Does a Condensed 9/80 Schedule Make Sense?

We’ve watched work schedules change a great deal in the last year. For the most part, hours are now more aligned with worker needs. The oft-used word “flexible” is a challenge for many businesses that rely on consistent work shifts and coverage. Hybrid or WFH structures are not an option for many. But if you are trying to give employees a little without losing production hours, a condensed 9/80 schedule might make sense.

A 9/80 schedule means that employees receive an additional day off every two weeks while working 80 hours over two weeks. Traditionally, week one has four nine-hour days and one day that is only eight hours; then, week two has four nine-hour days.

Business Benefits

At face value, a 9/80 schedule appears to benefit employees most by providing a day off to tend to personal needs from medical or banking appointments to a day of leisure. It also reduces employee commute time and energy consumption, but that is only part of the appeal. For managers, the schedule also offers some business benefits that could make it the schedule that suits your needs:

1. Smoother production time. For manufacturers or others with low-skill work, production time remains the same overall, but it allows for longer periods for each shift. Fewer interruptions add to productivity.
2. More consistent schedule. Employees don’t need days off as often for doctor appointments or other daytime meetings, so scheduling remains consistent. That saves time, too.
3. Open hours flexibility. Your 9/80 schedule might not include the same day off for everyone. By staggering the days off, your business remains open and operating with the same hours as before.
4. Balance. Maybe “work-life balance” is as tired a phrase as “flexibility,” but it remains one of the top desires of new employees as it contributes to employee loyalty. That means fewer no-shows and more consistent employees.
5. Better results. A compressed schedule and the benefit of extra time away from work contribute to better productivity. With fewer days to complete projects, employees are more likely to wrap up tasks before a long weekend.

A Note of Caution

Even though a 9/80 compressed schedule could be time-saving and more productive, be extra careful managing employee hours. Currently, in Alaska, California, Nevada, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, rates kick in after eight hours on any single day, even if an employee works less than 40 hours that week. We want to encourage an employee schedule beneficial to your business, but wage and labor laws are restrictive. Become an expert in your region’s laws to avoid any additional labor expenses or penalties. Shorter work-week options might make more sense and still build a smarter schedule structure.

Author Profile Jon Forknell is the Vice President and General Manager of Atlas Business Solutions, Inc., a software marketing company specializing in employee scheduling software, including ScheduleBase employee scheduling software, and other business software solutions. In the past, Jon has been recognized by the U.S. Small Business Administration as a SBA Young Entrepreneur of the Year. For many years, Atlas Business Solutions has been named one of Software Magazine’s Top 500 Software Companies.