Choose flexible and part-time working arrangements
Compare home working, flexible hours, and part-time or full-time employment for a stated role.
Exam scope and assessment notes
Cambridge IGCSE (9–1) Business Studies 0986, 2026 syllabus, Version 2. This is the separate 9–1 legacy route; 0774 replaces it for first assessment June 2027. Candidates are not assessed on constructing income statements or statements of financial position, nor on price-elasticity or exchange-rate calculations. Simple cash-flow forecast construction is assessed. Written practice is self-checked, not an official Cambridge grade; timed-paper evidence and human subject-teacher review remain outstanding.
Before you begin
- No previous business study is assumed. Read each scenario for the people affected, the business objective and any limits on time, cost or information.
Work on paper. Try each question before revealing help, and explain why your method works.
Quick readiness check
Which is a flexible-working example in the syllabus?
What you will learn
- Recognise flexible working arrangements
- Compare part-time and full-time employees
- Recommend an arrangement using business needs
Match the arrangement to the work
Flexible working examples in the syllabus include home working and flexible hours. They change where or when work is done, subject to the role and the organisation's arrangements.
Home working may reduce commuting and provide access to a wider workforce, but coordination, equipment, data and team contact need attention. Flexible hours can help cover different schedules, but teams may need shared availability for collaboration.
Compare hours and coverage
Part-time employees work fewer hours than full-time employees under the arrangement. Part-time work can help cover peak periods or offer flexibility, but may require coordination across more people or leave gaps outside scheduled hours.
Full-time staffing may provide longer coverage and continuity, but costs and workload must fit demand. The effect depends on the role, schedule and applicable employment requirements.
Pause and explain
Why might a business use part-time shifts during a demand peak?
Worked example
A call centre has demand peaks from 17:00 to 20:00. Why might part-time shifts help, and what should management coordinate?
Show the worked solution
- Match labour hours to the demand peak.
- Consider handovers and service continuity.
- Check schedules and applicable contract arrangements.
Answer Part-time shifts can add staff during the evening peak without scheduling every employee for a full day. Management should coordinate handovers, availability and the applicable working arrangements.
Try a topic test
Choose Easy, Normal or Difficult. Save your answers and open worked review after finishing.
Test this topic →From guided practice to a new situation
Write your answer and reasoning first. Use a hint only if you are stuck. The model solution is for self-checking; your written work is not automatically marked.
A design team wants to allow home working two days a week. Give one possible benefit and one coordination issue to manage.
Give me a hint
Consider access and commuting alongside team communication or equipment.
Compare my reasoning
- Home working may reduce commuting time or widen access.
- Some tasks need shared discussion or specialist equipment.
- Agree availability and communication methods.
Home working may reduce commuting and help employees arrange focused work. The team should agree shared availability, communication and equipment access so collaboration does not suffer.
Look for these in your work
- Potential benefit explained
- Issue linked to task
- Practical coordination proposed
A shop experiences a short lunchtime rush but quiet mornings. Compare adding part-time peak cover with extending all full-time employees' shifts.
Give me a hint
Compare schedule fit, cost and continuity.
Compare my reasoning
- Part-time cover can target the busy period.
- Extending shifts may provide longer continuity but pay for quieter hours.
- The choice depends on demand pattern and worker availability.
Part-time peak cover may match staff hours to lunchtime demand, while extending full-time shifts could provide more continuity but add labour cost during quiet periods. The shop should compare actual demand and scheduling constraints.
Look for these in your work
- Two options compared
- Demand timing used
- Costs and continuity weighed
A manager claims flexible hours always increase productivity. Explain why the claim is too broad and name one condition that would help.
Give me a hint
Consider different roles and coordination requirements.
Compare my reasoning
- Some jobs need fixed coverage or shared handovers.
- Employee preference and work design vary.
- Clear availability rules can preserve coordination.
Flexible hours may help some employees organise work, but roles needing customer coverage or simultaneous teamwork may be disrupted. Agreed core hours or handover rules can help if the arrangement fits the task.
Look for these in your work
- Universal claim challenged
- Role context considered
- Condition named
Common mistakes
- Assuming home working suits every role
- Treating part-time employees as less skilled
- Ignoring handovers and coordination
What can you explain now?
Which is a flexible-working example in the syllabus?
Compare with the explanation
Flexible hours
The syllabus explicitly includes flexible hours.
After trying it yourself, choose your next review. This is your self-assessment.
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Make it stick
How should a business compare part-time and full-time staffing for a demand pattern?
If you needed the solution, close it and solve the problem again from a blank page. A correct answer is stronger when you can explain the reason for each step.