We have conducted an audit of the task-based working time system

17.10.2024

In a commercial real estate company, all employees were by default engaged under a standard working time system — each expected to commence work at 9:00 a.m. and finish at 5:00 p.m. 

In practice, however, this was not how employees actually worked. Managers had numerous meetings throughout the day and would sit down to emails and task delegation in the quieter afternoon hours. Employees responsible for managing properties similarly combined heavy daytime schedules with unforeseen evening and weekend incidents — for instance, a fire detection system failure in one of the monitored buildings, causing water to flood the warehouse floor, requiring an immediate response. 

HR was receiving requests for time off in lieu and overtime pay. Where possible, the employer granted additional days off; however, workloads were too high for some employees to take time off, and overtime hours were accumulating. There was also no system in place to verify whether employees were genuinely working overtime. 

The company approached us for assistance in implementing a proper working time system and minimising the risk of overtime accumulation.

What we did?

1. We met with the company’s representatives to identify the organisation’s specific challenges — the number of employees, their actual duties in practice, and how working hours were monitored. 
2. We introduced a task-based working time system for selected roles, defining each employee’s specific duties with precision. 
3. We prepared a full suite of documentation and guided the HR department through the entire implementation process. 
4. We prepared scripts for discussions with employees.
5. We trained the Management Board and HR on the task-based working time system, providing concrete guidance on how to organise employees’ work and monitor any potential overtime.