Flextime popular at U.S. small businesses
Flextime has become a popular work arrangement, appearing in a variety of schedules.
Trends expert Daniel Levine (DanielLevine.com), in New York City, mentions that flextime is most prevalent in the “enlightened” industries of management consulting and high tech. In the United States, it is a benefit in the smallest businesses, the locus of opportunity.
Condeco Software’s The Modern Workplace
Report 19/20 excludes businesses with fewer than 100 employees (and over 1,000). Sometimes remote work is full time, whether in commercial or non-profit businesses. In other cases, businesses combine remote and in-office work.
Las Vegas-based Gunner Technology Inc. (gunnertech.com), with 22 employees, is completely remote, with employees working whenever and wherever they choose.
“They might cram in a week’s worth of work in a 48-hour marathon session each week and take the other five days off,” said Dary Merckens, CTO of the Las Vegas-based business.
“We have weekly calls with clients that everyone is expected to be on,” Merckens said. “But as long as you’re on the call and actively participating, it doesn’t matter if you’re in your home office or at a day baseball game.”
He also maintains that “flextime removes some condescension of employers, as if they know what’s good for you.”
At New York City’s GetVoIP (getvoip.com), a subsidiary of BizMedia Central LLC, flextime for its 11 employees eases commuting woes.
“Our employees are simply overburdened by the daily commute,” said Reuben Yonatan, founder and CEO. “On the majority of days they do come in, team members are able to avoid the (heavy) morning and evening commutes.
“There is merit in genuine, face-to-face human connection,” Yonatan said. “However, remote work can be freeing and can optimize productivity. Some team members are full-time remote. Those who initially began working with us in office, or are locally based, spend about 70% in-office (three to four days per week) with the balance being from home.”
A telecommunications company in the same city, Next Caller LLC (nextcaller.com), with 20 employees, utilizes 25 per cent remote/75 per cent inoffice flextime as an antidote to burnout. “If they’re going to be putting out a fire from 8-9 p.m., why do they need to be at their desks right at 8 a.m.?” asks Tim Prugar, vice president of operations.
Fullstack Labs (FullStackLabs.co) has created an interesting flextime for its 55 employees, who work a minimum of nine hours Monday through Thursday, with a half day off on Friday.
“Or they can leave early Friday and make the hours up over the weekend,” said David Jackson, CEO of the Granite Bay, California business. Exceeding 40 hours allows them to compensate with time off or a bonus.
The two leaders at the Amherst, Massachusetts, non-profit Copy My Resume (https://copymyresume.com) have in-person meetings quarterly for their three volunteers, according to Rudeth Shaughnessy, director. “I believe this flextime approach has allowed us to continue to grow and retain talent despite not being a high-paying forprofit company,” he comments.
“This new way of working may become more of a norm,” said Jared Weitz, founder and CEO of United Capital Source Inc. (unitedcapitalsource.com) in Great Neck, New York. “Some people need to work outside of normal business hours. But don’t lose sight of the value behind in-person collaboration and communication. The joy and benefits that come from working with others are something always to value.”