Work patterns are essential in creating a productive and organized workplace. Knowing how your team and individual employees work best will enhance performance and well-being. Work patterns refer not only to working hours, but also to when employees are focused and efficient in their work, and the form in which they tend to do that work (in small bursts or steady types of work periods or scheduled blocks of shift-type work)
Many organizations are being flexible and utilizing other work patterns to suit the business environment but also have employees working in ways that meet their lifestyle. It may mean fixed working hours (for example, 8 to 5), flexible working time, or hybrid models. Each type of work pattern has its benefits and challenges. Understanding what work patterns are and how to be successful in managing them within the team will help a business maximize productivity and produce a positive and healthy workplace culture.
A work pattern defines how an employee organizes their schedule, tasks, and routines on a day, week, or project cycle basis. Work patterns define when, where, and how work gets done, and provide clarity and consistency for everyone involved.
Work patterns are more than just the schedules they contain; they also define how a team has been organized to accomplish its work. For most employees, work patterns provide a frame of reference in terms of structure, outlining when they will complete tasks and what their expectations are for the workday and week, including deadlines and collaborative work with others. Work patterns, or structures, can look very different based on role, organization, and even person.
For example, a marketing department working from home might have more flexibility in work patterns and complete the tasks when an employee is working at peak productivity in terms of being fully present and engaged in the task. A customer service department may have more structured work patterns that would create schedules to ensure some type of coverage of customer support is available sometime throughout the day or week. Even freelance or gig economy work may offer informal work patterns around deadlines and clients.
A consistent pattern does not mean that all employees have to follow the same routine. Each member of a team, however, has a pattern that is offered in their role to support their optimal performance. It is about alignment, rather than conformity.
Work patterns are established so that they just become the basis of the workflow. Essentially, whether work patterns are structured or semi-structured, if you have a usable work pattern, it simply ensures that you know what needs to get done, if it needs to get done, and ultimately minimizes burnout.
Work patterns help instil stability, predictability, and balance in the workplace, and contribute to employees being able to plan out their day more effectively or manage tasks without the weight of juggling too many unplanned tasks, thereby reducing feelings of potential overwhelm. When people know what to expect, they can be more focused and deliver better outcomes.
From an employer's point of view, work patterns assist with better team alignment and project deadlines; they can also be used to follow progress on a project. Clarity in work patterns enables resource planning, from the viewpoint of a manager, as they can see the available working hours more clearly and promote a more direct assignment of tasks.
Work patterns also impact employee health. A work schedule that isn't aligned with how an employee's preferred cycle, or pattern of work, can risk higher stress or lower productivity for the employee. To address this, some organizations are providing flexible or hybrid working arrangements. This allows the employee to negotiate a pattern of work that suits them best and supports them to perform at their highest rate of productivity and feel happier in their role.
Ultimately, work patterns are one of many underrated or hidden incentives, or placeholders, for effectiveness, productivity, happiness, and organization.
Work patterns vary greatly by job, organization, and employee preferences. By recognizing these patterns, companies can design workflows that facilitate the efficiency of work as well as a proper work-life balance. Here are some of the most common examples:
1. A Fixed Pattern of Work
Employees have a predictable and regular schedule each day, for example, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. This applies mostly to in-office-type work or retail-type jobs. It provides consistency and predictability, thus letting everyone more easily plan workflow, meetings, and team assignments.
1. A Fixed Pattern of Work
Employees have a predictable and regular schedule each day, for example, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. This applies mostly to in-office-type work or retail-type jobs. It provides consistency and predictability, thus letting everyone more easily plan workflow, meetings, and team assignments.
2. A Flexible Pattern of Work
Flexible jobs allow employees to choose when they work (in remote work, creative, and some other scenarios) in a way that they have control over their time. There are benefits in performance and job quality improvements. A professional recognizes the value of control over their time, and they're happier when they do.
3. A Shift Pattern of Work
Employees rotate from those available shifts (morning, evening, night) to create a 24/7 work pattern. An example of this is found in healthcare, transportation, and customer service.
4. A Compressed Pattern of Work
Employees work longer hours, or simply more hours, but over fewer days in a compressed work week pattern, e.g., working 10 hours a day for four days. This allows employees to have an entire extra day off and also have fewer total hours of work at the end of the week.
5. A Hybrid Pattern of Work
Employees spend some time in the office and some time at home. Increasingly, companies are using this hybrid model for their workforce. It preserves flexibility while allowing teams to meet face-to-face when it makes sense to do so; it's a happy medium for many teams.
6. A Part-time, or Freelance, Pattern of Work
Employees may have variable hours each week based on their contractual agreements. This arrangement is common among consultants or part-time professionals who require greater flexibility.
All six work patterns have their virtue, and the context of the actual work, business purpose, or employee's choice of work pattern will determine the type of pattern.
Establishing a work pattern may take some time and thoughtful consideration, but it will be worth the time you spend developing the pattern and making your policy successful. Here's how to do it:
1. Analyse Business Requirements and Job Requirements
First, begin with the analysis of the job requirements. For example, does the position have a task-oriented nature that will allow the successful candidate to have flexibility? Is all the work dictated by the availability of the customer? Whatever it is, you'll know and be able to answer those types of questions to form a conclusion on an appropriate work pattern.
2. Consider Employee Preferences
First, check with the team. Some employees may be early risers and prefer working odd hours, while others may be late-night types. Of course, a combination would be the best approach. When employees have work schedules that align with their natural work rhythm, employees can be more productive while reducing their stress.
3. Use Technology to Reinforce Work Patterns
Time tracking applications, online calendars, and project management applications will help with organizing employees' work hours or tasks. If you are aligning to team-based delivery, it will be much easier to change work patterns, as you identify the needs of your team with the technologies available to support those changes.
4. Set Clear Expectations
After establishing a work pattern, communicate that pattern clearly to the employees. Share information such as starting and ending times, break times, deadlines for tasks, task progress reporting procedures, etc. This reduces confusion, and expectations are clear.
5. Maintain the Work Pattern
Work patterns are not a fixed rule. The patterns you have established for your team may need to be revisited, especially as your team grows or the nature of the work changes. Always invite ongoing feedback and continue to revise the patterns and schedules used by your team.
Patterns of work are a significant element of team performance and functioning. Good patterns of work can facilitate greater focus, less stress, and greater enjoyment in work. Regardless of whether you prefer to work in fixed hours or flexible shifts, the intention is the same: to promote a balanced routine to support performance and well-being. Managing patterns of work is not about controlling time; it is about using time intelligently.
