All work and no play? Flexitime might be for you…
Regardless of your occupation, having the ability to organise your working hours in a way that suits you, whilst not compromising your output, could be the easiest way to maintain a steady work-life balance. But what does it actually entail? And is it too good to be true?
Here’s a quick rundown of everything you need to know about working on a flexitime basis:
Key takeaways from this article
- Flexibility is key: Flexitime allows you to adjust your start and finish times around a set of core hours (e.g. 10am to 4pm), giving you more control over your schedule.
- It’s a legal right to ask: From day one in your job, almost any employee in the UK has the statutory right to request flexible working arrangements, not just parents or carers.
- Balance is the goal: The main benefit is a better work-life balance, allowing you to manage personal commitments like childcare, hobbies, or avoiding rush hour traffic without sacrificing your salary.
- Trust matters: Successful flexitime relies on trust and communication between you and your employer, often tracking hours to ensure contractual obligations are met over a set period.
What is flexitime?
Flexitime (AKA flexi time or flextime) is a flexible way of working which allows employees to fit their working hours around their individual needs and accommodate other commitments outside of work.
Instead of the rigid 9-to-5 schedule, employees communicate with their employer to create an adaptable work schedule. This generally involves a ‘core’ period of the day where you must be working (for example, 10am to 4pm), but the hours either side of that are up to you.
This means you could start at 8am and leave at 4pm, or come in at 10am and work until 6pm.
It is then up to the employee to track their hours (usually with a timesheet or software), ensuring that their total hours add up to the amount required by their contract over a set period (like a week or month). If you work extra hours one week, you might be able to ‘bank’ them and take time off later.
What is work-life integration?
Can I work flexitime?
Although traditionally associated with parents or carers needing to do the school run, the rules have changed significantly over the years.
As of July 2024, you have the legal right to request flexible working from your very first day on the job. This includes flexitime.
Many progressive employers even offer flexitime as a standard perk right from day one as part of their employee benefits.
If it isn’t currently written into your contract, don’t panic. You can make a statutory application. This is a formal request that your employer must consider seriously. They can only say no if they have a valid business reason (more on that later).
How do I qualify for flexitime?
You can now make a statutory request for flexible working from your very first day of employment. However, the specific policy you’ll need to adhere to once you get it is usually specific to your workplace.
Qualifying isn’t just about legal rights, though. To make flexitime work, you need to exhibit a high level of self-motivation. Because your boss isn’t watching the clock for you, you have to be able to manage your own time effectively.
The way your hours are tracked will be up to your employer. In 2025, this is rarely a paper sign-in sheet. It is generally based on trust combined with the use of time management software (AKA flexitime software).
Full-time hours vs. part-time hours: What you need to know
What kind of industries allow flexitime work?
Workers in almost any industry can request to work on a flexitime basis.
However, the reality of flexitime depends on the role. It works well for office-based roles (marketing, finance, HR, tech) where output is more important than being at a desk at a specific second.
It is naturally harder in customer-facing roles like retail, hospitality, or healthcare, where coverage is needed at specific times. In these cases, flexitime might look more like shift-swapping rather than choosing your own start times.
Remember: Your employer has a legal obligation to consider your request under any circumstances. Although they can refuse, it must be justified with good reasoning. This might include extra costs, an inability to reorganise work among other staff, or a detrimental impact on quality or performance.
What are the benefits of flextime?
There are many advantages of flexitime jobs, and it can benefit both the employee and the employer. Here’s why flextime is a good idea:
For you (the employee):
- Commuting sanity: You can dodge the rush hour crush by starting earlier or later.
- Life admin: It allows time to work around childcare, attend medical appointments, or wait for that elusive plumber.
- Wellbeing: It helps maintain a steady work-life balance by giving you time for hobbies, the gym, or just sleeping in when you need it.
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For them (the employer):
- Staff retention: Happy staff don’t leave. Offering flexitime is a massive tick in the “pro” column for employees.
- Productivity: People work better when they aren’t stressed about time. A boosted morale often leads to higher [productivity] within the business.
- Recruitment: It broadens their recruitment opportunities to people who might not be able to work a strict 9-5.
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How do I work flexitime?
So, you’re sold on the idea. How do you actually do it?
If you think working on a flexitime basis could make your life easier, the first step is to check your company handbook or intranet. There might already be a policy in place.
If not, you need to approach your line manager. Don’t just demand it; propose it, and show them how it will work for them. For example, ‘I can cover the late queries if I start later’, sounds a lot better than ‘I hate waking up early.’
How to ask for flexible working hours
Companies that offer flexitime
Flexitime is becoming the norm rather than the exception, especially post-pandemic. While we can’t list every single company, certain sectors are trailblazers.
Tech start-ups, creative agencies, and large public sector organisations often have the most robust flexitime policies. To find flexible working roles, look out for keywords in job descriptions like ‘flexible working’, ‘agile working’, or ‘core hours’.
Many companies will also explicitly state ‘Flexitime available’ in the benefits section.
Flexitime schedule example
Struggling to visualise how this differs from your current routine? Here is a classic example of a flexitime day:
- Contracted hours: 7.5 hours per day.
- Core hours (must be working): 10:00 – 12:00 and 14:00 – 16:00.
- The Flex:
- Monday: You’re an early bird. Start at 07:30, leave at 15:30. (Perfect for the school run).
- Tuesday: You have a dentist appointment. Start at 09:30, take a longer lunch, leave at 17:30.
- Wednesday: Standard day. 09:00 to 17:00.
- Thursday: You have a heavy workload. Work 08:00 to 18:00 (banking 2 hours).
- Friday: Use those banked hours to leave at 13:00 for a long weekend.
Simple, right? As long as the work gets done and the core hours are covered, everyone wins.
Other types of flexible working
Flexitime is great, but it isn’t the only way to slice the working pie. If flexi hours don’t quite fit your needs, consider these alternatives:
- Job sharing: A role is split between two employees, resulting in a shared workload. You work half the week; your job-partner works the other half.
- Working part-time: The amount of hours worked are reduced, often by cutting down the amount of days or by making each day shorter (and pro-rating the salary).
- Working from home: Or hybrid working. You work the same hours, but you do it from home instead of the office.
- Compressed hours: You work your full-time hours (e.g., 37.5) but squeeze them into fewer days. For example, working longer days Monday-Thursday to have every Friday off.
- Annualised hours: Your hours are calculated across the whole year rather than a week. You might work very long hours during busy periods (like Christmas for retail) and very short hours during quiet periods.
- Staggered hours: Similar to flexitime, but fixed. You always work 8-4, while your colleague always works 10-6.
In all of these instances, the amount of flexibility you have will be greatly dependent on your individual role, responsibilities, and working environment.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between flexitime and flexible working?
Think of flexible working as the umbrella term. It covers everything from part-time work and working from home to job sharing. Flexitime is just one specific type of flexible working where you vary your start and finish times.
Can my employer force me to work flexitime?
Generally, no. Changes to your working hours usually constitute a change to your employment contract, which requires your agreement. However, some contracts may have clauses allowing for variation, so always check the fine print.
Does flexitime affect my pay?
It shouldn’t. If you are working your full contracted hours, just at different times, your salary remains the same. If you reduce your total hours (going part-time), then your pay would likely be pro-rated.
Can I carry over flexi hours indefinitely?
Usually, no. Most companies have a ‘settlement period’ (e.g., every month) where you need to balance your hours. Some allow you to carry over a small surplus or deficit (e.g., +/- 10 hours) to the next month, but you can’t usually bank weeks of holiday this way.
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