Sometimes little things can make all the difference. A small cup of espresso can ease you into the workday, or a tiny increase in pay can allow you to eat out once a week.

A brief happy hour with friends on a Friday afternoon, too, can jumpstart a relaxing weekend. For so many of us, however, the weekend isn’t a time to relax at all. Instead, it’s a window of opportunity to catch up on laundry, complete home improvement projects and shop for groceries. The list of errands can easily last until Sunday evening. Then it’s back to the grind on Monday morning.

But a little tweak to the regular 9 to 5 schedule poses to change all of that. The 9/80 work schedule promises weekends with leisure and relaxation. It efficiently compresses work schedules, allowing for more days away from the office.

You might be surprised at all the positive impacts a small change makes to the workweek. But the 9/80 schedule provides a multitude of benefits to individuals, workplace cultures, and even a community at large. Although it does pose some challenges as well.

Just what is the 9/80 schedule and how did it come about? Why would an employee adopt it, or an employer offer it? This article answers these questions, and sheds light on both the positive and negative impacts of alternative work schedules in general.

The Ins and Outs of a 9/80 Schedule, With Examples

A 9/80 work schedule is what’s known as a compressed schedule. Essentially, it takes the standard schedule of working forty hours from Monday through Friday and compresses it into fewer days. Let’s see what this looks like in the following examples.

Example 1: A Traditional 9/80 Schedule

Most commonly, the 9/80 is a rotating two week schedule where an employee takes every other Friday off. Here’s a breakdown of the bi-weekly schedule.

Week 1: An employee works 9 hour days Monday through Thursday, then 8 hours on Friday, for a total of 44 hours.

Week 2: The employee again works 9 hour days Monday through Thursday, for a total of 36 hours, then then takes Friday off.

The cycle resumes the following week.

Between the two weeks, then, an employee works 80 hours, or an average of 40 hours each week. The “9” in “9/80” refers to nine days, and the “80” to 80 hours total. To reach a total of 80 hours, 8 of the 9 workdays last 9 hours, while the ninth day is only 8.

Example 2: A Front Loaded 9/80 Schedule

A front-loaded 9/80 schedule places the bulk of hours in the first week.

Week 1: An employee works 10 hour days Monday through Friday, for a total of 50 hours.

Week 2: The employee works 7.5 hour days Monday through Thursday, then takes Friday off.

Again, in this example, the employee works a total of 80 hours over two weeks.

While these are two common adaptations of a 9/80 schedule, there are many more possibilities. An employee can work 9.5 days Monday through Thursday for two weeks, and only four hours on the first Friday. Or an employee can take off on a day other than Friday, such as a Wednesday. The essence, however, remains the same: a traditional ten day, forty hour work week is compressed into nine days.

While the 9/80 schedule does introduce some accounting complications for regular employees, which are discussed more later, for contractors and freelancers this isn’t an issue.

Many corporations and industries have adapted the 9/80 schedule. It’s popular within government contractors and in the defense industry with corporations such as Raytheon and Lockhead. Sometimes employees must complete their probation period before qualifying for the 9/80 schedule.

The 9/80 schedule is only one example of a compressed schedule. Another is the “4/10/40,” which compresses a forty hour week into four ten hour days. One more is the “3 by 12 + 1/2 day,” which compresses the workweek into three twelve hour days and one four hour day. This introduces the broader topic of alternative work schedules, which we’ll delve into next.

A Summary & History of Alternative Work Schedules

The standard five day, forty hour work week isn’t so established as one might think. Just one hundred years ago, in fact, it was a fairly new proposition. Until then, it was common for employees to work six days each week, particularly in manufacturing.

Attitudes toward labor shifted during the 1920s, however. In 1926, the Ford Motor Company reduced the work week from six to five days, beginning with manufacturers and then shifting to office workers. In making this change, Ford wanted to build a culture that provided employees time for family, rest and relaxation. It also hoped the increased respite would boost production during the five work days. The five day week became a national trend, and by the end of the decade hundreds of organizations had adopted it. This practice became law with the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, which also ensured employees a minimum wage and overtime pay.

