What Is Task-Based Working Time and How Does It Work?

Task-based working time is one of the organizational solutions that is gaining increasing popularity in Polish companies. Particularly in creative and technology sectors, this concept has been well-established for several years now. In an age of professional flexibility and changing expectations, this model is becoming a solid alternative to traditional forms of employment. What exactly is task-based working time, and what benefits (and challenges) does it entail?

Let’s start with the definition and clarification of the term.

Task-based working time is a form of work organization in which the employee is not obliged to perform their duties during strictly defined hours, as in a standard eight-hour workday. Instead, the employer agrees with the employee on specific tasks that should be completed within a specified timeframe. How much time the employee will need to complete these tasks and how they distribute their working hours is up to them — in theory, the result is all that matters.

So, this concept can be defined as a model based on results rather than time spent.

1. Which Industries Use Task-Based Working Time?

Task-based working time is particularly popular in industries where creativity, independence, and flexibility play a crucial role. This primarily applies to sectors such as:

• IT and Technology: Programmers, data analysts, web designers, etc.
• Marketing and Advertising: Copywriters, content marketers, social media specialists, graphic designers.
• Consulting and Advisory Services: Business consultants, tax advisors, financial analysts.
• Creative Sector: Screenwriters, translators, audio and video editors, voice-over artists.

For copywriters, the project’s acceptance is often determined by the number of characters with spaces in a given text. Editors are usually paid based on the number of minutes of processed footage, while graphic designers are compensated for the number of banners created, and so on.

(Continue reading below the form)

2. Task-Based Working Time System — Advantages and Disadvantages

Why is the task-based working time system gaining popularity?

In short: because a well-organized system offers numerous benefits for both employees and employers.

For employees, it primarily provides flexibility: they can decide when and where they perform their work, which allows for better time management and maintaining a work-life balance. The autonomy guaranteed in this way promotes increased motivation and job satisfaction, helping to avoid the nightmare of many employees in the traditional model — excessive micromanagement.

For employers, this means gaining a motivated, self-disciplined employee while reducing management costs — there’s no need to spend managerial time on constant supervision and the infamous “looking over the shoulder.”

3. Task-Based Working Time — Disadvantages

In practice, however, this system does not work in every case. Primarily, it is a model that relies on much greater trust than traditional accounting, often combined with hybrid or fully remote work. Therefore, the employer has limited control over the employee, which, in the case of the aforementioned disciplined and responsible worker, does not generate any problems. However, people are different, and the temptation to lower productivity may prove strong.

Therefore, for task-based working time not to become a trap, it requires:

• A well-designed and competently conducted recruitment process.
• An efficient work organization and accounting system based on proven tools (e.g., TastyTask).

4. Task-Based Working Time — Contract Provisions

Like any other agreement regulating the relationship between employee and employer, task-based working time must be governed by a contract, regardless of its type — whether it’s a classic employment contract, B2B contract, or a contract of mandate. In the case of an employment contract and full-time employment, tasks should be assigned in such a way that their completion takes as many hours as the full-time standard — typically 40 hours per week and 160 hours per month.

Are overtime hours possible in a task-based working time system? Theoretically, yes, if the tasks require more time than planned. In this case, the employer under an employment contract (UoP) is obliged to pay an additional 50% or 100% of the hourly wage.

5. Employment Contract — Task-Based Working Time — Sample Clause

Sample clauses for a so-called task-based contract may look as follows:

1. The employer determines the scope of duties and assigns tasks to be completed within specified deadlines.
2. The time required to complete the tasks will be determined considering the normative working hours applicable in the given settlement period.
3. The employee is obliged to complete the assigned tasks within the agreed deadlines, exercising due diligence.
4. The employee independently decides on their working time distribution, provided their availability allows for task completion within the agreed deadlines.

This clause can be adjusted to the specifics of the job position and the company’s internal regulations. It is also advisable to consult a lawyer to ensure that it complies with current labor laws and the specific needs of the organization.

6. How to Organize Task-Based Working Time?

Introducing task-based working time in a company can bring many benefits, such as increased flexibility and work efficiency, but it also requires careful planning and clear rules.
The key is to use appropriate tools that allow supervisors to monitor the progress of the tasks and approve each stage. TastyTask, one of the best programs for organizing task-based work in an organization, is perfect for this purpose.

Try a free TastyTask account — no credit card required, and no obligations!