Requesting Flexible Hours

Rahul's daily commute has become long and tiring, and he also needs to help take his father to regular medical appointments. He decides to ask his manager, Ms. Kapoor, for flexible working hours to better manage his personal commitments.

Meanings in Rahul, Ms. Kapoor

Key words and phrases

flexible hourswork timing that can be adjusted to suit personal needsHe requested flexible hours to manage his commute.

core hoursthe fixed hours during which all employees must be availableThe core hours at his office are eleven to four.

commutethe journey between home and workplaceHis commute takes almost two hours each way.

personal commitmenta responsibility or obligation outside of workHe has a personal commitment every Tuesday afternoon.

shift timingthe specific start and end time of a workdayHe asked to change his shift timing to start later.

accommodateto make changes in order to fulfil someone's needsThe company tries to accommodate employee requests when possible.

trial basison a temporary basis to test if something worksThey agreed to try the new schedule on a trial basis.

staggered hourswork hours that start and end at different times for different employeesThe office introduced staggered hours to reduce crowding.

availabilitythe times when a person is free or reachable for workHe shared his availability for the coming weeks.

workloadthe amount of work assigned to a personHis workload remains the same despite the new schedule.

productivitythe amount and quality of work completedHis productivity actually improved with flexible hours.

reachableable to be contactedHe remains reachable on chat even outside core hours.

arrangementa plan or agreement made between peopleThey came to a flexible working arrangement.

compensateto make up for something, such as lost timeHe compensates for the early leave by logging in earlier.

HR policyofficial company rules set by the human resources departmentFlexible hours are allowed under the company's HR policy.

check into briefly connect or update someone on progressHe checks in with his manager every morning by chat.

Useful sentences

Ask Could I discuss my working hours with you?
Answer Yes, of course, tell me what's going on.
Ask How long is your daily commute?
Answer It takes almost two hours each way during peak traffic.
Ask What kind of arrangement are you hoping for?
Answer I'd like to start at seven and leave by three thirty.
Ask Will you still be available during core hours?
Answer Yes, I'll be reachable from eleven to three every day.
Ask Do you think your workload will be affected?
Answer No, I'll manage the same workload as before.
Ask Can we try this on a trial basis first?
Answer That sounds fair, let's try it for a month.
Ask Does this comply with company HR policy?
Answer Yes, staggered hours are already allowed for other teams.
Ask How will you compensate for leaving earlier?
Answer I'll log in earlier and check in with my team by chat.
Ask Will your productivity be affected by this change?
Answer No, I actually expect to be more focused.
Ask Can we review this arrangement after a month?
Answer Sure, let's set a follow-up meeting for then.

Dialogue

RahulMs. Kapoor, could I discuss my working hours with you?

Ms. KapoorSure, Rahul. Is everything alright?

RahulYes, but my commute has become quite long, and I also need to take my father to regular medical appointments.

Ms. KapoorI understand. What kind of flexible hours are you thinking of?

RahulI'd like to start at seven and leave by three thirty, while staying available during core hours.

Ms. KapoorThat should work. Will your workload and productivity stay the same?

RahulAbsolutely. I'll compensate by logging in earlier and checking in with the team by chat.

Ms. KapoorLet's try this arrangement on a trial basis for a month and see how it goes.

RahulThat sounds fair. Thank you for accommodating my request.

Ms. KapoorYou're welcome, Rahul. Let's review it together after a month.

Common mistakes

Saying "flexible time" instead of "flexible hours" when talking about adjustable work schedules — 'hours' is the standard term used at work.
Saying "I want change my timing" instead of "I would like to change my timing" — the modal verb and infinitive 'to' are both required.
Saying "core time" instead of "core hours" — 'hours' is the correct fixed term for the mandatory availability window.
Saying "my travelling is long" instead of "my commute is long" — 'commute' is the specific word for a journey to and from work.
Saying "accommodate to my request" instead of "accommodate my request" — 'accommodate' is not followed by 'to' before its object.
Saying "on trial" instead of "on a trial basis" — the full phrase with the article is needed when describing a temporary arrangement.

Quick quiz

1. What does "flexible hours" mean?

2. Complete: "The ___ at his office are eleven to four."

3. What does "commute" mean?

4. What does "accommodate" mean in this context?

5. Work hours that start and end at different times for different employees are called ___.

6. What does "on a trial basis" mean?

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