What is a 9/80 work schedule?

In a traditional work model, employees work from 9am-5pm Monday through Friday, totaling 40 hours over 5 business days. This means that over the course of two weeks, they work 80 hours over 10 business days.

The 9/80 model fits those same 80 hours into 9 business days rather than 10, giving employees a day off every other week. There are different ways to split up the 80 hours, but certain days are typically about one hour longer than they would be otherwise. Here’s one way you might create a 9/80 schedule at your company:

Week 1: Employees work Monday through Thursday from 7:30am-5:30pm with an unpaid 30-minute lunch. On Friday, the schedule changes, and employees work from 8am-5pm with an unpaid one-hour lunch.

On this schedule, employees would put in 9.5 hours per day Monday through Thursday, and then Friday would be an eight-hour day, bringing the total hours for this week to 46.

Week 2: Employees work Monday through Thursday from 8:30am-5:30pm with an unpaid 30-minute lunch and do not work on Friday.

During the second week, work time totals 34 hours. Your employees have now put in 80 hours over the course of nine days and are ready to enjoy their Friday off. You can play around with how the hours are distributed and tweak them to fit your business’s needs.

Will a 9/80 schedule work for my office?

The feasibility of a 9/80 work schedule depends on your business and staffing needs, as well as the needs of your employees.

Advantages of implementing a 9/80 work schedule

You might see a number of positive effects on your business as a result of implementing a 9/80 schedule. Here are just a few of the potential advantages for both you and your employees:

• An “extra” day off often feels like a welcome reward for hard work.
• Longer days allow for more time to collaborate on big projects.
• The hours of a 9/80 work schedule are customizable, so you can get employees’ input on what hours they’d prefer before making the schedule.
• Having a three-day weekend every two weeks may help prevent or reduce employee burnout.
• Alternative scheduling options can make your employees feel listened to and valued.
• Clients or customers may notice and appreciate the way staff members at your business are valued and treated.

Disadvantages of the 9/80 model

Building a schedule according to the 9/80 model may also come with some disadvantages for you or your staff. Here are a few possibilities to prepare for:

• Adjusting to a longer workday can be tough on staff at first.
• If your employees are paid hourly, you could run into some issues with overtime pay during the five-day week if it runs over 40 hours.
• Longer days may decrease motivation and productivity for certain employees.
• Scheduling around public holidays can be tricky, especially if the holiday falls on a day off in your schedule.
• If your business needs someone physically present seven days a week, days off will rotate, which may require additional coordination with employees who have children or other scheduled responsibilities.

9/80 schedules with rotating days off

Not every business uses a consistent schedule that’s the same for each employee, so it’s not always possible to close shop for a full day and collectively take Friday off. However, it’s still possible to utilize a 9/80 work schedule for a workplace whose schedule changes around.

In order to avoid issues with overtime pay, many employers choose to split the work week in the middle of a shift during the first week of the cycle. A full-time employee would work nine hours over four days during the first week and then work one eight-hour day and split pay periods in the middle.

Let’s look at an example schedule:

Week 1

As you can see, this employee still has two days off during the work week. They work four nine-hour shifts, and then on the last day, they take their lunch break at 11am after four hours of work. This brings them to 40 hours for the first week. When they clock back in, the remaining four hours in their shift will be counted toward the next work week.

With that in mind, let’s look at their second week in the 80-hour cycle:

Week 2

The employee works a total of 36 hours over four days and gets an extra day off this week. Counting the four hours they’d already put in toward this work week, they’ve met their 80 hours, and you haven’t had to pay out overtime for either week. Keep in mind that you must comply with both federal and state laws regarding overtime, so it’s a good idea to research those thoroughly.

Next steps

If this scheduling method sounds like it’d work for you, the first step is to talk to your employees about it. See how they feel about the idea, and allow them to approach you with any comments, questions or concerns. They’re likely to appreciate that you’ve included them in the decision-making process.

If you do decide to implement a 9/80 schedule, communication is key. It may be helpful to send emails about the new schedule or post reminders around the workplace so everyone has a clear idea of what the new expectations are. Expect some confusion or mistakes during the adjustment period, and give grace when they happen.

It may be helpful to have a meeting after the first few two-week cycles just to check in and see how your staff is doing. Are there any pain points you can address? What’s working and what’s not working? Keep an eye on productivity, employee morale and motivation for the first several months. If you notice any of those suffering, make an effort to find out why. A 9/80 schedule may not work for every business, but for others, it can provide balance and keep motivation high.