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Compressed Work Week - Pros and Cons


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Compressed Work Week - Pros and Cons
By Pat Katepoo

By Marc Tyler Nobleman http://www.mtncartoons.com

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One of these days, the term "nine-to-five" may become obsolete. That's because, more and more frequently, workers are opting to schedule their weeks so that they work longer hours, but fewer days. This schedule is referred to as a compressed work week. Such a schedule may offer the flexible work arrangement you need as part of your work and family balance management strategy, but beware, it's not for everyone.

Workers who opt for a compressed work week still put in 40 hours, but they do so in fewer than five days. The most popular schedule is a week of four ten-hour days, while some people work a week of five nine-hour days followed by a week of four nine-hour days, with one day off every other week.

On the "pro" side, a compressed work week provides a regular full day off, while still preserving full-time income.

Another advantage to this schedule is that you have one less day to commute, and the commute to work often occurs outside of rush hour because of the extended day.

On the "con" side, an ongoing schedule of ten-hour or nine-hour days can be physically and mentally draining (even if it is the norm for some professionals already).

Not only is the work week squeezed into a shorter time frame, but all after-work activities must also be wedged into the remaining hours of each work day. Sometimes, trying to juggle work and family commitments on an alternate schedule can be stressful. And finding child care to cover your alternate schedule may also be a challenge.

Another challenge to working by an alternative schedule is getting coworkers and supervisors accustomed to thinking outside of the nine-to-five box. You're likely to find people are supportive of an alternative schedule, but will need reminding that they can't schedule meetings with you on your days off.

If these cons don't pose problems for you, you are likely to find the compressed work week, with its "extra" free day, pays off with a nice personal dividend.

Pat Katepoo is founder of WorkOptions.com and the developer of the electronic workbook, Flex Success: A Proposal Blueprint & Planning Guide for Getting a Family-Friendly Work Schedule.

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Creating a Flexible WorkPlace: How to Select and Manage Alternative Work Options by Barney Olmsted and Suzanne Smith (AMACOM, 1994, $56.95). This price, equivalent to 5% off the retail price, is available only through the BeyondWork link to Barnes & Noble books.