Alternative work schedules are desirable to many employees. By allowing employees to adjust their work schedules, companies are not only able to recruit and retain valuable employees, but they also make it possible for them to completely eliminate commute trips on certain days by compressing their work weeks.

Typical Compressed Work Schedules

• 4/10 work week - Forty hours are worked in four 10-hour days, thus reducing the employee’s commute trips by 20 percent.
• 9/80 work week - Eighty hours are worked in nine days with the tenth day off, thus reducing the employee’s 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.

Employers generally report a reduction in tardiness and absenteeism for employees on compressed work weeks and flextime. This is attributed to the employees’ ability to commute outside of the rush hour and their increased flexibility in scheduling appointments and errands.

Implementing a Compressed Work Schedule Program – Learn the process involved in conceptualizing, designing, and implementing a program.   Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) Page WSDOT flexible work page.

Flex Time

Flex-time offers employees varying times to arrive and depart from work without changing the number of their daily work hours. While flex-time does not in itself eliminate drive alone commuting, it enables employees to take advantage of biking, carpooling, vanpooling, or riding the bus.