But shiny new toys are always begging for reinvention. Before long, problems with the newly established five day work week started to surface. Perhaps ironically, the standardization of labor that Ford spearheaded led to too many cars on the road at the same time, and large cities dealt with chronic traffic congestion. Employees railed against the inflexibility of their work schedules. And employers sought methods to attract and retain talent.

Within a few decades, tweaks on the original model began to emerge, commonly known as alternative work schedules (AWS). It’s taken on all sorts of adaptations for a variety of reasons. There’s flexible work, remote work, and compressed schedules. Let’s break down what some of these key terms mean.

Part-time Work

Just as it sounds, part-time work shortens the regular work week. For example, a forty hour week can be shortened to 32, where an employee would work four shifts of eight hours.

Remote Work

Remote work is when an employee works away from a central office and communicates with a team digitally.

Hybrid Work

A hybrid model combines remote and in-person work. Someone comes into work a few days a week, and works remotely on the other days.

Flexible Schedule

A flexible schedule, generally, is where all employees work during core hours. These hours generally are midday, such as between 10 and 2. But on either side of this window, it’s any employee’s preference when to start or end the day. Some may work from 7 to 3, while others from 10 to 6. So long as the workday lasts 8 hours, they begin and end the day as they choose.

Some variations of flexible schedules allow employees to vary the number of hours they work each day, so long as the weekly total is 40 hours. For example, someone may come in for 10 hours Monday through Wednesday, then five on Thursday and Friday.

Compressed Schedule

As mentioned earlier, a compressed schedule shortens a forty hour work week into fewer days. This takes on a variety of forms, and can shorten ten workdays into nine, or five workdays into four.

Annualized Hours

This work schedule assigns employees a certain number of hours to work each year. It is popular for project-based or seasonal work, where an employee is in high demand for short bursts, then not needed for a duration of time.

As you can see, alternative work schedules have taken on many forms. As the forty hour work week is the legal standard, an AWS introduces many complications. Each of these schedules must take into account things like overtime, holiday pay, and paid time off.

6 Benefits to a 9/80 Schedule

The 9/80 schedule has really caught on, as it offers many benefits to employers, employees, and the community at large.

1. A Day Off

With the 9/80 schedule, Labor Day doesn’t just come once a year. It comes every other weekend! The opportunity for mini vacations abounds. And on holiday weekends, this vacation extends to four whole days off work.

2. A Cure for Burnout

The daily grind can be a sure recipe for burnout. Between raising kids, managing a household, and keeping down a job, a person has little time left for relaxation, leisure and even sleep. The 9/80 creates a breather day. It’s an ideal window for completing all sorts of tasks and chores and clearing the way for a relaxing Saturday and Sunday.

3. A Quiet Day for the ‘Leftovers’

In an organization that offers a 9/80 schedule, generally some people opt in and others opt out. This means that every second Friday, only a small portion of the workforce shows up at the office. This creates a workspace with less jibber jabber and fewer interruptions, and allows for focused deep work.

4. Fewer Commuters on the Road

The 9/80 schedule reduces an employee’s commute time by 10%. This is a huge boon for anyone with a long, heinous commute. Additionally, when broadly applied across a community or large organization, the 9/80 schedule significantly reduces the number of cars on the road during rush hour. Fridays become a much welcome respite from congestion on major highways.

5. A Regular Workplace Rhythm

One problem with taking a single vacation day is that no one else in the office is taking the same day off. It’s not unlikely that you’ll be bombarded with work emails on your mini-vacation.

However, with the 9/80 schedule, the entire organization anticipates this day off. It becomes built into the culture and rhythm of the work cycle. This allows employees to have some momentary detachment from work obligations.

6. An Enticing Perk

A workplace culture that values employee well-being is attractive for job seekers. The 9/80 schedule is one way that a company offers flexibility and attracts and retains talent.

With so many perks, it’s no wonder that many employers, employees and city officials advocate for the 9/80 schedule. However, it does pose significant challenges as well.

8 Challenges to a 9/80 Schedule

While the 9/80 schedule offers a range of benefits, it also has many other effects that are not entirely positive. Let’s consider some of the downsides and challenges to implementing this schedule into the workplace.

