Show OK FLEXIBLE WORKING TIME About a dozen years ago in Germany flexible working hours were given a tryout in an aerospace plant in an effort to reduce tardiness and Variants on the regular working day have since become increasingly popular in a great number of European with both employees and management apparently deriving The concept is comparatively new in the but acceptance here is also At least half a million workers are currently permitted to change their working hours either ahead of or behind the regulation and some recent estimates indicate that as many as 10 million employees may be affected with this option within five It is not a question of leaving it completely up to the employee as to the hours he or she will elect to A request for a time for must fit in with an overall working plan as set up by a Most employers also insist upon a period during which all workers must be on the But the added independence felt by most of the personnel under such a system promotes According to a recent interview by the American Management there has been a marked upgrade in employee morale in at least 97 of the companies adopting flexible working MANY BENEFITS CLAIMED While the original German prototype of was largely for the purpose of cutting down on lateness and numerous other benefits are being claimed for both the companies and their Workers under often cite improved commuting conditions even if their schedules are shifted only a few minutes a By avoiding rush-hour riders via public transportation claim they move not only more rapidly but also less Even small adjustments in hours can enable mothers to drop off or pick up their children at and perhaps have a chance to perform certain errands that can be done usually only on busy Earlier afternoon go-home hours can frequently benefit family because of the removal bf certain time productivity appears to be increased as workers settle into the more relaxed hourly If there is any uneasiness over quitting the traditional work it is apparently soon overcome by a feeling of greater personal control and less need for supervision from As the system becomes popularly employees are more apt to monitor themselves in order to make the scheme COMPANIES USUALLY FAVORABLE After a fair length of employers are generally well disposed toward variations on the regular working In many it permits longer hours of up to shifts in some Both absenteeism and labor tend to drop off and far less time is requested for outside personal Those in charge of in-house administration and control report positive results in many even to the point of advanced employee willingness to finish important projects before quitting for the There seem to be far fewer fuss-ups in the administration of breaks and lunch according to the One of the few government agencies attempting is Social Security with more than employees on flexible time as of The new scheduling was begun specifically to enhance worker Whatever the chemistry of changes in working the claims that some workers who had been tardy almost continually are now arriving on even for the A recent overview c gains and drawbacks of show that some managers are afraid of the careful Advance planning and experimentation are advised as Step such a training plan does away with fears on both |