You want to hire the best talent for your business, but how can you compete against big enterprise employers, with their flex benefits packages and even more flexible work arrangements? If this is the dilemma you’re facing, the 9/80 work schedule might be the solution you’ve been looking for.
What Is a 9/80 Work Schedule?
The 9/80 work schedule is a work schedule where employees work 80 hours over nine days during a two-week work period. It’s a fixed work schedule that lets businesses give their employees a four-day work week every other week, while still working 80 hours over the two-week period.
An Example of the 9/80 Work Schedule in Practice
Here’s how the 9/80 work schedule is commonly implemented:
- Week One: Employees work a nine-hour day on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (for example, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.), and an eight-hour day on Friday (for example, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.), for a total of 44 hours in the week.
- Week Two: Employees work a nine-hour day on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and get Friday off, for a total of 36 hours in the week.
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And here’s a look at the schedule visually:
Week One:
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
|
Monday
|
9 |
|
Tuesday
|
9 |
|
Wednesday
|
9 |
|
Thursday
|
9 |
|
Friday
|
8 |
Total hours (Week One) = 44
Week Two:
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
|
Tuesday
|
9 |
|
Wednesday
|
9 |
|
Thursday
|
9 |
|
Friday
|
Off
|
|
Monday
|
9 |
Total hours (Week Two) = 36
Total hours over two-week period: 80
The result? Employees get 26 three-day weekends over the course of a year.
How It Works, From the Payroll Perspective
From a payroll perspective, you’ll need to switch to a two-week period to track work hours, if you’ve been tracking on a weekly basis. Otherwise, depending on the jurisdiction your business is in, you might run into potential overtime issues, since employees are clocking 44 hours every other week. And a 9/80 work schedule works best if each week in the two-week period has an even number of hours.
So, for the example above, it’s easiest for your payroll if the workweeks are structured as follows:
- Week One: Encompasses the nine-hour days on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and the first four hours on Friday (from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., for example), for a total of 40 hours.
- Week Two: Encompasses the last four hours of Week One’s Friday (from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., for example), plus the nine-hour days on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, for a total of 40 hours.
Here’s a visual representation, from a payroll perspective:
Week One:
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
|
Friday (1 p.m. to 5 p.m.)
|
Off
|
|
Monday (9 a.m. to 6 p.m.)
|
9 |
|
Tuesday (9 a.m. to 6 p.m.)
|
9 |
|
Wednesday (9 a.m. to 6 p.m.)
|
9 |
|
Thursday (8 a.m. to 6 p.m.)
|
9 |
|
Friday (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
|
4 |
Week Two:
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
|
Friday (1 p.m. to 5 p.m.)
|
4 |
|
Monday (9 a.m. to 6 p.m.)
|
9 |
|
Tuesday (9 a.m. to 6 p.m.)
|
9 |
|
Wednesday (9 a.m. to 6 p.m.)
|
9 |
|
Thursday (9 a.m. to 6 p.m.)
|
9 |
|
Friday (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
|
Off
|
From a payroll perspective, each work week begins at 1 p.m. on a Friday and ends at 1 p.m. on the following Friday. This means Week One and Week Two have the same start time and the same cutoff time.
Variations
While the example 9/80 work schedule above is commonly used, other variations can also be implemented. As long as the schedule encompasses eight nine-hour workdays over a two-week period, with a total of 80 hours worked in that period, it’s a 9/80 work schedule.
For example, some employers might choose to implement a four-hour Friday every week, so instead of getting a three-day weekend every other week, employees get half-day Fridays:
- Week One: Employees work a nine-hour day on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (for example, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.), and four hours on Friday (for example, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.), for a total of 40 hours.
- Week Two: Employees work a 9-hour day on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (for example, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.), and four hours on Friday (for example, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.), for a total of 40 hours.
Pros and Cons of the 9/80 Work Schedule
Employees want flexible work schedules—yes, even more than they want flexibility in where they’re working. According to a recent EY survey, when respondents were given a choice between flexibility in when they work and flexibility in where they work, 54% chose the “when” option, compared to the 40% that opted for the “where.”
But for business owners, implementing a 9/80 work schedule isn’t necessarily so clear-cut. There are both advantages and disadvantages, and it’s important to have a clear understanding of how your business can benefit—and all the ways a 9/80 work schedule could be detrimental, too.
Pros
There are several pros to implementing a 9/80 work schedule, from both the employee’s and the employer’s perspectives, including:
Better work-life balance. Having at least two extra days off every month gives employees the time they need to take care of personal matters, such as medical appointments (or even the opportunity to get the groceries done when the stores are less crowded). There’s also less commute time, since they won’t have to battle traffic on their extra day off. Not to mention less stress.
And for employers? Better work-life balance means better morale, and better morale translates into happier, more engaged employees. And for businesses, employee engagement and happiness directly impact the bottom line, by reducing absenteeism and turnover and increasing productivity.
