Compressed hours, part-time working and job sharing solve different problems. Compressed hours keep the same total hours over fewer days, part-time working reduces contractual hours and pay, and job sharing divides one role between two people.
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Compressed hours
Compressed hours preserve total contracted hours but create longer working days or a longer cycle, such as a nine-day fortnight. They can provide a regular non-working day without reducing salary, but may affect fatigue, coverage, flexitime, travel and the maximum practical length of the working day.
Part-time working
Part-time working reduces contracted hours and usually reduces salary, leave and pension accrual proportionately. Workload and objectives must also be reduced. The pattern can involve fewer days, shorter days or a mixture.
Job sharing
Two employees divide one role, usually with shared responsibility and a planned handover. It can retain broader role coverage than a single part-time arrangement, but depends on recruitment, compatibility, accountability and a strong operating model.
Do the financial calculation first
A pattern can look practical until salary, pension, leave, childcare, travel and longer-day costs are included. Calculate the real effect before submitting or accepting an alternative.
Unlock the full pattern-design guide below, including financial and workload checks, compressed-hours risk testing, job-share operating plans, handover models, trial criteria and request wording for each option.
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