THE time is now for us to double our efforts to ensure that there is optimum productivity at the workplace; there needs to be a paradigm shift – flexitime.

Flexitime must be embraced now, given the low levels of motivation and productivity that exist at the workplace.

Flexitime allows management and staff to vary the arrival and departure time at work as long as the required weekly or monthly hours are completed. As the name suggests, there is a high degree of flexibility and a relaxation of the 9:00 am to 5:00 pm work schedule. For many of us, all our jobs have pinned us down in a 8:00 am to 4:00 pm or 9:00 am to 5:00 pm regime.

Let’s look at a typical day for the average Joe or Josephine.

Joe/Josephine has two children – one in high school, the other in primary school. In order to get them to school on time, he/she has to leave Portmore at 5:30 am. The children are dropped off between 6:30 am and 7:00 am (bearing in mind that the children’s schools begin at 7:45 am and 8:00 am respectively). He/she gets to work at 7:15 am, but cannot have the work time recorded because the work hours are between 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

When the children’s schools are finished at 2:30 pm and 3:00 pm, Joe/Josephine has to take lunch at 2:30 pm to pick up the children and drop them off at an after-school care centre because the workplace has a policy that states that children are not allowed on the premises. The traffic is heavy at that pick up time and Joe/Josephine returns to work half hour late and still hasn’t had lunch.

He/she leaves work at 6:00 pm and has to rush back to pick up the children before the late fee kicks in at 6:30pm.They get home at 7:45 pm and he/she has to prepare meals and spend some quality time with the children before they all retire to bed.

I am sure you are saying to yourself ‘What a stressful life?’ or maybe you are saying ‘Oh yes, that’s me’. Now let’s see how a flexi-time work arrangement could make life more manageable for Joe/Josephine. If the work schedule was to change from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm to 7:00 am to 3:00 pm, Joe/Josephine would complete his/her required eight hours, pick up the children and head on home saving the after-school money and have less traffic to contend with.

He/she would have more time to devote to the children and other family matters. Surely, Joe/Josephine would be more productive at the workplace as he/she would be less stressed.

Benefits of flexi-time

. During the core hours ( 10:00 am to 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm) more people are there to serve both internal and external customers.

. The choosing of hours that best suit the staff member’s personal life, will increase his/her motivation at the workplace.

. Absenteeism due to ill health is significantly reduced.

. Lateness is non-existent.

. The ‘early birds’ would get more accomplished as they are much more alert in body and mind at that time of the morning.

. The late risers would also get more accomplished as they are just as alert in the late evenings.

. Increased interest by outsiders (recruits) who may be drawn to this flexible work arrangement.

. High staff morale as staff members are better able to balance their personal and work lives.

. May assist employees to pick up a part-time job to supplement their income.

. Could better facilitate employees attending school in the mornings or evenings.

. Overtime payment on Saturdays and Sundays would be eliminated

The downside of the flexi-time

. If not arranged properly, it could be counter-productive and chaotic.

. Workers who come in early may not begin work until the others come in.

. Workers who work late may in fact not be at their work stations.

. Because there may not be any supervisors to monitor these persons, they may not carry out their functions during the early morning or late evening.

. Arranging a staff meeting may be a challenge as all staff would not be present at the office at the same time.

. Some jobs can only be done in teams and so the absence of others makes it impossible for the job to be completed effectively.

. In a unionised setting, if the unions are resistant to the flexitime work arrangement, implementation is impossible.

. The schedule may interfere with some employees’ religious obligations.

Wayne Powell is a human resources professional of more than 10 years. He may be contacted at crisscounsellor@yahoo.com.