Many organizations have a standard work schedule from 9 to 5. But there is the other work schedule type, 9/80, that also has its pros and cons. Below, we will discuss in detail this kind of work schedule.
First of all, we need to understand what this schedule means.
It signifies the plan that consists of two weeks parted 80 work hours into nine days. These days usually include eight days of nine working hours, one day of eight hours, and one day off. Often, the employers customize the hours to have a full day weekend each second week or have a working day of four hours each week.
The 9/80 work schedule has two goals – it aims to improve the workers’ efficiency and involvement, plus provide more balancing between private life and job.
Now, let’s try to understand how the 9/80 working schedule works.
This kind of working arrangement consists of the periods of two weeks – eight days of nine hours and one day of eight hours, plus one weekend. In the companies with this working schedule, the week is typically divided into four days of nine hours and one day of eight hours. In its turn, this day of eight hours comprises two periods of four hours. The employees end their first working week with the first period of four hours and start their next week from the second period. When it comes to paying salaries, here, the working day is divided into two – the first four hours go to the first week, and the second day of four hours go to the second week.
Below, there is an example how the working arrangement of 9/80 looks like:
- The first week:
From Monday till Thursday – the working day starts at 8 a.m. and ends at 6 p.m. The lunch break lasts from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
Friday – the day starts at 8 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m. This day is considered to be the beginning of the second week. As for the day off, it can be only one day – Saturday or Sunday.
- The second week:
Monday – the employees start to work at 8 a.m. and finish their day at 5 p.m.
From Tuesday till Thursday the working day ends at 6 p.m. The lunch break during the week lasts from 12 a.m. to 1 p.m. On Friday, the workers do not work.
It is only one of the examples of how the working arrangement of 9/80 can be implemented. There is another example when the working day starts at 7 a.m., but it finishes earlier. The types of this schedule can be various, but there is one condition – there should be four days with nine hours during the week.
And now we will discuss the pros and cons of the 9/80 working arrangement.
Firstly, let’s start with its pros.
Why do employers establish this working schedule? They introduce it not only because they want to experiment. They set it because it has several pros that beat the other working arrangement.
There are the pros of the 9/80 working arrangement:
- It improves the workers’ effectiveness – for many workers, the extra weekend is just a reward. And they will make all their efforts to earn this reward. The extra day off can improve the workers’ effectiveness – it can enhance the moral fiber by providing the workers with more good duties’ perception. Besides, the workers do not often ask for holidays and sick leaves.
- It contains versatility – There is one thing that worries the employers – the possible insurance covering loss. For them, the weekend equals less effectiveness. For instance, the management cannot let the workers have an additional weekend because of the character of the business. All the administration can do is to let one half of the team rest on Monday, for example, and the other half – on Friday. This way, the employers can have a rest for three days, and at the same time, the business does not stop working.
- It is easier for workers to commute – For the employees who live far from work, this type of working schedule serves as an extra stimulus. That is why the organizations try to set up the arrangement so that the workers do not have to get stuck in traffic jams to commute. Additionally, the workers do not make many physical efforts to get to work.
- It provides the balance between private life and job as the workers indeed have two days off during one month. And they can spend these weekends the way they want.
Like everything in the world, the working schedule of 9/80 has its cons. Of course, it will not be suitable for all spheres as they can have obstacles not allowing implementing this working arrangement.
As for the cons, the schedule includes:
- For many workers, it can be hard to work one more working hour every day, even having a weekend. It can cause stress and other psychological problems.
- Misuse and after working hours – The workers can face the problems of managing their work as they try to adjust to working one more hour. For instance, there is a worker who has got used to going home at 5 p.m. and at that time have a rest. But, there is one more working hour, and he decides to start a new project. And he finished it after 6, or even 7 p.m. If these cases are rare, then it is okay. There are workers that benefit from this working arrangement as they stay at work during the unnecessary extra hours. And there is one more thing – the after working hours do not bring any overtime pay.
- The small businesses have small coverage – Establishing this schedule, the small organizations can face some problems. As they do not have a big staff, it will be hard for them to define who will have a weekend, plus it does not contribute to the expanding coverage. If the organization has many workers, it can divide them into two groups and part the weekend days, but it does not mean that both groups can perform their job during the shift.
- Extra working hours can minimize the effectiveness – All the workers are different. There is someone working hard during the evening, and the others – during the morning. When the management establishes this arrangement, they can face the problem when the workers cannot accommodate this situation. For some workers, it can take some time to get used to it. And it indicates that they will have to do the things they used to do much earlier. And this can cause problems with sleeping.
