Flexible Working: Definition, Models, Benefits & Tips

Flexible working, which has gained significant momentum through digitalization, offers numerous advantages for both employees and employers. It encompasses flexible working hours—such as flextime or compressed workweeks—as well as the option to work from home. This leads to higher employee satisfaction, a better work-life balance, and increased productivity. When implementing these models, it is essential to establish clear agreements, as success relies on mutual trust and well-defined performance criteria. Key aspects include regular feedback, adherence to rest periods, and fostering team cohesion through virtual meetings and team events. Furthermore, flexible working requires a high degree of self-organization and personal responsibility.

What is flexible working?

Flexible working refers to work models that allow employees to be flexible with their work location, working hours, or both. This includes options such as flextime, working from home, mobile working, trust-based working hours, part-time work, and hybrid work models. The goal is to balance operational requirements with greater autonomy and a better work-life balance.

What flexible work models are available?

Flexible work models differ primarily in the degree of freedom employees have in choosing their work location and hours. These include, among others, flextime, working from home, mobile working, and hybrid working, trust-based working hours, job sharing, or the 4-day work week. The best model depends on the specific tasks, operational requirements, and the needs of the employees.

Benefits of flexible working

Flexible work models can offer significant advantages for both employees and companies. Employees benefit from greater autonomy, a better work-life balance, and shorter or non-existent commutes, all of which boost satisfaction and motivation.

Companies also benefit from flexible work models. They can increase their appeal as an employer, attract talent more easily, and retain staff in the long term. At the same time, office space can be used more efficiently, especially when flexible work is combined with desk sharing or hybrid work models .

Disadvantages and challenges

While flexible working offers many benefits, it also brings organizational and interpersonal challenges. For flexible work models to be successful in the long term, companies must establish clear structures and appropriate processes.

1. ‍Communication: Information exchange must function reliably regardless of work location to ensure that all employees stay on the same page.‍
2. Team cohesion: Fewer face-to-face interactions can make informal communication and team collaboration more difficult.‍
3. Self-organization: Increased flexibility requires a high level of personal responsibility, time management, and self-discipline.‍
4. Blurred boundaries: Flexible working models can cause the lines between work and personal life to blur, often leading to insufficient downtime.‍
5. Office organization: Especially with hybrid teams, it must be transparent who is working in the office and when, and which workstations, meeting rooms, or other resources are required.

Successfully implementing flexible working

Before introducing flexible working, there are a few points to consider: 

• Clear agreements should be established. Expectations and framework conditions must be clearly defined and communicated. 
• Every employee is free to decide whether to use flexible working options. Not everyone enjoys working from home. Whether and to what extent the company's offer is utilized remains entirely up to the individual employee.
• The flexible working model is primarily based on trust. What matters in the end is the work output.
• Criteria for employee performance must be defined and documented in advance so that performance can be measured objectively.
• Employees who work from home frequently also have a right to feedback. Regular, constructive criticism, as well as recognition and appreciation, are important and must never be neglected.
• Rest periods, during which no calls or emails are answered, must be observed, even when working from home.
• New options for meetings must be provided so that they can also take place virtually.
• Joint team events are essential to strengthen team interaction and cohesion.

Rules for flexible working

• Switch off devices after work. 
• Work models should be critically reviewed in advance, as employees often feel uncomfortable without a set structure.
• Every employee should be made aware of their responsibility and entrepreneurial thinking.
• Tasks, goals, and deadlines must be clearly communicated.
• The work rhythm should be defined according to personal needs. 
• To promote social skills, networking must take place regularly. 
• Diligence is the be-all and end-all of flexible working. 
• Flexible working requires a high level of self-organization. Employees should know their own strengths and weaknesses for this purpose.

Legal framework for flexible working

Legal requirements regarding working hours also apply to flexible work models. According to the Working Hours Act, daily working hours generally may not exceed eight hours. An extension to up to ten hours is possible if an average of eight hours per working day is maintained within six calendar months or 24 weeks. In addition, an uninterrupted rest period of at least eleven hours is generally required between two working days.

There is currently no general legal entitlement to mobile working or working from home in Germany. In practice, such models are therefore usually based on individual, company, or collective agreements between employers and employees. Even when working outside the office, legal requirements regarding working hours and occupational health and safety remain relevant.

How Flexopus supports flexible working

Flexible work models work particularly well when employees know who is working in the office and when, and which resources are available. With Flexopus, workstations, meeting rooms, and parking spaces can be booked in advance, and attendance and office occupancy can be displayed transparently. Have we sparked your interest? Then please feel free to schedule an appointment with our sales team and get to know Flexopus personally.