How can I organize my working hours in a healthy way and adapt them to my individual lifestyle?

Flexible working time models are playing an increasingly important role in the world of work. Flexitime remains one of the most popular flexible working models in Germany.

Flexitime is a flexible working time model in which employees can determine their own start and end times within fixed framework times. Central to this are the core times, during which attendance, whether in the office or working from home, is mandatory, and flexitime, during which arrival and departure times can be managed flexibly.

This model enables employees to better adapt their working hours to their personal needs and circumstances. Flexitime increases personal responsibility and can contribute to work-life balance. People with different needs and lifestyles can work together effectively thanks to flexitime arrangements.

Many companies already use flexible working hours, but the extent to which they are used varies. While flexitime, part-time work, overtime and working time accounts are widely used as manageable models, others, such as trust-based working hours, are less common.

We have compiled the most important information on the most popular flexible working time model - flexitime - in a short guide below.

Small guide to flexitime

1. no statutory right to flexitime

In Germany, the legal regulations on flexitime are not very specific and often vary depending on the industry and employment relationship. The Working Hours Act (ArbZG) only contains information of a general nature.

• The Working Hours Act (ArbZG) in Germany regulates the maximum working hours and rest breaks, but does not contain any specific regulations or an explicit right to flexitime. Flexitime agreements are usually determined at company level between the employer and the works council or through individual employment contracts. There is therefore no statutory right to flexitime. However, specific regulations or collective agreements in the public sector or in other industries may provide for such working time models.

2 Sector-specific flexitime regulations

The specific regulations on flexitime can vary depending on the industry and are often regulated in collective agreements or works agreements. For example:

- Public sector: In the public sector, there are often very detailed regulations on flexitime, which are set out in the respective collective agreements (e.g. TVöD).

A concrete example is the regulation for employees in municipal administrations, where flexitime often allows employees to start work between 6:00 am and 9:00 am and end the working day between 3:30 pm and 7:30 pm. In doing so, they must ensure that they cover the core working hours of 9:00 am to 3:30 pm.

- Industry and commerce: Here, too, there are often specific regulations in the collective agreements of the respective sectors.

An example of this is the collective agreement in the metal and electrical industry, where flexitime models allow employees to freely choose their working hours within fixed flexitime ranges, with the obligation to fulfill the agreed weekly working hours. These models can include individual daily working hours between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., as long as the total working hours and any core hours are adhered to.

- IT industry: Flexitime is very common in the IT industry and is often managed flexibly to meet the needs of employees and project requirements.

Example: SAP offers its employees flexible working time models without any fixed core hours, allowing them to plan their work independently and take into account both personal needs and professional requirements. This promotes a high level of employee satisfaction and supports efficient project work.

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3. flexitime differences according to employment relationship

- Permanent employees: For permanent employees, the provisions of the employment contract or collective agreement on working hours generally apply.

- Civil servants: Civil servants are subject to special working time regulations of the respective federal states or the federal government, which often include flexitime regulations.

- Part-time employees: Part-time employees can also benefit from flexitime regulations. For part-time employees, flexitime is adjusted in proportion to their agreed working hours compared to a full-time position. This means that their flexible working hours must be within the total available working hours, but the total hours are correspondingly lower.

An example of flexitime arrangements would be a part-time employee in a publishing company who works 20 hours per week. Let's assume that the company's flexitime allows the employee to start work between 7:00 and 10:00 and finish between 15:00 and 18:00. The part-time employee could choose to work from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. every day, giving her the flexibility to adapt her working hours to personal commitments such as caring for family members or attending training courses.

4. company agreements on flexitime

In many companies, the details of flexitime are regulated by company agreements. These can contain individual regulations that are tailored to the specific needs of the company and the workforce.

The specific regulations can vary greatly and it is often necessary to look at the specific details in collective agreements, works agreements or employment contracts.

Here are three practical tips if your company does not yet have a company agreement on flexitime:

1. take the initiative: talk to your works council or staff representatives about introducing a flexitime scheme. These representative bodies can pool the interests of the workforce and make formal proposals to management.

2. draw up a proposal: Help to draw up a proposal for a flexitime scheme that takes into account the needs of your colleagues and the requirements of the company.

3. gather information: Find out about flexitime models in similar industries or companies. This data can serve as an argumentation aid and help to demonstrate specific advantages for your company.

5. flexitime days and flexitime agreements

In many companies, employees can accumulate overtime and work it off later as full flexitime days. A flexitime agreement also contains regulations on how overtime is dealt with. The introduction of such regulations often requires the consent of the works council in accordance with the Works Constitution Act.

A flexitime agreement usually contains the following elements:

1. flexitime framework: Determination of the earliest and latest times at which work can be started and finished.

2. core working hours: Periods during which all employees must be present.

3. working time accounts: Arrangements for recording overtime and reducing it.

4. forfeiture of hours: Provisions on when and how unused hours are forfeited.

5. special regulations: Exceptions for certain departments or groups of employees.

6. application and approval: Processes for requesting and approving deviations or flexitime compensation days.

Conclusion: Flexitime offers considerable advantages for both employees and companies. It enables flexible working arrangements that promote a better work-life balance and loyalty to the company.

Does your company not yet have flexitime arrangements? Now you know how to initiate the topic constructively!