7 Types of Flexible Work Arrangements

There are many types of flexible work arrangements, and choosing the right one can make a big difference. Whether you’re a manager or a job seeker, it’s important to know the differences between the various types of flex arrangements.

Different setups might attract different employees or apply better to different job descriptions. Regardless of which one you implement, each policy can help create an idea of what behavior is expected and encouraged.

Flexible Work Arrangements to Try in Your Office

1. Telecommuting

Telecommuting refers to a job that’s performed remotely only part of the time. It can be a full-time position, however since telecommuting usually means employees come into the office semi-regularly, the workers in this arrangement usually live locally.

According to Gallup, the telecommuting schedule that offers the most productivity is when an employee comes into the office two or three days per week (in a five-day work week). Telecommuting can be implemented with nearly any position that doesn’t require the worker to be in-office all the time, but managers still prefer a person who lives locally and can quickly get to the office if necessary.

2. Remote Working

Remote work is entirely performed away from the office. It can be a permanent position or temporary (such as with an employee traveling on business). Since the employee doesn’t have to come into the office at all, they can live and work anywhere around the world.

It’s a might be a good option for businesses looking to broaden their applicant pool and for job descriptions that don’t require in-person work. Video conferencing and consistent communication are keys to success.

3. Condensed Workweeks

While as an employer, you may want to maintain a 40-hour work week, you can be flexible on where and when those hours are spent  Consider a condensed work week, which equates to four 10-hour days and Fridays off. For many job seekers, it’s the ultimate schedule. However, it’s only suitable for workers who can remain productive throughout long work days. Businesses can also lower overhead with a three-day weekend, but it’s difficult to implement for an entire organization.

A better approach might be testing the schedule with agreeable employees and/or introducing it to new hires before implementing it as one of your flexible work arrangements.

4. Customized Working Hours

Allowing workers to choose their own work hours (within reason) is a great perk—and free for an organization to offer. Some workers are morning people, others have more energy in the evening, and some simply want to avoid rush hour or pick up their children at a certain time. Offering workers to choose their hours in a window (such as starting anywhere from 6 a.m. – 9 a.m.) is a popular and relatively simple system.

5. Part-time Positions

Not every position warrants full-time work. Offering part-time positions can help increase productivity. However, if an employer wants to be certain to keep attracting the highest quality employees, they may want to think about offering the same benefits. Perks and benefits packages are some of the most common reasons why employees leave or don’t pursue a job.

6. Job Sharing

Job sharing is somewhat like part-time work. The system consists of two or more part-time workers sharing a full-time job. It’s not among the most common flexible work arrangements, but it can be the right fit for some positions and businesses.

For the employee, it’s a part-time job, which might be all they want or have the bandwidth for. For the employer, it’s the equivalent of full-time work without offering benefits. However, managers still need to supervise more than one person for a single job. Implementation requires negotiation with each worker.

7. Flexible Vacation Time

There have been increasing headlines about businesses offering unlimited paid time off. Of course, this comes with plenty of requirements. Being more generous with vacation time requires a culture that rewards a performance quality rather than hours worked.

Regardless of what type of arrangement a business offers, there needs to be a current flexible work arrangements in place. Flexibility requires practice, patience, and a little trial and error.