Do flexible hours even exist or is that a myth?

Nov 271 min read

My manager approved "flexible hours" but here's what actually happened: I started going 7-3:30 so I could pick up from daycare and handle bedtime. Seemed great. But I'm still expected in meetings at 4pm. People message me at 5pm about urgent stuff. I can't actually leave at 3:30 because "just one more thing." It's flexible as long as I'm also available when they need me. Has anyone actually gotten true flex hours to work? What did that look like?

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Comments(7)

DDanny R.Regular2h ago

Yeah that's not flexible hours, that's being on call. Flexible hours means you leave at 3:30 and they DON'T contact you unless it's actually on fire. The fact that you're still in 4pm meetings means the flexibility is theater.

MMatt W.Regular16h ago

Some companies get it, some don't. Mine actually respects the 3:30 cutoff because I made it clear the first time someone tried the 4pm meeting thing. Pushed back once, hard, and they got the message. Your mileage may vary but worth trying.

FFrank D.Regular18h ago

This is why a lot of guys just say no to 'flexibility' and do traditional hours. At least you know where you stand. The ambiguous flexibility sounds good until you realize you're expected to do both things perfectly.

SSam T.New Dadjust now

This is a conversation with your manager framed differently. Not 'I want flexible hours' but 'I need to be unavailable after 3:30 due to childcare. What work can I complete during core hours to make that possible?' Shifts the ownership to them.

PPhil K.Regular13h ago

Have you explicitly said 'I will not be available after 3:30'? Not as a question or suggestion, but as a statement? Because 'flexible hours' can mean whatever they want unless you define what it means.

AAndy S.Regular45m ago

Happened to me. I finally had to literally not check messages after 3:30. Like phone in a drawer. My manager freaked out at first but then realized the 'urgent' 5pm messages could wait until morning. It took like 3 weeks but the culture shifted.

PPete D.Regularjust now

The 'just one more thing' is the killer. You need to actually enforce the boundary or they will keep creeping it. That sucks but it's the only way they learn you meant it.