In the post-COVID era, the standard eight-hour workday, five days a week, is no longer the only way to operate. Many employees choose organizations that offer them the flexibility and autonomy to design their own work schedules.
This is where the 9/80 work schedule comes into play.
A 9/80 work schedule may increase your organization’s appeal and boost productivity and work-life balance among your team members.
In this post, we’ll define what a 9/80 work schedule is and unpack the potential benefits and challenges of implementing it in your organization. We’ll also talk about how you can use work schedule apps to streamline the process.
What is a 9/80 Work Schedule Work and How Does it Work?
- What Is the 9/80 Work Schedule?
- Benefits of the 9/80 Work Schedule
- Disadvantages of a 9/80 Work Schedule
- 9/80 Work Schedule Vs. Remote Work Vs. Four-Day Workweeks
- How to Implement a 9/80 Work Schedule: Necessary Tools
- Challenges of 9/80 Work Schedule and How to Fix Them
- Is a 9/80 Work Schedule Right for Your Business?
- Build an Empowering Work Schedule With ClickUp
Summarize this article for me pleaseWhat Is the 9/80 Work Schedule?
The 9/80 work schedule is a two-week schedule in which workers divide 80 working hours between nine days—typically eight nine-hour days, one eight-hour day, and one day off. It’s an alternative to the usual model of working eight hours a day for five days a week.
In the 9/80 schedule, employees benefit from a day off every two weeks (typically in the second week) by extending four hours over the week. If employees are happier and more productive, the model can be a win-win for both the employee and the employer.
What’s the status of the workweek and weekend in a 9/80 work schedule?
Under a 9/80 arrangement, the standard workweek is altered so that employees work slightly longer hours but fewer days overall.
Here’s how the 9/80 schedule typically works:
- Week 1: Work 9 hours a day from Monday to Thursday and 8 hours on Friday
- Week 2: Work 9 hours a day from Monday to Thursday and take Friday off
This schedule results in 44 hours worked in the first week (9 hours x 4 days + 8 hours) and 36 hours in the second week (9 hours x 4 days), totaling 80 hours over a two-week period.
Sample of a 9/80 work schedule
- Week 1:
- Monday to Thursday: 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM (with one hour for lunch)
- Friday: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM (with one hour for lunch)
- Week 2:
- Monday to Thursday: 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM (with one hour for lunch)
- Friday: Off
This schedule effectively gives employees every other Friday off, creating a three-day weekend to rest without reducing working hours. It can enhance work-life balance and increase job satisfaction, all while maintaining productivity levels.
Summarize this article for me pleaseBenefits of the 9/80 Work Schedule
The 9/80 work schedule offers several advantages that improve the overall work environment and employee experience. Here are the key benefits:
1. Enhance work-life balance
The additional day off every two weeks gives you more time for personal activities, hobbies, and family. This promotes a better integration of work and life. For many, an extended weekend can help reduce stress and improve mental health so you feel refreshed when you return to work.
2. Boost employee productivity
Employees who choose the 9/80 work schedule might work harder and concentrate better to accommodate the extra day off. This could result in increased productivity levels and lower the potential for procrastination.
3. Retain your top talent
A 9/80 work schedule serves as a significant retention tool. The extra day off in the second week helps retain talent who value workplace flexibility and time off. The schedule makes employees feel valued and more in control of their time, which can help reduce attrition rates.
4. Attract new talent with unique perks
The option of a 9/80 schedule might prove to be a standout benefit when recruiting new talent. Many workers view the schedule as a perk, making the company more attractive in competitive job markets.
5. Cut down the commute
Nine working days per fortnight instead of 10 means one less day that employees have to commute to work. Lower transportation costs and less time spent in traffic are bonuses that save money and reduce the stress associated with daily commutes.
6. Foster flexibility and trust
This schedule allows employees to manage their work hours with greater autonomy, fostering a sense of trust between the staff and management. It encourages a focus on productivity and results rather than merely showing up at the office. Over time, a non-traditional work schedule can help you build a more flexible and adaptable workplace culture.
Summarize this article for me pleaseDisadvantages of a 9/80 Work Schedule
While the 9/80 work schedule offers attractive benefits, it’s important to consider the flip side.
1. Extended daily hours can lead to burnout
Longer workdays mean employees spend more time at work each day. While this can lead to a rewarding three-day weekend every two weeks, the extended hours might be tiring and could potentially lead to burnout.
2. Scheduling might get complicated
Juggling the 9/80 work schedule can lead to coordination challenges within a larger team, especially when trying to schedule meetings that require everyone involved to be present. It’s crucial to help your employees plan their workday meticulously to avoid miscommunication.
