For today’s workforce, flexible working schedules are in vogue, and the 9/80 work schedule is one such way that companies can give their employees greater freedom and flexibility.
Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, and General Dynamics are a few examples of companies that offer their employees the option to work a 9/80 schedule.
9/80 can be an effective way for companies to test the waters of greater schedule flexibility, without making massive changes to the way the business operates.
Read on to learn more about the 9/80 work schedule, and all its pros and cons.
Key Takeaways:
– The 9/80 work schedule means employees work for 80 hours over two weeks, but only 9 days instead of the regular 10.
– By putting in an extra hour during normal work days, workers are able to take every second Friday off.
– 9/80 is a flexible work schedule that gives workers increased freedom and work-life balance, without the company sacrificing any work hours.
With a 9/80 work schedule, employees work a total of 80 hours in a two week period. However, they do it in nine days, instead of the usual ten.
This works by adding one hour to the workday for eight of these days, allowing for one additional day off each two weeks.
So, instead of working eight hours from Monday to Friday, the worker works eight nine hour days, one eight hour shift, and gets a three-day weekend every second week (and a regular two-day weekend the other day).
Here’s how this two week schedule might look:
For a two week period, this gives a total of nine working days, five days off, and 80 hours worked. With a traditional schedule, it would be ten working days, four days off, and the same total number of hours.
For a small payoff of an extra hour worked, four days a week, employees get an extra day off to build a better work-life balance.
Related: Can a 4 Day Work Week Fit Your Business?
The 9/80 work schedule doesn’t always have to be the example above, with one Friday off every other week.
The idea is simply to spread 80 working hours over nine working days in a two week period. So there’s some flexibility with how this can be done.
Just as the example above goes – every second Friday is off, giving employees a three day weekend that week.
Each week has four nine hour days. Friday alternates between a day off one week, and an eight hour day the other.
This example works the same, but gives Monday off each week (a welcome respite from the Monday blues).
Companies could also give employees the freedom to pick and choose their scheduled day off. Each individual may prefer a Friday-Sunday long weekend or a Saturday-Monday weekend. Alternatively, some people may work better with a day off midweek to break the week up.
The work week could also be structured to give employees half a day off each Friday (or Monday, or in effect any other day).
For example, Monday to Thursday are nine hours each. Then the eight hour day is split into two four hour periods.
So Friday may be just 9-1 each week, rather than a full day off in the second workweek.
This is a slight variation, as it’s not exactly a 9/80 work schedule (since there are ten work days), but the idea is the same, giving workers increased flexibility compared to a traditional working schedule.
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A 9/80 work schedule offers a unique set of benefits, but also some difficulties in its implementation.
The added flexibility and freedom employees get with a 9/80 work schedule can result in greater levels of happiness and lower stress levels, and fewer of the problems (such as absenteeism and burnout) that come along with stress.
A flexible work schedule can also be an attractive benefit to job seekers. Thus, implementing this schedule may help a business hire and retain top talent.
A 9/80 work schedule may not fit every business, however, and presents some issues for HR that may be too much of a hassle.
Let’s dive deeper with the top pros and cons of adopting a 9/80 work schedule.
The biggest plus of a 9/80 work schedule is how it benefits employees’ happiness and overall wellbeing.
The additional day off (which adds up to more than 20 extra days off per year) gives more flexibility for team members to spend time with family, handle personal commitments, or simply relax and recharge.
This allows a better work-life balance, which invariably results in lower stress and greater job satisfaction.
As is the case for Microsoft Japan, flexible work schedules (a four day work week in this case) can have a significant positive effect on productivity.
It boils down to staff being happier, less stressed, and more focused at work. If their work-life balance is in line, employees are more likely to be dialed in at work. Thus, they will be more productive, and produce work of a higher quality.
Further Reading: the difference between Productivity vs Efficiency, and which is most important in a business.
Lower stress has a huge number of additional benefits, including lower rates of absenteeism.
Staff calling in sick or not showing up to work is often a cause of stress, overwork and burnout. And the cost of missing employees and lost productivity is not one to take lightly.
Allowing employees the extra time off (in addition to to regular paid time off, which is vital as well) means they’re less likely to get to the stage where the work is too much, and starts resulting in health complications.
There’s always that carrot of a three-day weekend around the corner, which can be a huge mental boost in the second workweek, when team members’ energy generally starts to lag.
More benefits and a more attractive workplace makes it easier to encourage the most talented job seekers to come to your company.
Once upon a time, the pressure was on the individual to show they have what it takes for a company to hire them. Today, however, we’re moving towards a climate where job seekers have the power.
The most talented and driven people out there generally have their pick of job offers. They’re going to choose those that offer the best benefits, such as flexible work schedules and ample paid time off. More conservative companies may thus struggle to stay competitive in the job market.
Further Reading: A Complete List of the Most Valued Employee Benefits
A company may find a 9/80 work schedule is harder on team members, with the longer workdays involved.
It may be harder to maintain focus over nine hours, as opposed to eight hours. Thus a 9/80 work schedule could end up hurting productivity.
This is not a given, however, so it’s something each business will want to assess for themselves. It’s entirely possible that a nine hour day presents no major difference to team members than an eight hour day.
HR and payroll may be more difficult to manage with a 9/80 work schedule, due to the unbalanced nature of working hours each week.
If payroll works on a weekly basis, changes may need to be made to accommodate the unbalanced schedule. HR/payroll will also want to take care to ensure that the extra hours in the first week don’t become overtime hours, and be paid out at a higher rate.
It can also introduce problems with sick time or paid time off, if time off is calculated on an hourly basis, due to some days having longer working hours than others.
An alternative work schedule may not suit every company the same. For some, it may disrupt workflow, and the additional hour worked on some days may not make up for the additional day off.
Service businesses or businesses that fall outside the traditional five day work week are most likely to fall in this category.
Consider the impact on dealing with clients or customers or any other workflow issues that may result in making such a change.
Alternative work schedules can deliver huge benefits, but generally they also require more management to ensure everything runs smoothly.
Here’s what companies need to consider before switching to a 9/80 work schedule.
First, make sure it’s clear how payroll is going to work after making this change.
You don’t want to be stuck paying overtime wages, or creating a huge amount of additional work just by trying to balance payroll with an unbalanced schedule.
Companies that pay based on monthly or two week pay periods are best suited, as there may be no significant changes necessary. But either way, put the thought into how this will affect how team members get paid.
Employees working over 40 hour work weeks may cause issues with certain labor laws. For example, in some areas the law states that any employees working more than 40 hours per week must be paid overtime pay.
Check with an employment lawyer to make sure no problems will to arise if you make this change.
Does the new work schedule change anything in regards to your company’s leave policy? For example, does anything change if someone takes sick leave or a vacation day on an eight hour day, as opposed to a nine hour day?
How are people compensated for sick leave for a shorter day? How about if they take leave in the first week, as opposed to the shorter second week?
Related: A Complete Guide to Leave Management for Remote or Flexible Teams
If a 9/80 work schedule seems like it fits the bill, think a little bigger. Does it make sense to adopt an even more flexible work schedule?
Perhaps you’ll find it’s better to move to a fully flexible work schedule, or perhaps hybrid or remote work.
It may even make sense to ditch the hour-based productivity model altogether, and let employees work as little or as much as they wish, as long as the right performance indicators are hit.
It’s a big departure from the traditional workplace model. But in the years to come, the businesses that flourish will be those who adopt forward-thinking models and value employees’ health, happiness and flexibility.
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