If you have a newborn or you are having difficulty juggling your children’s schedules with that of your job, perhaps it is time to discuss the possibility of flextime with your employee.
Flextime allows an employee to work a set number of hours per week, such as 40, but to work them when it is best for the employee. So instead of the traditional 9 to 5 office hours, an employee may decide to go in early and get off early, or start her workday at 11 and work later into the evening.
Flextime schedules work great for mothers who are in need of an alternate schedule. By starting your day a bit later, or ending your workday a little earlier, you can do a variety of things that just aren’t possible when you are working the traditional 9-5 schedule.
For instance, doctor’s appointments can be difficult to get to when you are working until 5 every night. Flexible schedules may allow you to leave earlier one or more days of the week, so that you can arrange all appointments on those days rather than taking sick time to get the children to the doctor. If your child is involved in a sport, this type of schedule will allow you to take the child to practice, or to attend after school games.
Think your company will not allow it? In the October issue of Working Mother magazine, in which the magazine produced its yearly 100 Best companies to work for report, statistics show that 58% of companies in the nation follow some type of flextime plan. So, if you are uncertain as to your company’s policy and you feel that an alternative schedule may work better for you and your family, don’t be shy: Ask! The worse that can happen is that your employer will tell you that it is not a possibility; the best, you just might get the hours that will benefit your family the most.
Some types of positions will not work well with a flextime schedule. For instance, cashiers need to be on the floor at certain times, secretaries must answer phones when the office is open, nurses generally have set schedules, and teachers must be present to teach during the regular school day.
Other occupations can be a bit more flexible in scheduling. An accountant or an engineer may be able to work a more flexible schedule. Photographers might be able to schedule their time throughout the day, while doctors can sometimes set a flexible schedule when seeing patients.