Compressed Work Week

WHAT IS A COMPRESSED WORK WEEK?

A compressed work week is an arrangement that allows employees to work longer shifts, reducing the number of days an employee works in a given period.

The most common compressed work schedules are:

4/10 work week: Forty hours are worked in four 10-hour days, reducing the employees commute trips by 20 percent.

9/80 work week: Eighty hours are worked in nine days with the tenth day off), reducing the employees commute trips by 10 percent.

3/12 work week: Thirty-six hours are worked in three days, which means the employee commutes two fewer days than the typical 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. worker.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF A COMPRESSED WORK WEEK?

• Companies are able to extend customer service and sales hours.
• Manufacturing companies have been able to cut costs by adopting longer days, resulting in less time spent each day on start up and shut down.
• Employers report a reduction in tardiness and absenteeism for employees on compressed work weeks and flextime.
• Increased employee satisfaction and retention.

WHAT IS FLEXTIME?

Flextime is an arrangement that allows employees to work a variable work schedule, contrary to a standard 9:00 am to 5:00 pm work schedule. 

Employees still work the same number of core hours; however, their arrival and departure times are flexible.  Flex schedules can greatly reduce employee anxiety over being late and help facilitate transit and ridesharing.