1. Ripple Effects

In an organization with thousands of employees, when a plurality routinely doesn’t show up for work, it impacts the organization as a whole. For example, the demand for cafeteria workers and janitors drops significantly on the breather day. And so in an organization that adopts the 9/80 schedule, many employees are forced to take a day off, regardless.

2. Long Workdays

The 9/80 schedule creates a stretch of very long work days. Particularly in a front-loaded schedule, employees work 25% more than they would in a regular 40 hour week. In high pressure jobs, or positions that require physical labor, this increase in hours can lead to overwork and burnout.

2. Complications with Payroll and Accounting

As stated, the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 requires overtime pay whenever weekly hours exceed 40. The 9/80 schedule, then, creates a conundrum for accounting. Every organization wants to avoid paying overtime, yet employees on the schedule regulatory work 44 to 50 hours every other week. Some accounting offices solve this by starting the work week in the middle of the day on Monday, or the middle of the day on Friday. Other offices don’t want to touch it at all, and so the 9/80 schedule can’t get up and running.

4. A Decrease in Camaraderie

In-person interaction is critical to building relationships, and a work routine with fewer people in the office can lead to a breakdown in synergy and team building.

5. Frequent “Violations”

Oftentimes, an employee on the 9/80 schedule is forced to come into work on his Friday off. Perhaps there is a critical meeting, or a deadline to meet.

6. A Burden to Coworkers

When employers offer flexible work packages, it can create a burden to coworkers. It can mean that other people have to pick up the slack in order to meet deadlines, or else it slows projects down altogether.

7. Inequalities

Not everyone can qualify for a 9/80 schedule. An administrative assistant or receptionist, for example, needs to be in the office every day. This inequality can create resentment and schisms within the workforce.

8. A Longer Day in Daycare

For employees with children, a nine or even ten hour day means that children are in a daycare for an extra long stretch.

And so the 9/80 schedule isn’t entirely perfect. But it’s good enough to get a pass for many organizations.

Feeling included is as human as needing to eat and drink water. As social creatures, we genuinely crave attention and acceptance from the others in our lives.

Inclusion has been sought after since we were cavemen. In fact, even in prehistoric times, our ancestors got busy with gossip, an easy way to connect with others and share information.

Now, we’re not suggesting a gossip culture equals inclusion at work because that’s more likely to cause a rift among staff. But highlighting the importance of human connection is how businesses move towards a more inclusive workplace.

Let’s do a little experiment.

Think back to your first job; maybe it was working retail or at a fast food place. Your old boss had their favorites, right? The ones who would also get the best shifts or could take longer breaks.

Maybe there was a clique who seemed above the rules, always working together and putting distance between themselves and the other workers.

It was a hostile environment, wasn’t it? People were treated differently, and it was impossible to raise these concerns because the boss didn’t care.

Inclusion in the workplace is all about tackling these kinds of problems to create teams that are more connected. In this article, we’ll be going through inclusion in the workplace examples and helping you identify what your office is guilty of and what to do about it.

What is Inclusion in the Workplace?

An inclusive workplace is somewhere that places a greater emphasis on creating a welcoming environment and encouraging involvement from all people regardless of differences.

Today, we enjoy greater access to the global workforce, which means people are entering the workplace with vastly different experiences and backgrounds. Inclusion is how companies become more interconnected with their staff while ensuring those hired are the best for the role rather than hiring based on stereotypes.

Creating inclusive workplaces has been a priority for many companies over the last 100 years. But it’s important to acknowledge the work still to be done. Leaders looking to develop a more inclusive place of work understand the benefit of diversity among their staff.

Below is a list of aspects of inclusion in the workplace targets:

• Age
• Disabilities
• Mental Health
• Gender identity
• Sexual orientation
• Ethnic background
• Socio-economic status
• Religious and cultural background

Inclusive companies look to hire and nurture their employees by putting aside unconscious biases, instead placing proper emphasis on a person’s skills, experience, potential for growth, and commitment to the business.

