Fixed Schedule vs Flexible Schedule Jobs: The Pros and Cons of Each

Working at a job that has a fixed schedule can certainly feel routine and monotonous after some time. If you’ve reached this point at your job, perhaps you think that a flexible schedule might be better for your productivity and enjoyment at work. But before you head to HR to ask if they can allow you to do flexi-time, it can help to know that its benefits come with drawbacks, just as it is with a fixed time. Get to know the pros and cons of flexible schedule jobs while you reacquaint yourself with those of your fixed schedule that you may have forgotten or ignored - fixed schedule vs flexible schedule jobs.

Flexi Time

Flexi time is understood as a working arrangement where employees can choose which days or hours to work within a set time period or limit. They can come in earlier or later than the standard hours, and possibly even punch out early provided they have completed their tasks for the day. Working from home or remotely may even be allowed. Depending on the employer’s policy, shifts may even be switched between coworkers to satisfy the needs of the employer or accommodate the busy life of the employee.

The Pros of the Flexi time

Healthier work-life balance – Flexi time can mean more time for yourself, giving you more time to pursue hobbies, passions, family and other personal matters outside of work that play an important role in your health and happiness.

Better productivity – you can adjust your work to when you are most productive or when it’s convenient for you to work. This can spell wonders for your ability to finish more jobs promptly and efficiently.

Fewer inconveniences – depending on your chosen schedule, you can avoid rush hours and heavy traffic, allowing you to save on fuel or transportation costs and avoid prolonged travel times along with the stresses associated with it. You get to work feeling fresh and motivated to complete your tasks for the day.

The Cons of the Flexi time

Distractions come aplenty – Flexi time can mean not working the same hours as your boss, so there’s no one around to monitor you. In such cases, there can be no clear distinction between home and work, and as such, distractions and intrusions can seep in. If you don’t have a strong sense of self-discipline, your work will be affected by a lack of focus and poor time management, resulting in low productivity on your part.

Less opportunity for teamwork – if you and your team are all on flexi-time, your hours may not coincide, with each team member coming to and going from the office at different times. This can affect team dynamics and make it more difficult to establish good communication and collaboration between co-workers.

Added burden to company facilities and staff – managing the performance of employees working flexible schedules can be taxing for supervisors and admin staff, who will need to make special systems, policies and measures, not to mention the added overhead expenses necessary to accommodate your varied schedules. For you, this could mean that they will be less accommodating to your future requests.

Fewer benefits – flexi-time workers may not be entitled to certain benefits because they don’t meet the required hours stated by law. As a result, you may not have access to vacation and sick days, health insurance, and retirement plans, among others.

Fixed Time

Fixed Time often requires employees to come in for 35 to 40 hours per week. The most common fixed time schedule is five working days of eight hours each, adding up to 40 hours per week. While most fixed schedules are the same 9:00 am to 5:00 pm shift every day, shifts can vary, such as Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 4:00 PM or Tuesday to Saturday from 3:00 pm to 11:00 pm.

The Pros of the Fixed time

Everyone is on the same page – workers on a fixed schedule can coordinate better with their bosses and colleagues because everyone is in one location on one shared time, which can help promote better teamwork. It’s also simpler to schedule meetings and address issues immediately, making it easier to focus on company deadlines and goals. Likewise, employees that work the same hours are not only easier to supervise, it is also simpler to keep them motivated and engaged with the task at hand. Instructions, inter-office communications, and performance tracking also become more manageable.

Weekends – who doesn’t get excited about the weekend? When you work fixed hours, Saturdays and Sundays—or whichever off days come with your schedule—will always be something you’ll look forward to. The planning and anticipation that go into your weekend activities and getaways can be the motivation you need to get you through a grueling workweek.

Lower operational costs – a team or department that runs efficiently allows the company to save on overhead costs. Depending on your company’s salary structure, these savings can trickle down to you and your fellow employees, which can mean more money in your pocket.

