Raising a young family and trying to build a career is one of the toughest juggling acts ever. Would life not be easier if one works for an organisation that recognises and won't penalise one for trying to make both equally as important.

I read this articles and got me thinking on how a lot of otherwise unnecessary hours could be more compact for working parents. I know childcare is relatively cheaper in Nigeria but even at that Some people still place a premium on wanting to be there for their children despite also wanting to build a career.

Read this articles and thought of how this models could make life easier for a lot of people with growing families.

Home / News & Views / A passion for flexible working
A passion for flexible working
Friday 19th June 2015

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Chit Ghee
When Chit Ghee Yeoh applied for the role of director of internal audit at Metro Bank it was advertised as a full-time position. She was upfront about her need to work flexibly and has been doing the job on four days a week for the last 18 months.

The flexible culture at Metro Bank has meant that not only has she been able to make the role work on four days a week, but that the bank has got a highly motivated senior manager who is a passionate advocate of flexible working.

Chit Ghee reports directly to the CEO and the executive team and board and manages a team of six. She previously worked for Deloitte for 15 years, where she reduced to four days after her second daughter started school.

When she applied for the job at Metro Bank, who are one of Workingmums.co.uk’s Top Employers, she says the ability to do it in four days was crucial. “If they had not been able to offer me four days I would not have been interested,” she says. “Having worked elsewhere, I was very conscious of how important flexibility and the way it was supported was.”

She did the job as an interim first which gave both her and Metro Bank the opportunity to test each other. “It gave me the opportunity to prove I could do it,” says Chit Ghee. She adds that she believes it is vital to bring flexible working up at interview if it is important. “Otherwise you could end up not being happy and will eventually leave,” she says.

Flexibility is at the centre of how she and her team – and Metro Bank – work. The team is evenly split between the genders and all three women work flexibly. Two work four days each, one from 8am-4pm and the other from 9.30am-4pm. One of the men is a dad and leaves slightly earlier one day a week. Chit Ghee says if anything comes up such as a child’s sickness, there are open conversations about how to manage that. In any event, mobile working is fully enabled as everyone at Metro Bank has a laptop and can access the bank’s systems quite easily. If there is a crisis and someone can’t get in their laptop can be biked to their house. The team is outcomes-driven, with everyone focused on the tasks they have to deliver, but as long as they meet their deadlines there is flexibility around how they do that, says Chit Ghee.

Transparency

She has open discussions about flexible working requests with the team to make sure everyone is on board. “I wouldn’t tolerate comments on why someone who is working 8am-4pm is leaving at 4. I lay down what is expected of the team so it is very clear. We are a small, tightly knit team and everyone is very empathetic. If they don’t have children there may be other reasons they need flexibility. For instance, during Ramadan people can work from home, come in after lunch and work late. If we can adapt to an individual’s needs without the business being affected we get more out of them. The challenge is making it work,” she says. “But if you are open and fair about it you can do that. I like to think my team members can talk to me.”

There is a team meeting every month team members talk about what they are doing and any challenges they are facing.

Chit Ghee, whose daughters are aged 10 and seven, has Wednesdays off and says she feels that is vital so that she feels connected to her children’s school, has some time with the girls after school and has one morning to devote to herself. “I think it is very important for your well being to have some time to yourself, even if it’s just a few hours, and with the right employer you can make it work,” she says. She has come in on Wednesdays if there are special meetings to attend, but she has been told not to make a habit of it. “For me it is about give and take,” she says.

She gives an example to illustrate the flexible culture at Metro Bank. There are bi-monthly board meetings which are set up a year in advance. The third one she attended was in half term and she had booked the week off. One of the directors who attended the meeting had to travel from overseas so it was not easy to shift. “The response was amazing. They said my deputy could come instead and that next year they would make sure the meeting did not fall during half term,” she says.

A flexible culture

She compares the culture at Metro Bank with that of other firms in the financial services sector. Many have had flexible policies, but she says that does not always ensure that those who work flexibly feel supported. If, for instance, the vast majority of your colleagues are graduates who are willing to work all hours, it creates a long hours culture, whether this is intentional or not, she says.

She has been proactive in the past about supporting working parents. After returning to Deloitte from her first maternity leave around 10 years ago, she formed the company’s Working Mothers Group, later renamed Parents Group, which provided a network for working parents to share their experiences or voice concerns in a confidential forum. “I was a senior manager when I came back and none of the senior mums had returned from maternity leave before me,” she says. “They were losing a lot of women and after trying to do five days a week and having to leave at 5pm to get to the nursery, I soon realised why. They were very supportive, but it was hard. That’s why I set up the network, initially to see how Deloitte UK compared to other Deloitte offices and then to find out what we could offer to help working mums. Like many businesses, there was a good gender mix at entrant level which fell off sharply at management level. I realised one of the areas we could help with was providing a forum for parents to talk about the pressures and get some support.”

