Flexitime: Definition, Usage & Benefits

Meaning 1：flexible working hours (flexitime)

flexitime 🔊

/ˈfleksitaɪm/

A work system where employees choose their start and end times within limits, as long as they complete their required hours.

Flexitime illustration showing employees with different start times in a modern office

flexible working hours 🔊

➕

/ˈfleksəbl ˈwɜːrkɪŋ ˈaʊərz/

A work arrangement where employees have some freedom to choose their start and finish times each day, provided they work the required total number of hours.

📁 Category：Social Economy 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

Compound of 'flexi-' (from flexible) + 'time'. Means a system with flexible time.

💡 Mnemonic

Think: FLEXIble working TIME. It lets you flex your schedule like a muscle.

📖 Example

My company offers flexitime, so I can start work at 10 am and leave at 6 pm, which is perfect because I like to sleep in. 🔊 My employer provides flexible working hours, allowing me to begin my day at 10 AM and finish at 6 PM, which suits my preference for sleeping late.

🔗 Collocations

offer flexitime – to provide flexible working hours as a benefit

on flexitime – operating under a flexible hours system

flexitime policy – the official rules governing flexible work hours

🔄 Synonyms

flextime (n.) – An alternative spelling, especially common in American English, with the same meaning.

flexible hours (n.) – A descriptive phrase for a work schedule with variable start and end times.

compressed workweek (n.) – A related system where total weekly hours are worked over fewer days, offering larger blocks of free time.

🚫 Antonyms

fixed hours (n.) – A rigid work schedule with unchangeable start and finish times.

9-to-5 schedule (n.) – A traditional workday from 9 AM to 5 PM, representing a standard, inflexible timetable.

🌱 Derivatives

flexi-worker (n.) – An employee who works under a flexible hours arrangement.

📖 Cultural Story

The concept emerged in Germany in the 1960s as 'Gleitzeit' (gliding time), gaining popularity in the UK during the 1970s as a response to changing work-life balance attitudes and commuting challenges. It represents a shift from rigid industrial-era schedules.