Increased productivity. The 9/80 work schedule can increase productivity in other ways, too. For example, with additional time off to take care of personal matters, employees are less likely to need to deal with personal-related work interruptions during the workday.
And having an extra working hour four days of the week means there’s more time in a workday to complete tasks—cutting down on the time it takes to get back up to speed the next day for a project left in mid-completion.
Improved talent attraction and retention. Remember that stat about the majority of employees opting for flexibility regarding when they work? Implementing a 9/80 work schedule often means happier employees, but it also makes your business more attractive to potential employees.
When evaluating a new position, employees are interested in more than just salary and benefits. In fact, according to a recent Gallup survey, 61% rated greater work-life balance as “very important.” And employees who achieve a good work-life balance are also less likely to look for another job.
Cons
On the flip side, a 9/80 work schedule doesn’t necessarily mean it will be all roses and sunshine, as the saying goes. There are certain disadvantages, too, including:
Longer workdays. It might only be an additional hour, but that extra hour four days a week can lead to fatigue and poorer work performance for some employees. And with many countries opting for shorter workweeks (take Australia and the Netherlands, for example), there might be something to having a shorter workday overall.
Longer workdays can have another impact on employee well-being: Getting home an hour later can lead to more stress and less sleep, factors which can have a negative impact on work-life balance.
Payroll and regulatory issues. One big downside of a 9/80 work schedule is the added complexity it can add to what would otherwise be normal payroll events. For example, sick leave and vacation days need to take into account the hour difference between a nine-hour and an eight-hour workday. Policies have to be developed, instituted and communicated regarding how these situations will be handled.
Overtime can be an issue, too. And because various jurisdictions have different rules and regulations covering working hours, it’s always a good idea to consult with an expert to ensure your new 9/80 work schedule is in compliance with all regulatory requirements. California, for example, has a specific process that must be followed for implementing an alternative workweek schedule.
Coverage and scheduling problems. Depending on the nature of your business, you may run into coverage or scheduling issues with a 9/80 work schedule. For example, if you require consistent staffing throughout the workweek, you may not be able to give employees the same tenth day off every two-week period.
Having to stagger when employees get their extra day off can get complicated, especially if you require added coverage on Mondays and Fridays—which could mean you need some employees to take their extra day off midweek.
Who a 9/80 Work Schedule Is Best For
There are many benefits to a 9/80 work schedule, but the reality is, it’s an alternative work schedule that will work well for certain businesses—and not so well for others.
Your business might be a good fit for a 9/80 work schedule if:
- Your employees would benefit from having an extra hour of work four days a week. For example, employees of a professional services firm might need to work longer hours to meet client deadlines. A 9/80 work schedule could support this need while reducing the risk of burnout by providing an extra day off every two weeks.
- You need to attract or retain in-demand talent. For example, technology companies or startups might want to offer the flexibility of a 9/80 work schedule to beat out competitors so they can recruit the talent they need.
- Implementing extended work hours would reduce the overtime you’re paying. For example, a manufacturing company that sees a lot of overtime might consider a 9/80 work schedule if the extra work hours mean employees can work their normal 80 hours over two weeks without having to work overtime.
However, your business might not be a good fit for a 9/80 work schedule if:
- You’re a retail establishment. Retail establishments generally need to be staffed during operating hours so there will be someone ready to assist customers as needed and process transactions.
- You’re in the hospitality industry. Restaurants and hotels need to provide service to customers during peak hours (for example, the evenings and weekends), which can be difficult to accommodate with a 9/80 work schedule.
- You have a limited number of employees but have regular operating hours. If you’re a small business with a limited number of employees, it may be difficult to maintain adequate coverage for your normal operating hours with a 9/80 work schedule.
Alternative Types of Work Schedules
Even if a 9/80 work schedule isn’t a good fit for your business, there are several alternatives you can consider. For example:
- Other compressed workweek schedules. Variations on the 9/80 work schedule include the 4/10 work schedule (working 10 hours a day for four days a week) and the 3/12 work schedule (12 hours a day for three days a week).
- Flextime arrangements. With flextime, employees work a set number of hours but can control when their workday starts and ends.
- Remote work. With this option, employees work from home for at least part of the workweek.
- Job sharing. Job sharing involves two part-time employees sharing the same full-time position.
Bottom Line
The 9/80 work schedule can be a good option if you want to give your employees more flexibility in their workweek and a better work-life balance, without reducing the hours they work over a two-week period.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How does a 9/80 work schedule work?
With a 9/80 work schedule, employees work 80 hours over nine days during a two-week work period, giving them an extra day off every two weeks.
What are the benefits of a 9/80 work schedule?
One of the main benefits of a 9/80 work schedule is an improved work-life balance for employees and improved retention and productivity for employers.
What is a compressed workweek?
A compressed workweek schedule is one where an employee works their normal number of weekly hours over fewer days than the traditional five-day workweek. The 9/80 work schedule is an example of a compressed workweek.