The group met every two months for a working lunch and this gradually evolved into a parenting club because dads also wanted to talk about balancing work and family life.

Chit Ghee thinks dads have a harder time negotiating flexible working and says positive role models at senior management level help. “At Metro Bank there is no overt promotion of flexible working, but senior executives do provide good role models. One said she was going to be working from home for two afternoons a week while her child was doing GCSEs. That’s great. It normalises it. The culture of the bank is all-encompassing. For customers, for instance, our branches have nappy changing facilities and we are involved in school and community projects,” she says.

“A flexible culture is vital for parents. I have done a lot of recruitment for accounting and law firms and if they don’t change their culture those professions are going to become less attractive,” she says. “Flexible working is the key to making it work for parents. But it’s not just for parents. The younger generation want a life outside work. We have to change how we work.”

Flexible working is an essential component of Leigh Smyth’s life. It has been vital in her climb up the career ladder to her current post of Head of Group Digital Inclusion at Lloyds Banking Group and has allowed her to adapt to the different ages and stages of her children.

Leigh says the Group, who are one of Workingmums.co.uk’s Top Employers, are the best company she knows for agile working. “They are very outcome-driven and managers are supportive of people with caring responsibilities,” she says. “The culture embraces and encourages this.” Technology has been a massive enabler, whether it is remote working, compressed weeks or reduced hours. Leigh uses Face Time, conference calls and virtual meetings which allow sharing of desktops.

Leigh started at Lloyds Banking Group as a part-time manager working two days a week before going full time in her current role in January. At the same time she was working as Business Development Director for Adjust your set, a creative agency specialising in branded video content across multiple channels. “It was a portfolio career and it worked well,” she says.

Throughout her career, Leigh has adjusted her working patterns around her family life, saying: “When my sons were younger I felt that they didn’t need me so much so I worked full time.” She was fairly creative with the way she organised childcare as she had no family living nearby, even becoming a partner in the small village nursery her children went to. Her husband’s job was also quite flexible which allowed him to help with childcare.

She always knew that she wanted to be around when her children needed her more as teenagers so works from home at least two days a week. She says: “I think they need their parents around to talk to about their friendships and school work. The period from 11 to 16 is instrumental in their emotional development.”

Flexible work life
Over the years she has changed her hours in line with her children’s needs and her husband’s schedule. If he has been very busy at work she has reduced her hours and vice versa. She says that as long as she is upfront,and ensures it works with her teams and delivers work-wise, she has not had a problem with employers. But she has chosen her employers carefully. “I choose to work for companies with agile policies,” she says. “I do not work for employers who are not flexible, this is my primary requirement and its non negotiable.”

Her current role involves encouraging more people and businesses to take advantage of the benefits of digital on becoming more connected and making the most of the digital revolution. She cites some recent research by the Group which shows how much time going digital saves small and medium sized enterprises. “A fifth of SMEs say they don’t have time for digital, but when they do use it they say time saving is the biggest benefit. It can save them around half a day a week,” she says. “I often think it’s the same for me working in a large FTSE, technology allows me to work from home, saving valuable travel time. Parents are endlessly bartering with time. It’s important to work out ways of working that are the most efficient,” she says.

Time is something she is good at using efficiently. In addition to her role in the Group, she is a Trustee of the Just for Kids Law charity, which aims to “transform the lives of children and young people through the rule of law and child-centred advocacy”. She joined because she was keen to get board-level experience and to “give something back”.

Women in digital
Leigh has extensive experience in digital. Her previous employers have included PC World and Becta [originally the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency], where she led a marketing and stakeholder engagement team on a new government initiative to support low income parents and children with the provision of ICT. Before switching to a portfolio career, she was Managing Director in the Office of the Digital Champion and and developed the campaign and partnership strategy for Race Online 2012, Baroness Martha Lane Fox’s national campaign to help everyone in the UK discover the wonders of the web. Leigh says: “I have been very lucky of course working for great advocates of digital to enable flexible working, Nick Williams, my director at Lloyds Banking Group and also, of course, Baroness Lane Fox.”

