Core working hours are relevant in companies that offer their employees flexible working hours and home office. It is usually combined with flexitime. Core working time is the period during which all employees must be at their workplace, regardless of the working time model – regardless of whether this is in the company, in the home office or in the field, attendance is mandatory.
Core working hours Definition
The core working hours should not be confused with the contractually agreed working hours. The latter is longer than the core working hours and is usually eight hours a day or 40 hours a week. Core working hours, on the other hand, can only be two or three hours a day.
During core working hours, employees are obliged to be at their workplace and carry out their tasks. The main purpose of this is to facilitate communication, as completely flexible working hours can mean that many employees are difficult to reach. Fixed core working hours mean that all employees know when they can reach their colleagues. It is also important for customers and business partners to know when they can reach someone in the company.
Core working hours also serve to cover work peaks. For example, in companies that are particularly busy in the morning, core working hours can be set for the morning. From midday onwards, employees are then free to choose their own working hours.
There are no special regulations for core working hours. The company may determine the core working hours itself. If there is a works council in the company, it has a say in the decision on core working hours. It must therefore be involved. It is not enough to simply inform it of the decision.
If the company does not have a works council, the employer alone decides on the core working hours. However, it is always possible to reach an agreement with the employees in order to meet their needs.
Working hours are usually set out in the employment contract.
Advantages and disadvantages of core working hours
Core working hours have advantages for both companies and employees, but also disadvantages. Employers need to weigh these up to find out what is the best model for the company. This is a very individual process and depends on numerous factors. Among other things, the industry and the employees.
For companies, core working hours have these advantages:
- Increase in employee satisfaction
- Higher productivity
- Peak times are always sufficiently staffed
- Better internal and external communication thanks to reliable availability
- Ability to respond quickly to external concerns such as customer requests
But there are also disadvantages:
- Sufficient workstations must be available
- The recording of working hours is complex
This is why a modern time recording system such as the timecard which all employees can use to record their working hours anywhere and at any time.
Core working hours have the following advantages for employees:
- Flexible working hours outside core hours ensure a better work-life balance
- Despite flexible working time models, there is regular contact with colleagues
- Communication and agreements are easier
The only disadvantage for employees is that with a completely flexible working time model, the entire day can be organized freely. Due to the core time, employees have to keep a predetermined part of the day free for work. This can become a problem if, for example, the core working hours fall at the time when the children have to be taken to or picked up from school.
Core working hours are fixed working hours and employees are obliged by their employment contract to adhere to them. Violations of core working hours are a breach of contract and, if repeated, are grounds for a warning. In the worst-case scenario, repeated breaches of core working hours can also lead to dismissal.
Conclusion
As mentioned above, modern time recording systems are suitable for checking core working hours. Especially if the working model is flexible enough to allow employees to work both on site and from home, there is no way around a system such as the timecard to correctly record working time within core time and flexitime.
