Compressed Work Week

A traditional 35- to 40-hour work week is condensed into fewer than five days of work. This option is more easily applied to non-exempt (weekly paid) staff for whom maximum work hours are identified, but it is not ruled out for monthly paid staff who may work more than 40 hours during the work week. The Fair Labor Standards Act requires weekly paid staff to be paid overtime if they work over 40 hours in a work week.

How Does a Compressed Schedule Work?

Typical Compressed Work schedules are:

  • For a 40-hour per week position: 10-hour days (plus one hour each day for lunch) Monday through Thursday with Friday off.
  • Much longer than normal hours three days per week and no work during two traditional work days each week. For a thirty-five (35) hour per week position, eleven 2 (plus one hour for lunch) hours per day Monday and Tuesday, a 12-hour day (plus one hour for lunch) on Wednesday.
  • Somewhat longer than normal hours four days per week and a half day on the fifth day. For a thirty-seven and a half (37.5) hour work week, 8.5 hours Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Wednesday is a 3.75-hour work day with the morning off.
  • Somewhat longer than normal hours for nine days in a ten day/two week period with the tenth day off. For a forty (40) hour a week assignment, nine days at nine hours (plus an hour for lunch) with the tenth day off.

Benefits

  • Time to go to school, manage dependent care responsibilities, pursue a hobby or professional development.
  • Reduced commuting wear, tear, and costs.
  • Increased cross training.
  • Improved scheduling for peak workloads.

Challenges

Some jobs are not appropriate for a compressed schedule. If the work requires a five-day-a-week presence, then this type of schedule is not feasible. Penn’s monthly-paid work schedule is considered to be 40 hours a week including an hour for lunch each day. Compressing a full-time exempt assignment into fewer days is likely to require more than 10 hours at work a day. Inefficiency or burnout can be a concern due to very long days in the office. Important deadlines or events may occur on weekdays when the staff member is not working. Both the staff member and supervisor need to be flexible to respond to special situations. The impact on other staff members in the office must be considered.

Considerations

  • Can the job be done over three, four, or four and one-half days rather than the traditional five-day week and/or outside the range of traditional work week hours?
  • Will the organization's overall mission be met with this adjustment in place?
  • Is it necessary for all staff members in a similar job or in a unit to work the exact same schedule?
  • Will customers' needs be met?
  • Is staff interaction an important component of the work?
  • Can staff members cover for each other on days off?
  • Will there be a common time for staff meetings?
  • How will issues of accountability be addressed?
  • Will the extended schedules create any issues regarding supervision, including time of arrival and departure?
  • Is the arrangement right for the individual?
  • Does the staff member require supervision or access to a supervisor at all times?
  • Will it be necessary to monitor arrivals and departures?

Next Steps

  1. Review the Knowledge Link courses on flexible work including the Flexible Work Overview and Guidance for Staff.
  2. Complete the process described below.

    Flexible, Hybrid, or Fully Remote Work Arrangement Development Process

    1. Staff member and manager discuss plans for flexible, hybrid, or remote work.
    2. The business rationale for the flexible, hybrid, or remote work arrangement is drafted and discussed with the respective school or center HR designee. 
    3. After the planning discussion, log in to Workday to access the flexible work arrangement tasks, which can be completed by the staff or manager. Refer to these Workday tip sheets for step-by-step instructions:
    4. If staff members, manager and HR designee are all in agreement regarding the flexible, hybrid, or remote work arrangement, then the flexible work request task should be completed in Workday.

    Tips for Success

    For the manager/supervisor:

    The decision to authorize a compressed work week, either on an individual or a group basis, should be carefully considered in terms of coverage and communication. It is also a good idea to make final approval contingent upon a trial period, after which any adjustments can be made to areas that are not functioning smoothly.

    • Support your staff. As with other flexible work arrangements, the supervisor's support is critical. Work scheduling and communication problems constitute the major reasons for the failure of Compressed Work schedules. Supervisor contribution to the design of the schedule can help resolve these issues in advance.
    • Consider coverage issues. Without careful planning, coverage problems can emerge. Assess coverage needs and schedule overlapping teams or a mix of Compressed Work schedules with standard schedules. This can help ensure that sufficient support is on hand for critical functions.
    • Customer service. With more days off, staff members will be missing from your office every day. This could make it hard for clients to meet with reps or for team leaders to address groups.
    • Communicate. Communication between teams or between supervisors and staff members can be a problem. Formal communication plans can resolve this issue.

    For the staff member:

    • Fatigue. While an ongoing schedule of ten-hour or nine-hour days may be the norm for some professionals already, it can be physically and mentally draining. Inefficiency or burnout can be a concern due to very long days in the office. Not only is the workweek squeezed into a shorter time frame, but all the after-work activities must also be wedged into the remaining hours of each work day.
    • Adaptability. Important deadlines or events may occur on weekdays when the staff member is not working. Both the staff member and supervisor need to be flexible to respond to special situations.