Flexible or fixed – What’s your preferred timing at work?
This isn’t really a choice offered to you on a platter when you go job hunting. They either have the option for flexible timing or fixed timing and hence people do not have much say in it which is why they would generally avoid pondering on this matter. However, with many companies out there who are willing to offer flexible work hours, you do have a choice to make.
Flextime is the exact opposite of the traditional fixed timing 9 to 5 system that requires your complete presence at these hours on work days. In flexible timing system, you are only required to be present during the core hours and the rest of the time is flexible, given that you adhere to set bandwidth period in the week. All you need to do is get the work done and apart from the core hour, you are free to set your own schedule.
Flextime1. Boosts enthusiasm: You are free to leave once you are out of core hour and completed the required tasks for the day. This is a big boost to enthusiasm. People working in flexible timing are full of energy to finish the task at hand, knowing that they could use the time for recreation, a hobby or concentrating on courses that could boost their career.
2. No stress: It is a known thing that flexible timing system reduces stress like nothing else. One can concentrate on the work at his own discretion. You are in no hurry to finish work under restricted deadline or work hour. You have the freedom to choose the hours when you are most active and take off during the time of the day when you are sleepyhead.
3. You get to live: There is no sacrificing on spending time with family and friends you when work in flexible hours. You do not have to miss your best friend’s birthday celebration to stay at work. You can take care of that doctor’s appointment for your aging parents instead of scheduling it for Sundays or off days.
4. Teaches time management: Just because you have the option to flex your work time it doesn’t mean you can lag behind and be lazy. Companies that offer flexible timing also ensure that you get the work done before the deadlines. You get to learn how to balance between work and personal life to ensure that you are making the best use of the advantage called flextime.
Fixed1. Discipline: At work, a certain set of binding guidelines are mandatory. Most of us start facing the professional disciplinary environment only when we start working. You are not trained beforehand for that. Flexibility of hour is a drawback in teaching those disciplines. A newbie getting this sort of advantage can make them lazy and laid back which can be avoided only by fixed timing that also includes strict deadlines.
2. Not all jobs can offer flexibility: There are jobs that can easily give you the option of flextime but the same cannot be said about most of the works that require your utmost attention and presence during work hours. Once you are used to flextime it becomes difficult to get yourself adjust to fixed-timing and hence it is always better to go for fixed timing right from the beginning.
3. Work life balance: With fixed hours, you and your family know when you could be available for other stuff and when you cannot be. In flextime, your dear ones expect you to be present for them whenever they need you because it gives them the impression that your work doesn’t stop you from other activities and hence you could always prioritize them. This can go wrong and create misunderstandings and family issues. At the same time, you might get left behind in your career, if you start taking your work for granted.
4. Waste of time: Unintentionally, people with flextime advantage start to waste the most precious thing in life – time. They could just lag behind with the thought that there is enough time for everything important and that they could recreate at any time when they want. This can go horribly wrong if you are not a person of time management, which most freshers are not.
Flexible hours or fixed hours, when you compare the two it does come down to time management. Some people can use flextime as an advantage to try their hands at multiple beneficial works to know what works for them. They can indulge in hobbies or use the extra time to improvise their skills via courses. But there is always the other side of the coin where people would just lag behind, sleep extra hours and waste time doing unproductive work with special thanks to social media. Choose wisely. Ask yourself what kind of person you are and whether you can be responsible enough to handle flextime. If not, go for fixed timing always.