3. Overtime issues
The 9/80 arrangement walks a thin line between regular hours and overtime. If not monitored closely, additional hours could turn into overtime and increase labor costs. Make sure to address any potential legal issues around wage and hour laws beforehand.
4. Potential gaps in availability
Employees taking a day off every second Friday means they are unavailable on those days if customers or business partners need them. This could lead to delays and discontent if not managed well, especially for businesses that operate on constant interaction or quick turnaround times during regular working hours.
Summarize this article for me please9/80 Work Schedule Vs. Remote Work Vs. Four-Day Workweeks
The 9/80 work schedule is flexible, but how does it stack up against other popular models like remote work and the four-day workweek? Here’s a close look at how these models compare in key areas:
Comparison of remote work and 9/80 work schedule
| Aspect | Remote Work | 9/80 Work Schedule |
| Location flexibility | High flexibility; work from anywhere | Limited; typically tied to office location on working days |
| Work hours | Often flexible, based on employee preference | Structured; Nine-hour days for nine working days in a two-week period |
| Employee autonomy | High autonomy in managing work and time | Moderate; structured hours with a fixed day off |
| Work-life balance | High potential for a better work-life balance if managed well | Improved with regular three-day weekends |
| Collaboration | Dependent on digital tools for communication | Easier face-to-face interaction on working days |
| Commute | No commuting required | Commuting on working days, but fewer total days |
Comparison of the four-day workweek and 9/80 work schedule
| Aspect | Four-Day Workweek | 9/80 Work Schedule |
| Total work hours | Typically reduced to 32 hours (if not full-time hours) | Consistent at 80 hours spread over nine days |
| Frequency of days off | Weekly three-day weekends | Three-day weekend every second week |
| Daily work hours | Regular or slightly longer daily hours | Extended workdays to accommodate 80 hours in nine days |
| Work intensity | Usually, higher intensity to maintain productivity | High work intensity due to longer days |
| Employee satisfaction | High satisfaction from regular three-day weekends | Satisfaction levels depend on the worker’s preference for longer days |
| Implementation | Relatively easy to implement (except in customer-facing roles) but may need productivity adjustments | More complex scheduling to maintain weekly hour totals |
Summarize this article for me pleaseHow to Implement a 9/80 Work Schedule: Necessary Tools
Successfully rolling out a 9/80 work schedule requires careful planning and the right tools. To run things smoothly, you need to invest in robust scheduling software that supports non-traditional, flexible work arrangements.
The tool should allow you to visualize everyone’s hours easily and manage time off without a hitch. Your scheduling system should also integrate seamlessly with your payroll software to automatically track extended hours and ensure compliance with labor laws.
This is where tools like ClickUp can come to your rescue.
Using ClickUp to implement and manage flexible work schedules
ClickUp is a versatile project management platform designed to enhance productivity and streamline operations across various business functions.
It offers a comprehensive suite of tools to create weekly schedules, manage tasks, and collaborate efficiently with teams. These features make it ideal for implementing and managing non-standard work schedules like the 9/80 model.
Here’s how you can use ClickUp to operationalize a 9/80 work schedule:
1. ClickUp Time Management
ClickUp Time Management enhances how teams manage their time. Users can track, allocate, and optimize their time across various projects, and managers can integrate this data with other project management tools, like Gantt charts, to gain a holistic view of productivity. Some key features include:
- Set and manage time estimates for tasks to ensure accountability and efficient planning
- Adjust start and due dates on tasks easily to maintain project timelines
- Visualize time allocation with real-time dashboards
- Automate repetitive tasks and scheduling to reduce manual workload and increase efficiency
2. ClickUp Calendar View
ClickUp Calendar View is designed to centralize and streamline your scheduling needs. With multiple view options, you can visualize tasks, manage project timelines, and coordinate events all in one place. This tool is ideal for team alignment because it ensures that everyone has up-to-date visibility into project timelines. With ClickUp calendar view, you can:
- Visualize and manage all tasks and events in one customizable calendar view
- Choose from daily, weekly, or monthly views with advanced filtering options
- Adjust task durations and dependencies with simple drag-and-drop actions
- Add and reschedule tasks with direct drag-and-drop in the calendar
- Share your calendar view with internal and external stakeholders
- Sync with Google Calendar, Outlook, and other popular calendars
3. ClickUp Templates
ClickUp offers a variety of customizable templates, including work schedule templates and time management templates. These templates are designed to provide a broad framework that can be tailored to the specific needs of your team or project. This helps streamline the setup process and saves you valuable time in the transition to a 9/80 work schedule.Â
A. ClickUp Employee Schedule Template Overview
Streamline your weekly shift planning with the ClickUp Employee Schedule Template. This template is ideal for tracking work schedules, calculating labor costs, and visualizing employee workload efficiently. It keeps all shift information clear and accessible, promoting an organized and dynamic work environment.
