Ample remote work options have made workers hungry for flexible working arrangements. People want more freedom in their jobs and better work-life balance—and top talent are determined to find employers with relaxed policies regarding work schedules and working locations.
A four-day workweek is another way to satisfy employees’ need for freedom, but this comes at a cost—businesses with fewer working hours risk lower productivity.
A 9/80 work schedule could offer team members the flexibility they crave without sacrificing hours worked. Let’s look at what a 9/80 work schedule is, its benefits and challenges, and how to implement it in your business.
What is a 9/80 work schedule?
A 9/80 work schedule is a two-week work schedule where employees work the typical 80 hours but enjoy an extra day off. Hence, 9/80—nine days of work with 80 hours of labor. This differs from traditional workweeks by giving employees more days off to conduct personal business—or enjoy a relaxing weekend getaway.
Employees work nine hours every day during the two-week period except for one eight-hour day. This working schedule yields 26 three-day weekends per year.
How does a 9/80 schedule work?
Want to see a breakdown of this two-week system? Here’s a 9/80 work schedule example explaining how it could work for you:
Week 1
Employees work nine hours each day, with an unpaid lunch hour.
- Monday: 7 a.m.–5 p.m.
- Tuesday: 7 a.m.–5 p.m.
- Wednesday: 7 a.m.–5 p.m.
- Thursday: 7 a.m.–5 p.m.
- Friday: 7 a.m.–5 p.m.
Week 2
The employee works nine hours every day except Thursday when they work eight hours. They take Friday off completely.
- Monday: 7 a.m.–5 p.m.
- Tuesday: 7 a.m.–5 p.m.
- Wednesday: 7 a.m.–5 p.m.
- Thursday: 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
- Friday: Day off
For payroll purposes, the easiest solution is to split the eight-hour day, applying the first four hours to the first week and the second four hours to the second week.
If you’ve been on a one-week timescale, switching to a two-week pay period might simplify the process. Plus, it will prevent you from running into overtime issues when employees work 45 hours every other week. To accommodate this, your workweek could look like this:
- Week one: Nine-hour days, Monday to Thursday, with the first four hours of Friday totaling 40 hours.
- Week two: The last five hours of week one’s Friday, nine-hour days Monday to Wednesday, and eight hours on Thursday.
Benefits of a 9/80 work schedule
Is a 9/80 schedule worth it? Let’s examine the advantages of this working arrangement:
- Improved work-life balance: Employees can conduct personal business at a time that suits them (and the company) with an extra two days off each month. Instead of taking time off during working hours, this employee schedule allows them to run errands on their days off. They also have more opportunities for much-needed rest, boosting morale.
- Increased productivity: With an extra hour most days, employees are more likely to complete work the day they start it. Plus, they’ll be better rested after their long weekend, ready to face the new workweek.
- Fewer commutes: Commutes are expensive, time-consuming, and stressful. Two extra days off a month means less gas used and fewer miles on the road.
- Enhanced employee retention and attraction: Many would gladly work an extra hour on workdays for additional days off. This is a major draw for top talent and helps retain current employees.
Challenges of a 9/80 work schedule
If a 9/80 schedule worked for everyone, all businesses would implement it. However, this type of workweek has some drawbacks:
- Longer workdays may lead to fatigue: Nine-hour workdays may be taxing for some workers. It’s a long time to work with just a one-hour break. Team members may feel like they only work, eat dinner, and sleep during the workweek—a burnout-inducing grind. They may consider this schedule detrimental to work-life balance and morale.
- Complexities with time tracking and payroll: You’ll need clear policies on how the schedule works, since it can complicate time tracking and payroll. As our earlier example illustrates, you may need to carefully split working hours between weeks to avoid inadvertently paying overtime.
- Coverage and scheduling difficulties for smaller teams: A 9/80 schedule is excellent if you can afford to close your business every second Friday. If not, you’ll need to schedule employees’ shifts to cover every day of the workweek.
- Overtime considerations: The 9/80 work schedule can increase overtime if employees don’t strictly adhere to their eight- and nine-hour schedules. For example, if someone stays an extra hour on Tuesday, you must pay them overtime. You should also ensure that a 9/80 schedule complies with local or national laws before you switch.
How to implement a 9/80 work schedule
Keen on implementing a 9/80 work schedule for your business? Here are some factors to consider before you start:
1. Assessing business needs and employee preferences
Determine whether a 9/80 work schedule is right for your business. For example, shift coverage could quickly become complicated in a retail setting.
Also, check with your employees about their preferences. Consider conducting a survey to find out their preferred workweek arrangement.
2. Updating payroll systems for compliance
Use appropriate payroll systems and software to ensure compliance with state and federal laws. Use a demo or trial system first to avoid excessive spending on a solution that doesn’t work.
3. Communicating changes to employees
Inform your team members about the upcoming changes to their workweek schedules. Be prepared for pushback—it’s likely that not everyone will want to work a 9/80 schedule. Balance the needs of the employees with those of the company.
4. Implementing a trial period for adjustments
Start with a trial period to test a 9/80 schedule and work out any kinks. Collect employee feedback before and after the trial and determine whether it’s preferable to a traditional workweek.
Alternative work schedules to consider
A 9/80 work schedule isn’t the only way to offer flexibility to current and potential employees. Here are a few other ideas to promote a healthy work-life balance:
- 4/10 work schedule: Also known as a compressed workweek, this schedule sees employees work 40 hours per week in four 10-hour days. It comes with its own benefits and challenges, but many people may find this schedule more suitable than a five-day week.
- Flexible work hours: Not everyone wants to work 9–5 workdays. Some people prefer to come in early and free up their afternoons. Others want to come in late so they can hit the gym in the morning. A flexible, asynchronous schedule enables employees to work the hours that work for them.
- Remote work arrangements: People increasingly prefer to work from anywhere in the country—or even anywhere in the world—without commuting to an office every day. You can go 100% remote or split the workweek with a hybrid model. Just ensure that your remote working expectations are clear.
- Job sharing: Some team members prefer to work part-time. Job sharing enables two or more people to share the responsibilities of a full-time job, offering freedom and flexibility.
Provide flexibility for your global team with Oyster
A nontraditional arrangement like the 9/80 work schedule can improve productivity and employee satisfaction. Oyster’s global employment platform provides comprehensive solutions for managing international teams, including compliance support and integration with existing HR tools. Start your strategic partnership with Oyster today to ensure your workforce stays aligned regardless of their location.
About Oyster
Oyster is a global employment platform designed to enable visionary HR leaders to find, engage, pay, manage, develop, and take care of a thriving distributed workforce. Oyster lets growing companies give valued international team members the experience they deserve, without the usual headaches and expense.
Oyster enables hiring anywhere in the world—with reliable, compliant payroll, and great local benefits and perks.