Work benefits – due to the long hours, company personnel who work fixed schedules are eligible for employee benefits. In addition, working beyond the fixed schedule generally entitles an employee to overtime pay, which is rarely available to flexi-time employees.

The Cons of the Fixed time

Lower employee satisfaction – with a rigid schedule, employees can end up spending more time in the office than at home, which means they won’t have time to take up hobbies and passions for personal growth or even pursue errands and attend to personal needs. When a worker has little life beyond work, job satisfaction plummets, and tardiness and absenteeism may become more frequent.

Travel pains – the rush hours can be draining on an employee, as travel to and from work may be riddled with many stress-inducing situations, such as traffic congestion, irate commuters, and the like. Once you are in a bad mood, it can be difficult to get your mind to focus on work.

Hours are wasted – you finished your tasks for the day in just a few short hours, and now you have to spend the remaining office hours waiting for the clock to tick five. That extra time would have been better spent on matters that you consider important.

4 signs you’re meant for flexible vs fixed working hours

Some employees thrive in a traditional fixed schedule vs flexible schedule. Likewise, some are more productive by being flexible vs fixed working hours. Here are some signs that you are meant for work that offers more variations with your time.

1. Working in an office cramps your style

Do you feel like a caged animal sitting in a cubicle and staring at a computer all day? Do you wish you could run screaming from the building every time your work day ends? If you simply can’t stand the monotony, it’s a sure sign you’re meant to be flexible vs fixed working hours. Find ways to break the boredom, or start looking for a job that lets you out in the field.

2. You don’t like having any say in your career

You respectfully asked your employer to allow you more leeway with your work schedule. You even gave compelling reasons for them to give in to your request. But in the end, they still said no. If you feel that your hard work is not getting you the credit you deserve, perhaps a career shift is just what you need to finally have your voice heard.

3. Your mind won’t let you work for eight straight hours

You know yourself, and you know that you do your best work at different times of the day. This means that you know for sure you’ll be inefficient if you’re stuck in a traditional work schedule. Why would you work when you’re not at your peak? This is a sure sign that a fixed schedule is simply not the right fit for you.

4. You don’t like being told what to do

Some people are just not meant to be employees. If you completely resent having a manager telling you to do this or that, perhaps it’s time to tap into your entrepreneurial spirit and launch a business where you get to be the one managing people instead of the other way around. Consider flexible work schedule's pros and cons and move forward.

4 signs a fixed work schedule is right for you

It may take some time, but you may soon realize that holding a regular job is more beneficial to you than any other work setup. Here are four fixed working hours advantages that indicate you’ll enjoy a fixed schedule vs flexible schedule.

1. You are happy with your earnings

If you’re paid handsomely at your current fixed schedule job and think you’ll be earning less anywhere else, then you might be better off working in an office. What’s more, if you do your job well, you could potentially earn more when they decide to give you a raise. Why would you want to say no to that?

2. 9-to-5 is your peak time

The beauty of the fixed schedule is you know when work starts and ends. On the contrary, most people in flexible work schedules can no longer distinguish between their professional and personal life, and end up working more hours than they’re supposed to. If your day job allows you to strike the ideal work-life balance, consider keeping your fixed schedule vs flexible schedule.

3. You want a stable paycheck

Flexible work schedules pros and cons: some Flexi jobs are no work no pay, which could mean your income might be inconsistent. Some days you’ll make a lot of money, and in some, maybe nothing. If you can’t afford to have any earnings for lengthy periods, you might want to hold on to your regular job.

4. You are a specialist

More often than not, flexi-time workers—especially those who work from home—end up doing more menial tasks (cleaning the workplace, answering phones, etc.) than they would if they worked in an office, mainly because there are no co-workers to rely on but themselves. If you want to focus more on your job description, stick to your regular job and enjoy fixed working hours advantages.

Now that you know the pros and cons of each, do you still want to move to a flexible schedule job? If your company’s work hours no longer work for you, we can help facilitate your transfer to a new job position at another firm with our professional resume writing services. We provide an interview guarantee. Contact us today to get in touch with a professional resume writer online or learn more.