Although she is full time now, she works from home on Wednesdays and Fridays and says having fixed days is better for the children as they know when she will be around and there is more of a routine. Plus she can take her sons to rugby on Wednesday evenings. She says her biggest problem with agile working is herself , because she loves her job so much it is almost like a hobby so it is difficult to switch off. She occasionally works weekends, but out of choice only. “I am very clear on what I am not prepared to do,” she says. “For me, my family comes first and I have built my career around them.”

A caring employer
Wednesday 1st July 2015

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Mobile working
Kevin Smith knows how important it is to have a supportive employer. He is Resourcing Project Manager at Vodafone, having recently moved from another role in the company where he had been involved in implementing and communicating Vodafone’s new global maternity policy in the UK. This included the introduction of Shared Parental Leave. The policy – which includes a six-month period when returning mums can work 80% of their hours but get 100% pay – was launched at the beginning of April, but backdated on a pro-rata basis for people who had already returned earlier in the year.

Kevin is more aware than most how important the ability to spend quality time with your children is. His wife died just over two and a half years ago and since then he has been a single dad to their two children, now aged nine and seven.

He says Vodafone, who are one of Workingmums.co.uk’s Top Employers, has been extremely supportive over the course of the last few years. He started working at Vodafone around six and a half years ago when his wife had already had cancer and been given the all clear. “It was like a fresh start,” he says. “It felt good to have a new challenge.” However, about a year after he started the cancer came back.

His wife went through treatment for five to six weeks. Their children were three months old and two at the time. Vodafone were very supportive and allowed him to reduce from full time to four days a week almost straight away and gave him time to attend treatment with his wife. At the time he was in sales, but soon after he moved from a customer-facing role to a more internal-facing one. “The pressure was taken off me. I used to have a team working for me, but I did not have the capacity to do that as I was consumed with helping my wife,” he says.

He discussed this with his manager and they found a solution which meant he had a role which allowed him to feel fulfilled and part of Vodafone and gave him a career to go back to, but enabled him to spend time with his family without feeling any pressure.

His wife remained stable for the next couple of years and he stayed on four days a week as she had lots of consultations to go to. “Things didn’t get worse, but they never got any better either,” he says. Then she had a scan and was told she was terminally ill. Kevin spoke to his manager again and reduced to three days and eventually to two days a week. Vodafone was also flexible about when he worked his hours, for instance, if he had to take his wife to appointments or be somewhere for his children. “I could fit my hours for those two days in whenever I could, for instance, in the evenings. My manager was amazing,” he says.

Sabbatical
In October 2012 his wife’s health got worse. “She told me ‘I need you now’. I told Vodafone I couldn’t come back to work,” says Kevin. He was put on sabbatical, initially for three months because the doctor advised she had three months to live. However, she didn’t die until March 2013. Kevin was off work until April, but kept in touch as much as he needed. His manager came to the funeral and in fact rang her while she was ill to reassure her that Kevin was a really valued member of staff and that Vodafone would look after him. “It was an incredible thing to do and put her mind at ease that her family would be okay,” says Kevin.

He returned to work on two days a week and then built up to three. He knew, however, that the sales environment and role was no longer right for him. “I had been through a life-changing event and it just didn’t feel right any more,” he says. Vodafone supported him to transfer into another role in HR project management. He began two years ago on three and a half days a week then went up to four, but found this difficult to manage with looking after a young family so requested a reduction back to three. He has recently taken on a new role, supporting armed services individuals who are resettling into civilian life through developing a community and promoting job opportunities.

Whilst he has been in HR he says his managers have been very supportive and understood that he might have bad days. “My first manager in HR knew when all the important anniversaries were,” he says. “Those little touches meant a lot.”

Kevin, who now has a new partner, says that Vodafone’s flexible working policy has helped him a lot and meant he can be around for his children. For that reason he is happy to be flexible back and to work more hours when needed. “It has been so important having jobs that are fulfilling and keep me engaged so in the future when I get to a point where I want to push my career again I can rescale it,” he says.

He adds that being in work has helped give him stability. “I have been fortunate to benefit from so many different types of flexibility and from amazing managers and this has definitely increased my loyalty and commitment to Vodafone,” he says. “I have not even the slightest thought of moving on. There is no reason to leave. It feels to me like there are a lot of opportunities to explore here in any event. My managers have been wonderful. Part of my job is to ensure managers get as much support as possible. If the managers I have had are a representation of the organisation then that is fantastic.”

