at some of the pros and cons of each approach.Īdvantages of Clocking In for Employees: It Establishes Boundariesįor employees, the most significant advantage of clocking in is that it establishes clear boundaries between work and rest. With the introduction of the virtual office and work-at-home employees, the debate can become even more complex. Which is better for employees: punching the clock or task-based monitoring? Salary or hourly wages? Set hours or flex time? The debate goes on and on. The time clock debate is one that has been going on since the beginning of organized labor.