The first example of flexible working hours, designed to reduce absenteeism and lateness at Munich-based aerospace company Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (MBB).
Traffic congestion was creating problems for MBB. Management consultant Christel Kammerer proposed flexible start and finish times, to help reduce absenteeism and lateness, and reduce overtime.
This was the first example of what was termed ‘gleitzeit’, or ‘flexible working hours.’
MBB had more than 3,000 staff and productivity was being affected by congestion as workers tried to get to and from the site, resulting in a culture of employees arriving late and leaving early.
Initially, Kammerer proposed staggered start and finish times, allowing workers to arrive any time between 0700 and 0800 and leave any time between 1600 and 1800. This lessened the traffic issues and the company was inspired to take things further, expanding their policies to allow flexible lunch breaks and for employees to bank hours.