Trust-based working hours – The ultimate challenge in the workplace?
How Much Trust Is Too Much?
When we talk about modern working time models, one term almost always comes up: trust-based working hours. For many, it is considered the ultimate discipline because it combines freedom and responsibility. But what exactly does it mean, what are the opportunities and risks, and how do we live this model at 3kubik?
What Are Trust-Based Working Hours?
Unlike traditional models such as flextime or shift work, trust-based working hours mean:
It’s not about presence – it’s about results.
Employees organize their own workday, deciding when to start, take breaks, or finish work. Employers simply provide a framework, such as a weekly working hour target, and trust that tasks will be completed reliably.
Of course, this does not mean everyone answers emails in the middle of the night. Trust also means considering dependencies, meeting deadlines, and remaining available to colleagues and clients when needed. For this reason, some companies combine trust-based working hours with core working hours during which everyone must be available.
Legal Framework
Although trust-based working hours may sound like complete freedom, there are limits. Since the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling in May 2019, working hours must be recorded.
This means that even under this model, companies need proof of the hours worked. The key difference is that the focus is not on control but on employees’ personal responsibility.
Benefits and Risks
Benefits for Employees:
• Flexible scheduling and a better work-life balance
• The ability to work during personal peak productivity periods, whether you’re an early bird or a night owl
• Less stress from rigid attendance requirements and greater focus on results
Benefits for Companies:
• Increased motivation and ownership
• Stronger employee commitment through a culture of trust
• Improved efficiency, as employees work during their most productive hours
Risks:
• The danger of self-exploitation when boundaries become blurred
• Coordination challenges if clear rules are missing
• Dissatisfaction when performance is not visible or recognized
Is Trust-Based Working Hours Suitable for Every Company?
Not every company benefits from this approach.
In industries with fixed opening hours or direct customer interaction, such as retail, the model is difficult to implement. It is also rarely suitable for manufacturing environments.
However, it works particularly well in knowledge-based professions such as software development, consulting, editorial work, or creative industries. In these fields, the quality of results matters more than physical presence.
Success Factors
For trust-based working hours to succeed, clear rules and expectations are essential:
• Define framework conditions in employment contracts or company agreements
• Involve employee representatives or works councils early in the process
• Ensure transparent communication within teams, for example through well-maintained calendars
• Hold regular check-ins on goals and project progress
• Foster a healthy error culture where trust replaces excessive control
Helpful tools include a personal “Manual of Me” (more on this in an upcoming blog post), where each team member describes how they prefer to work and when they are most easily reachable. This makes expectations visible and reduces misunderstandings.
How We Work at 3kubik
At 3kubik, trust is more than just a buzzword—it is part of our daily reality.
Since joining the company, I have experienced a variety of working time models. Never before have I felt as productive as I do today.
Here’s an example: After a short night, nobody benefits from me sitting in front of my laptop at 8 a.m. with a tired mind simply to keep my status indicator green. It makes far more sense to get an extra hour of sleep and then start the day focused and energized.
Parents on our team benefit enormously as well. Instead of stressing about a time clock when children are sick, they can balance work and caregiving responsibilities more flexibly. Even working across time zones—such as during my trip to the United States—works smoothly as long as tasks and deadlines are clear.
Our most important rule is:
Transparency.
We keep our calendars up to date, coordinate through Teams messages or short calls, and respect each other’s individual working rhythms. This allows us to maintain the balance between freedom and accountability.
Conclusion – Is It the Ultimate Discipline?
Trust-based working hours are not a one-size-fits-all solution, nor are they suitable for every industry. But where they fit, they unlock tremendous potential: greater motivation, stronger ownership, and a healthier work-life balance.
Perhaps they truly are the ultimate discipline of modern work—because they require the most valuable element of any professional relationship:
Mutual trust.