Hmmm,i'm afraid not very feasible.Most jobs even with technology demand that you are present.
If it will work at all,it will mean that those who are not getting the flexibility at work are the ones who have to do more,cover up for the working mum................the men,especially single men.

thorpido:
Hmmm,i'm afraid not very feasible.Most jobs even with technology demand that you are present.
If it will work at all,it will mean that those who are not getting the flexibility at work are the ones who have to do more,cover up for the working mum................the men,especially single men.

Not necessarily though I agree that for customer facing roles its a bit more tricky. Even with those its just to do with scheduling and employing excellent time management skills.

And the single men do not necessarily have to cover up or pick up all the slack.Flexiblity here is not just on the part of the employer but on the part of the employee.

I will use my own team as an example. I am the only parent with young children with the only other parent a mother to grown kids.The others are young single men and women. We are sble to get in anytime from 8 (or 7.30) am up until 10am and can leave from 3.30 to 4.30 pm onwards. I tend to get in around the 8 (sometimes 7.30 if hubby is dropping the kids) 8.30 mark and leave at 4 or 3.30 with a 30 min lunch break . Sometimes sef that lunch us eaten on my desk when I am too busy. As long as I work my contractual 35 hours its all good.Any time over that can be taken as TOIL (time off in lieu) and that helps with emergencies without having to take annual leave.

Now you would think I would be the only person it helps. One of my young single male colleagues comes in at 10am and leaves at 6.00 everyday because he prefers going to the gym in the mornings . Another is doing his masters and so does not work Thursdays when he is at Uni. So mon tue wed fri he works 8.30 to 6 so he can have that day off to go to Uni.This means he compresses his hours so he can have that one day to improve himself professionally and academically.

So I leave at 4 they are there till 6 but I am there 2 hrs before the person who gets in at 10.Sometimes if need be like next friday, hubby will stay with the kids while I go in 8 and leave 5.30pm.Thats cos we have a deadline to meet.

I know it takes a bit of getting used to but it helps staff morale and also reduces staff attrition when enployers prioritise work life balance.

damiso:


Not necessarily though I agree that for customer facing roles its a bit more tricky. Even with those its just to do with scheduling and employing excellent time management skills.

And the single men do not necessarily have to cover up or pick up all the slack.Flexiblity here is not just on the part of the employer but on the part of the employee.

I will use my own team as an example. I am the only parent with young children with the only other parent a mother to grown kids.The others are young single men and women. We are sble to get in anytime from 8 (or 7.30) am up until 10am and can leave from 3.30 to 4.30 pm onwards. I tend to get in around the 8 (sometimes 7.30 if hubby is dropping the kids) 8.30 mark and leave at 4 or 3.30 with a 30 min lunch break . Sometimes sef that lunch us eaten on my desk when I am too busy. As long as I work my contractual 35 hours its all good.Any time over that can be taken as TOIL (time off in lieu) and that helps with emergencies without having to take annual leave.

Now you would think I would be the only person it helps. One of my young single male colleagues comes in at 10am and leaves at 6.00 everyday because he prefers going to the gym in the mornings . Another is doing his masters and so does not work Thursdays when he is at Uni. So mon tue wed fri he works 8.30 to 6 so he can have that day off to go to Uni.This means he compresses his hours so he can have that one day to improve himself professionally and academically.

So I leave at 4 they are there till 6 but I am there 2 hrs before the person who gets in at 10.Sometimes if need be like next friday, hubby will stay with the kids while I go in 8 and leave 5.30pm.Thats cos we have a deadline to meet.

I know it takes a bit of getting used to but it helps staff morale and also reduces staff attrition when enployers prioritise work life balance.

Hmmm,your experience is practical.I don't know how it can work in a place like Lagos sha.If people have that flexibility,Much of the work will definitely not get done on time or at all.

It takes discipline and company culture to pull this off.
Chai I miss the Uk.

Damiso
We need 24-7 electricity to pull this off.

salsera:
It takes discipline and company culture to pull this off.
Chai I miss the Uk.
Damiso
We need 24-7 electricity to pull this off.

thorpido:
Hmmm,your experience is practical.I don't know how it can work in a place like Lagos sha.If people have that flexibility,Much of the work will definitely not get done on time or at all.

You have raised valid points .. I think ifor it to work it would be more culture,discipline ,mindset and orientation that would be the issue even much more than the logistics.

Salsera I have worked in Nigeria na most offices already provide electricity with generators and diesel anyway .Big to medium scale organisations more like and they are the ones I am talking about.flexible working might be a pain for small businesses and even in the UK it's not something small business are too fond of which I can kinda understand from the business perspective.

