Flextime

What is flextime?

Flextime (or flexible hours) refers to a work organisation method that allows employees to choose their arrival and departure times within a range defined by the company. Instead of a fixed schedule (e.g. 9am-5pm), the contract provides for "mobile slots": everyone can start earlier or later, provided that the weekly number of hours and the minimum attendance periods (often called core hours) are respected. The main objective is to adapt working time to lifestyles while maintaining continuity of service and collective performance.

Origin and evolution

Appearing in English-speaking countries in the 1970s, flextime responded to the growing need to reconcile family life and professional activity. The rise of digital technology, and then the generalisation of hybrid work, have given this practice a new lease of life: thanks to project management and asynchronous communication tools, teams can now collaborate without all being in the office at the same time. Flextime has thus become a key element of well-being at work and talent attraction policies.

How it works in practice

A flextime agreement is structured around three parameters:

1. Fixed slots: times when attendance is required (e.g. 10am-12pm and 2pm-4pm for team meetings).
2. Mobile slots: time slots during which everyone chooses their hours (e.g. 7am-10am in the morning and 4pm-8pm in the evening).
3. Hour counter: individual tracking that ensures compliance with the legal or conventional working hours (generally via an HR tool).

The manager's responsibility then consists of setting clear objectives, verifying the distribution of the workload, and ensuring the coordination of collective moments (meetings, decision-making).

Major advantages of flextime for companies and employees

For employees, flextime offers better management of personal obligations (transport, childcare, training), reduces stress related to peak-hour commutes, and allows them to work during hours when concentration is optimal. For the organisation, it results in stronger engagement, a decrease in absenteeism, and an expansion of the recruitment pool, especially for geographically remote profiles or those subject to specific time constraints.

The limitations of flextime

The success of a flextime programme depends on several factors. Insufficient monitoring can lead to excessive working hours or desynchronisation of teams. Fixed slots that are too long negate the benefit of the system; too short, they complicate real-time cooperation. Finally, the culture of « presenteeism » must evolve: evaluation is based on results rather than simple visibility in the office or online.

Flextime and technologies

A shared planning tool — collaborative calendar, time-tracking application, or module integrated into the office suite — simplifies the tracking of flexible slots. Visibility on everyone's availability reduces the need for multiple exchanges to schedule a meeting. Automation of the hour counter secures legal compliance, while dashboards help management analyse the impact on productivity and team satisfaction.

In summary

Flextime is an advanced form of flexible working hours: it gives employees control over their schedules while preserving the needs of the collective. When well-managed, it is a lever for work-life balance, motivation and performance. Its implementation requires a precise definition of time slots, reliable tracking tools, and management based on trust and objectives. By reconciling autonomy and structure, flextime transforms working time into an agile resource, adapted to the contemporary realities of companies and individuals.