This is continued from part two of this article series. Please read that before you read this article.

10. What will be the effects of the program on the costs of the company? Will costs increase or decrease?

11. Are the employees ready for the change? Are they participating in the decision of whether flextime should be implemented or not?

12. Will employees be able to do their work independently with little or no supervision during the odd hours in early mornings or late evenings? Will some sort of supervision be required?

13. Will team projects run properly with the new flexibility in work schedules? How will the team members communicate with each other?

14. How independent is the work of each employee? Will delays of one employee cause problems to another employee?

How should the employee request the organization for a flextime schedule?

As per Scott Reeves (2006, www.forbes.com), employees must keep in mind the below seven tips before pitching for a flextime schedule.

1. Bases Covered: Make it clear to your employer that all operational requirements of the job will be covered. Your proposal won't be approved if it means punching a hole in your duties and the company's business.

2. Improved Service: Tell your employer how improved morale will quickly translate into improved productivity and better customer service. Show how this means bigger profits.

3. Employee Retention: Recruiting is a major expense for any employer. Make it clear how a flexible work schedule will reduce costs by making employees happier and reducing turnover.

4. No Higher Costs: Run the figures so you can show your employer flex-time won't increase the supervisory workload or operating costs. Draft a schedule that shows that all operations will be covered during business hours.

5. Accountability: Your plan must show that flex-time won't diminish the ability of the employer to assign responsibility and demand accountability from those participating in the program. Lines of responsibility can't be blurred by flex-time or telecommuting.

6. Put Guidelines In Writing: If your company doesn't already have one, put together a handbook outlining the responsibilities of employees on a flex-time schedule. This benefits everyone by defining expectations and eliminating needless squabbles.

7. Chain Of Command: All requests for flex-time should be made in writing. Establish guidelines for granting requests so it's not based on the whim of a supervisor and applied unevenly. If there is an appeal procedure, nail down the who, what, where and when of such reconsiderations. Applying different standards to different employees will spark resentment and bitterness, undercutting the entire program.

Benefits of flextime work arrangements:

Flextime work arrangement has many benefits. They are listed below with more details about each benefit.

Increased productivity:

The work productivity of the employees increases when they are allowed to work according to their own preferred timings. This increase in productivity automatically helps the organization. The Health Science Center at Houston, The University of Texas (www.uthouston.edu) mentions that flextime increases productivity because employees can schedule work according to their "biological" clocks. Please read further in part four of this article series.