Some Thoughts on Flexible Working Hours

Or, alternatively, Why I should be Allowed to Play The Sims When I Should be Working.

[Originally posted to LinkedIn]

It feels a little counter productive to talk about this on a jobsite in which I’m trying to make myself more attractive to prospective employers — but in the same vein, I suppose it’s for this very reason that this is the site I’m choosing to talk about it on.

Okay, now, I understand that I may have just built this whole thing up just a little too much and now you may be expecting me to talk about something like some big fraud I’ve committed or a crime I’m finally confessing to, but… I’m afraid it’s not that juicy or exciting.

Actually, what I’m about to talk about is working hours.

Yesterday, after starting my remote role at 10am, my boss asked me, at 3:30pm, to continue working on a task he’d set me and to try and get it done for Monday. I said, “sure, thing!”

Then, after we signed off the call, I immediately stopped working and started playing The Sims (Actually, I built a person, then half a house, and then got bored so went to Asda for snacks, but you get the idea).

But, surely, if I was intending to work my full 8 hour day, I would’ve kept working for another two and half hours, until 6pm, right?

Does this mean that I disregarded everything he said and didn’t care about getting the work done and I’m a terrible employee and he should fire me?

Nope!

(And don’t call me Shirley.)

It means I know the way I work and how to utilise my strengths in order to get my work done. I know that If I had continued to work on that project for another two and a half hours on a Friday evening, I probably would’ve put about 40% effort into the task, called it quits, and irritably told my boss I couldn’t get it done, that I hadn’t had enough time, or that I’d given it my best shot on a Friday afternoon, now give me a break, already!

But instead, I listened to the signals my brain had been sending me and followed my instincts. I called it a day and did some much needed dopamine recharging.

And now, I’m back at my desk, on a Saturday, excitedly following a brain wave that I’d had for this project in the shower this morning.

That’s right. I am excited, at my desk, on a Saturday, to do work.

My point is, sometimes we need to let employees work in the way they work best, and that involves trusting your employee to know themselves better than you do, or at least, giving them the benefit of the doubt.

Okay, yeah, pretty cool, I like what I’m seeing here.

But the real kicker? It’s paid.

Unlimited. Paid. Time. Off.

Now, I didn’t read too deep into the description — primarily because it wasn’t fit for my partner and, well, my ADHD meds had worn off by that time, but I’d like to imagine this is exactly what it sounds like:

Employers treating their employees with faith, trust, and compassion.

Of course, there will be some who’ll cheat the system, and others who take it for granted, as with most things, but I think there for some people — no, the majority of people — that sense of trust and compassion being granted to them by an employer would be life-changing.

I believe this kind of treatment would mean a much happier work-life balance, more positive intercompany relationships, and less work-related burn-out (which, you guessed it, would lead to less time off!)

And that, to me, is a win-win for all.

Now, I’m not saying that all companies should ask employees to work on weekends or evenings, especially not if they don’t want to — I think there are plenty of employees who are happy with the system the way it is.

But I think having more compassionate, flexible working hours and the ability to chose when to get the work done (as long as it meets the deadline) can lead to a much more sustainable and satisfying existence for all parties involved.

Now, that that’s all said, I’m going to get back to devising a knowledge check for my next online course.

Wish me luck!

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