If a job advert says the following hours

[stevematekatemate]

What would you think?

This position is full time, however we can offer flexible hours, with core office hours being 9-6 pm.

I’ve been in my current role for 14 years so a bit lost as to what they mean.

I think I would take that to mean you will never have to be in before 9 or work after 6? So your FT hours can be worked between those times?

Probably means you can start at 9, 9:30, 10 (assuming 7+1 hour workday)

But possibly they are even more flexible than that hard to say...

Normally a company would say have core hours of 12-4 or something meaning everyone has to be working during those hours but otherwise you can have as early or as late of a start as you want outside of that...

That's usually how the terminology is used so the way they use it is a little confusing. I would ask for clarity.

I also think it's confusing as usually "core hours" would the ones that everyone is expected to work, for example, 10am-3pm. Then the flexible part is what time you start and finish around that. Someone might work 7-3, someone else 10-6.
Does it say what the hours are for full time? 9-6 is 40hrs plus 1hr unpaid lunch break. I'm struggling to see the flexibility tbh!

That is misleading. My core hours are 9-3 I have to be in work for then and can flex from 0730-1800

I’m glad it’s not me who didn’t understand it.

I’m not sure it’s for me so considering it further.

Core office hours of 9-6 means you have to be there between 9-6.

Yes, it doesn't make sense!

Probably it means that the standard hours are 9-6, but you can apply for flexible working and it's probably approved or not on an individual basis depending on the role?

Id read it that the firm, or maybe just department, is "open" between 9-6, but that there's flexibility around general working hours as long as there is enough staff working during those core hours.

@gingermcwhinger

I also think it's confusing as usually "core hours" would the ones that everyone is expected to work, for example, 10am-3pm. Then the flexible part is what time you start and finish around that. Someone might work 7-3, someone else 10-6. Does it say what the hours are for full time? 9-6 is 40hrs plus 1hr unpaid lunch break. I'm struggling to see the flexibility tbh!

I agree. How can you flexible around those core hours, it's too many hours! Typo in the advert maybe?

I read it as 'we expect you to work your 8 hours within this timeframe' - so, you can do 9-5 or 10-6.

I would also say it doesn’t make sense. Our core hours were 9-11 and 2-4 with everyone present (inc. part-time) on Tuesdays.

So 9-6 core, assuming 1hour break gives you 40 hours, leaving you 2 to work when you choose. That’s not really flexible!

I don’t understand either - my organisation’s core hours were 10am-12pm and 2-4pm, meaning you had to be there at 10, you couldn’t leave til 4, you could take a 2 hour lunch break if you wanted, but you could make up your hours as you liked around that. So you could do 10-6, or 8-4, etc.

I’d check with the organisation as it’s not clear.

I'd say it means that "standard" hours are 9-6, but they will consider offering flexible working patterns that are different to this.

I had the same as Wigeon core hours meant you had to be in for those hours, we had flexi time so could work longer or shorter days but lunch was 12-2 most people took between 30 minutes (minimum we had to take) or an hour but you could technically take 2 hours.

But you had to be in for 10-12 and 2-4.

That job advert is strange, maybe the opening hours are 9-6 and they expect people to work flexibly within those hours meaning there are always people there at 9 and possibly others there until 6pm.

It totally doesn't make sense as outside of 9 to 6 means longer than the average working week.

Id think they have worded it properly. Full time (37 hours?) To be worked between 9 and 6.

havent

I'd read it that you had to be present between 0900-1800. Core hours make me think that is the time you are expected to be there. I'd assume assume based on that that overtime (probably unpaid) was expected on top of that.

I'd ring to discuss the role and check.

Core usually means the hours you have to be there. But they might offer a day off a month or something if you've done extra hours.

I'd assume 9-6 is the standard working hours but flexible hours are available so you could request to do 8-5 for example instead

I think it means 35 pw (or whatever FT is for this organisation) but you can work them as you please between 9 and 6

I'd want to know how many actual hours does their full-time mean. And times of lunch break. I'd be wary of this.