- Visualize work schedules with custom statuses to track progress
- Manage labor costs with detailed fields for each employee
- Sync tasks and priorities with individual availability
- Ensure compliance with labor laws through efficient scheduling
đŸ’¡Pro tip: Use the time management matrix to prioritize tasks by separating urgency from importance.
B. ClickUp Shift Schedule Template Overview
The ClickUp Shift Schedule Template aids in managing complex shift rotations with ease, offering a clear, customizable view of team schedules. It’s perfect for businesses that require consistent updates and adjustments to handle various operational demands. Its key features include:Â
- Organize shifts visually for straightforward work management
- Use drag-and-drop editing for quick schedule changes
- Get real-time updates for remote or multi-location teams
- Utilize custom fields to store critical shift and employee data
- Prevent scheduling conflicts and ensure optimal staff coverage
Summarize this article for me pleaseChallenges of 9/80 Work Schedule and How to Fix Them
The 9/80 work schedule can be a great option for many, but it’s not without its difficulties. To help you, we’ve listed the common pitfalls that companies and workers face and practical tips to overcome them.
Challenge 1: Managing longer workdays
- The issue: Long days can wear you team down, making them feel like all they do is work and sleep
- Pro tip: Try mixing in flexible breaks or quick team activities throughout the day. This helps break the monotony and keeps everyone’s spirits up
Challenge 2: Adapting to changes in regular days off
- The issue: When employees want to change their days off, it can make tracking hours a headache
- Pro tip: Set clear rules about swapping days. Make it flexible, but keep it structured and process-driven to avoid confusion
Challenge 3: Handling arrival and departure times
- The issue: If folks start tweaking their start or end times too much, you could end up with overtime issues or insufficient coverage
- Pro Tip: Keep to a strict schedule as far as possible. Allow some wiggle room, but watch the hours closely to prevent unexpected overtime
Challenge 4: Dealing with staffing gaps
- The issue: Smaller teams might struggle to cover all shifts, especially during long weekends
- Pro tip: Stagger the extra days off among your team. Some might take Friday off, others might choose Monday. Doing this will ensure things run smoothly
Challenge 5: Matching active hours with business needs
- The issue: Sometimes, your team might be off the clock when your customers or partners are active
- Pro tip: Align your team’s schedules so they’re available during the busiest days or hours of the week. Keep communication channels open between everyone involved and adjust as needed
Challenge 6: Adjusting sick leave policies
- The issue: A day off in this model means nine hours instead of the regular eight-hour day, which can mess up the sick leave calculations
- Pro tip: Update your policies. Consider increasing sick leave accrual slightly to cover the extra hour without complicating things
Summarize this article for me pleaseIs a 9/80 Work Schedule Right for Your Business?
Deciding whether a 9/80 work schedule fits your business involves careful and deliberate consideration. Here’s a list of questions to help you assess whether this flexible schedule could benefit your team and organization:
- Does your business require constant coverage that a 9/80 work schedule might not fit?
- Have you surveyed your employees to see if they prefer a 9/80 schedule?
- Are your customers active during the hours that might be affected by the new schedule?
- Do you have measures to maintain or increase productivity with longer hours but fewer working days?
- Is your HR team equipped to manage the complexities of 9/80 scheduling and corresponding payroll changes?
- Have you reviewed labor laws to ensure your 9/80 work schedule complies with overtime and other employment regulations?
- Can you implement a trial period to measure the impact of the 9/80 schedule before fully committing to it?
Interpreting the checklist: What it means for you
After going through the checklist above, here’s how to interpret your findings:
- Positive responses: If you’re seeing mostly positive feedback and alignment with business operations, a 9/80 schedule might be a great fit. This indicates that your team and operations can adapt to the change without significant disruptions
- Mixed responses: Uncertain or mixed feedback suggests you need to dive deeper. Consider starting with a trial period on a small group or department to before a full-fledged rollout
- Negative responses: If the checklist reveals critical gaps or strong resistance from your team, particularly in areas like customer needs or legal compliance, the 9/80 schedule might not be suitable without significant adjustments
Summarize this article for me pleaseBuild an Empowering Work Schedule With ClickUp
As the work landscape shifts post-pandemic, organizations must adapt to stay relevant and competitive. The 9/80 work schedule offers a promising alternative to the standard work week, balancing productivity with a better work-life balance.
By using ClickUp, a versatile time-tracking software for small businesses, you can accommodate non-typical work schedules and ensure precise monitoring of extended work hours. With ClickUp, your transition to a 9/80 work schedule becomes seamless and efficient.
Consider adopting a flexible schedule model and leverage ClickUp to streamline implementation and boost your team’s efficiency.
Get started with ClickUp today.
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