Removing obstacles from a person’s development at the company allows managers to get better work at their team. Important factors like staff loyalty, productivity, and team cohesion receive a significant boost, and an inclusive culture at work can reduce the levels of staff turnover.

People want to feel respected at work, and the aspects mentioned above are important parts of personality. Although someone’s background and gender don’t impact their ability to work, it does inform their experiences and perspectives. Tapping into a more diverse range of viewpoints brings invaluable and irreplaceable insights.

Inclusion vs. Diversity and Equality

When inclusion in the workplace is discussed, it’s not uncommon to hear the terms diversity and equality used interchangeably. All three are heavily interconnected, but they have disparate meanings worth understanding.

• Inclusion: Inclusion focuses on creating a workplace where all employees feel valued and respected. The employer should undertake policies that promote a safe environment where every person can thrive and embrace their individual qualities without fear of discrimination from others.
• Diversity: Diversity puts greater emphasis on hiring employees from a wide range of backgrounds and characteristics. A diverse team would include people of different races, genders, ages, and other aspects. However, a diverse hiring policy alone doesn’t equate to inclusion if not everyone is given the same platform to contribute to the company and access opportunities for development.
• Equality: Equality means offering fair treatment to all employees regardless of their backgrounds and demographics. For example, ensuring employees at the same level receive the same compensation package irrespective of gender or nationality. Doing so gives staff the same tools they need to be successful.

Diversity and equality help leaders create a more inclusive workplace, but they don’t go far enough on their own. All three form a strong foundation for a positive and productive workplace environment.

Now, let’s go through various scenarios where a company can develop inclusion in the workplace.

Examples of Inclusion in the Workplace

suddenly champion inclusivity. It requires a culture shift from the top down and needs to affect every division and every team.

In the examples below, we’ll go through the obvious areas where inclusion will make a difference, as well as more subtle scenarios where its impact is more easily overlooked.

Inclusive Hiring Policies

Hiring is the first time a prospective candidate will interact with your company, and setting a good example here can encourage more interest from high-quality prospects. If a job advert or an interview fails to feel inclusive, good people may choose to walk away from the opportunity.

However, hiring policies are an excellent way to demonstrate your commitment to inclusivity to potential candidates. Here are some of the ways to achieve this:

• Blind recruitment: A person’s demographics aren’t important in hiring, and the process should reflect this. Develop a system where identifying information is removed from applications and can’t be used to influence decisions during the screening process. If the application will involve a skills test, ensure this is standardized across all applicants.
• Inclusive language: The language used in a job advert should avoid using gendered language. Instead of using he or she in the advert, switch to they or ‘the candidate’ as this will feel more welcoming to all applicants.
• Offering flexibility: Flexible working conditions are a sought-after benefit for modern candidates. If there is scope for flexibility in the job, offering this recognizes that people have different needs. It allows employees to balance work with their personal lives better and reduces the amount of stress. Naturally, this can lead to more productivity and shows people trust and understanding, which is rewarded with loyalty and hard work.
• Examine job description: Potential candidates come from a range of backgrounds that may not fit neatly into educational boxes. Focus on their experience and qualifications rather than specific degrees. People from non-traditional backgrounds have diverse skills that can benefit a role and are just as worth considering alongside those with a relevant degree.
• Diverse interviewers: When an interview panel is part of the hiring process, companies should include managers from diverse backgrounds. Diversity helps to reduce individual biases in the interview process and allows different perspectives to decide whether a candidate is a good fit. Additionally, train those involved in interviews on unconscious bias and the importance of equitable evaluation.
• Optimized onboarding: Once a candidate is hired and their onboarding starts, inclusion should remain at the forefront. Include a diversity and inclusion training program early in their development. Also, consider implementing a work shadowing or mentorship program, which can pair people from diverse backgrounds together to help acclimatize new staff to the company.
• Create feedback systems: It’s not always possible to identify inefficiencies in the hiring process internally. To combat this, create channels where prospective candidates and new hires can provide feedback on the recruitment process. Doing so will open up new insights and highlight areas of improvement.