In Nigeria, I am thinking places like banks, the civil service , parastatals , telcos etc.

I could not(don't know if it's still the case) understand why operations staff in most commercial backs have to leave the office at 7/8 pm everyday. If you leave at 6pm or before your boss back then the kain side eye you will be getting ehn like seriously.i do get some periods are extremely busy esp when there is some sort of project at hand but I feel the culture of equating long hours = hardworking is one that will not do us all any good in the long term.

And this is not just for parents with young children. Why can't I just want to go the gym after work ? Or learn tennis? Or take up a craft?

@ Damiso Civil Service ke? Those ones already have their own flex time

It really does help.

I think some multinationals like GE in Nigeria offer it to their employees. My cousin works for GE and I remember his work hours being flexible or could have been due to being in the engineering field.

The company I work for has a 37.5hr work week and you can start anytime from 7.30 a.m and 5.00p.m. You can also work from home as well. I work from 7.30-4.00pm, Monday to Thursday, and 7.30- 1.30pm on Friday.

I dont know how this will work for indigenous Nigerian Corp and banks, however, if it does work, it will go a long way in helping working Mums strike that work-life balance.

The reason I mentioned 24-7 electricity is simply because part of flexible working is being able to work from home . Using video-conference, having remote access etc.

Flexible resumption times can be tricky especially in a traffic prone state such as Lagos. So as much as its possible employers may get the rough end of the deal with regards to productivity.

Is it Feasible?

Sounds impractical especially in Lagos

If you leave Ajah past 6, you will get to V/I by past 8. If you leave by past 7, you will get there same past 8. Most people who leave the office very very late do so due to traffic. Making Lagos traffic free (a dream) would help a whole lot.

I know about 90% of my colleagues will grab it anyways.

Again, a semblance of work/life balance can be achieved with the right boss and common sense.

The banking and sole proprietorship sector needs complete overall.

Hmnnnnnnn, from my experience in Naija esp the multinationals, flexible hours/work-life balance is preached everyday but that's where it stops. In reality, it's very difficult to practise.

A lot of factors come into play that makes it next to impossible. The most important is the sincerity of the company itself. Is the organisation output-focused or input-driven. Where the organistion is result-driven, their priority is not when you come into or leave the office, instead, your appraisal is based strictly on how well you meet your targets. In organisations like this, your bosses will find it difficult to appraise you badly just because you worked flexible hours when you've actually met all your goals.

However, where the organistion is input-driven, it's all about how many hours you spend in the office. These type of workers tend to work very hard but not smart. In this scenario, you would not be able to leave until all your bosses leave. A very long time ago, I worked in a place like this and trust me, when it's 5pm, rather than go home, we will all start surfing the net till 10pm when our bosses leave. I found it very frustrating and couldn't continue living like that so I had to start my CFA exams so that at least, I could better account for my time. If I had been stubborn about it and left when I was really through for the day, I am sure I would have lagged behind seriously in my promotions in that organisation so I had to work round the problem.

Another thing is the present day reality. In most organisations, people are almost being overworked. Even when the company is all about output, they load you with soo much work it's nearly impossible to close at normal hours. How then do you want to work flexi hours?

But I honestly agree flexi hours is the way forward in Naija esp. with the hellish traffic situation, it's just makes more sense for you to work from home and not having to join thousands of other people competing for the narrow naija roads. But employers just don't believe you are adding value once they are not seeing you facing your office system and "stronging" face like Mike Tyson.

ladygogo:
@ Damiso Civil Service ke? Those ones already have their own flex time

It really does help.

I think some multinationals like GE in Nigeria offer it to their employees. My cousin works for GE and I remember his work hours being flexible or could have been due to being in the engineering field.

The company I work for has a 37.5hr work week and you can start anytime from 7.30 a.m and 5.00p.m. You can also work from home as well. I work from 7.30-4.00pm, Monday to Thursday, and 7.30- 1.30pm on Friday.

I dont know how this will work for indigenous Nigerian Corp and banks, however, if it does work, it will go a long way in helping working Mums strike that work-life balance.

@civil service already having flexitime . I guess theirs would be more getting them to do any work in the hours they are in The office.

It sure would ....and would Create less scenarios where people (women esp) would stop being pressured into thinking giving up their career is the only way they can have a balanced family life. I have a couple of friends who felt they could not cope with leaving home at 7 and getting home when their kid were asleep every week day and had to end up starting 'business' so they could have some more flexibility.

