Turkey considers flexible working model for public sector

Turkey's Minister of Treasury and Finance, Mehmet Şimşek, has provided new signals regarding the implementation of a flexible working model for the public sector. This initiative, which was previously part of a savings package, has resurfaced following the announcement of the medium-term economic plan.

According to social security expert Serkan Kumdakçı, the proposed model functions similarly to the hybrid work systems used in the private sector. The system would involve a distinction between ‘core hours’ and ‘flexible hours.’ Core hours, which must be spent within the institution, would be capped at a maximum of five hours per day. The remaining hours would allow employees to work from locations of their choice.

While the standard eight-hour workday remains, the schedule would be adaptable, allowing work to be distributed within a window starting two hours before the legal start time and ending three hours after the normal finish time. Under this plan, a civil servant would work a maximum of 10 hours in a single day. The inclusion of lunch breaks within the flexible time remains at the discretion of the individual institution.