Kimoni:
Hmnnnnnnn, from my experience in Naija esp the multinationals, flexible hours/work-life balance is preached everyday but that's where it stops. In reality, it's very difficult to practise.

A lot of factors come into play that makes it next to impossible. The most important is the sincerity of the company itself. Is the organisation output-focused or input-driven. Where the organistion is result-driven, their priority is not when you come into or leave the office, instead, your appraisal is based strictly on how well you meet your targets. In organisations like this, your bosses will find it difficult to appraise you badly just because you worked flexible hours when you've actually met all your goals.

However, where the organistion is input-driven, it's all about how many hours you spend in the office. These type of workers tend to work very hard but not smart. In this scenario, you would not be able to leave until all your bosses leave. A very long time ago, I worked in a place like this and trust me, when it's 5pm, rather than go home, we will all start surfing the net till 10pm when our bosses leave. I found it very frustrating and couldn't continue living like that so I had to start my CFA exams so that at least, I could better account for my time. If I had been stubborn about it and left when I was really through for the day, I am sure I would have lagged behind seriously in my promotions in that organisation so I had to work round the problem.

Another thing is the present day reality. In most organisations, people are almost being overworked. Even when the company is all about output, they load you with soo much work it's nearly impossible to close at normal hours. How then do you want to work flexi hours?

But I honestly agree flexi hours is the way forward in Naija esp. with the hellish traffic situation, it's just makes more sense for you to work from home and not having to join thousands of other people competing for the narrow naija roads. But employers just don't believe you are adding value once they are not seeing you facing your office system and "stronging" face like Mike Tyson.

I can so feel you on the stronging face scenario I had one annoying boss like that too in Naija you can't get to the office after him and you can't leave before him . To call in sick sef na war ,if you think of the interrogation you will get ,you will just Kuku come in and faint in front him so he can believe you are ill

You raised very salient points , indeed it's more a culture thing and will suit a culture where KPI's are based more on results.

I also want to add that it's not all left to the employer but also to the employee to maximise the time that they are at the workplace.

salsera:


The reason I mentioned 24-7 electricity is simply because part of flexible working is being able to work from home . Using video-conference, having remote access etc.

Flexible resumption times can be tricky especially in a traffic prone state such as Lagos. So as much as its possible employers may get the rough end of the deal with regards to productivity.

Those are factors that have to still be taken into consideration.

Even the UK sef is not there yet .London Bridge station won't be as congested as it was every week day morning if it was That widespread.However various think tanks are advocating it as the way forward (there was a tube strike last week and this brought into fore the more).

There would be less congestion on the roads ,railways etc. if everyone was not trying to get the same places at the same time.I always get to choose my seat when I go into work 7/7.30 ish but anytime after 8 I would be lucky to even get onto a train

You are right though that looking at it broadly it takes a certain kind of employee /employer for it work and not affect productivity.

bukatyne:
Is it Feasible?

Sounds impractical especially in Lagos

If you leave Ajah past 6, you will get to V/I by past 8. If you leave by past 7, you will get there same past 8. Most people who leave the office very very late do so due to traffic. Making Lagos traffic free (a dream) would help a whole lot.

I know about 90% of my colleagues will grab it anyways.

Again, a semblance of work/life balance can be achieved with the right boss and common sense.

The banking and sole proprietorship sector needs complete overall.

They do re banking and sole proprietorships.

The reason for traffic in most cities is that rush hour period where everyone is trying to get the same places at the same time.

So if the movement is staggered, it would make it less congested.

Those who stay till late could as well come in later and stay later but what happens is they come in early. I had a colleague then who lived in ikorodu would leave home at 5am to beat traffic and get to VI by 6. He often used to sleep in his car a bit before going into the office. He would then loiter around VI(at Swe bar most often ) till like 9 so he could get to drive down with lil or no traffic . So getting home like 10 . Like how is it life for you to wake up at 4 /4.30 and get home by 10pm?

If his contractual hours were 8 to 6,is it not more productive for him to get to work by 10am(and get a good nights sleep and rest) and leave the office by 8pm while still being productive ?

You are right though traffic is the Main issue and maybe a diversified transport system where not everyone has to be on the road might be the first step for a city like Lagos.

Hmm , can't really speak for other profession but from what I've seen , I'm almost certain it's feasible in Teaching field.

I have a friend who lectures in one of the federal universities and she's practically available when you call her for a favour.( ore I love you die but gotta yarn ). Can't even pull that off here.

And so are my other married friend that opted for lecturing profession.

So I realized why people talk newly weds into Teaching line for flexibility especially when raising young kids.