When hiring, you want to bring on the best of the best, and developing more inclusive hiring policies encourages more applications from experienced candidates. The best person for the job may be put off applying if the job advert and selection process don’t feel inclusive, which means you miss out on their expertise.

Development and Networking Opportunities

Employees should be offered the same access to training and development resources. This includes removing barriers that limit opportunities to those in senior positions. Appropriate adjustments should also be made for employees with accessibility needs. No one should miss out on professional growth opportunities due to the physical or cognitive challenges they may face.

It’s important to run team-building activities, too, especially for larger workforces. Not only does it deepen the connection between employees, but opens up internal networking opportunities that can benefit a person’s career growth and collaborative projects.

Some ideas for inclusive team activities include:

• Volunteering: Volunteering is a great way for companies to show they’re dedicated to corporate social responsibility while letting employees come together for the greater good. It helps people to learn more about the causes in their communities and spend a day outside of the office with their peers. Many volunteering opportunities include teamwork and problem-solving to overcome challenges.
• Language exchange: If you have team members who speak different languages organizing workshops can be a great way to upskill staff. A company that deals internationally or is looking to expand its sales regions will benefit greatly by encouraging its workforce to learn another language.
• Book clubs: Book clubs can be an excellent source of camaraderie and education. Books can be selected that share cultural messages or provide the foundations for career development. Each month the members of the book club come together to share their thoughts and discuss their takeaways from what they’ve read.
• Walking lunches: Encouraging exercise at work can benefit people’s mental and physical well-being, but walking lunches, in particular, can provide an opportunity for members of different teams to develop rapport. It can be a great way for upper management and staff to connect on a personal level, breaking down hierarchical and cultural barriers.
• Skill-sharing workshops: Much like the language exchange, skill-sharing workshops are run by staff with specialist skills with the aim of upskilling their colleagues. These skills range from important at-work skills like marketing, mathematics, and coding to more hobby-based skills like cooking, yoga, and painting.
• Seminars: Arranging seminars from outside speakers is an excellent way to bring new ideas into the workplace. Instead of only inviting senior managers or specific teams, open invitations to the entire organization so no one is excluded from something they might enjoy attending.
• Escape rooms: Escape rooms are a team-building exercise where people must work together to figure out a series of puzzles. By teaming up with others from across departments and management levels, people can build a deeper bond as they take on the challenges of the escape room.
• Trivia nights: Trivia nights are a fun activity where staff can come together to relax away from the pressure of their job. People will be put into teams and use their knowledge to answer questions. Trivia nights also present a sly opportunity to introduce concepts from different cultures, which can get people talking and asking questions.

All in all, the goal of development and networking opportunities is to make sure no one is shut out from something that benefits their professional or personal growth. Every member of staff should be offered equal access to support and resources.

Inclusive Work Environment

An office should be a welcoming place to everyone, not just staff but contractors, clients, and other visitors. No place of work should feel alienating to those walking through the site. The first thing to concentrate on is whether your place of work is safe for all members of staff.

Unconscious bias can get in the way of safety at work, so empathy is needed to put yourself in the shoes of others. Here are some examples of safe and inclusive work environments:

• Providing accessible infrastructure, including ramps, elevators, and accessible bathrooms.
• Providing gender-neutral bathrooms
• Creating a private space for prayer
• Designating quiet zones where staff can take a break
• Providing a nursing room for new parents
• Buying adjustable desks and chairs
• Buying visual and audio aids like hearing loop systems and screen magnifiers
• Implementing temperature control zones

Being able to provide each of the above may depend on the space available in your office. If the space is there, these features in an office go a long way to making a safe space for everyone. However, when we talk about an inclusive work environment, there’s much more to consider than just the infrastructure.

Examples of inclusive behaviors at work:

• Team meetings: In team meetings, make sure every voice has a chance to be heard. There will naturally be some strong personalities in the team who can easily end up taking over if others fail to speak up. Encourage participation from everyone and provide opportunities for a range of voices to be heard.
• Celebrating holidays and milestones: Make sure all holidays are part of the corporate calendar so everyones heritage and religion is given equal attention. Events like Pride Month, Black History Month, Christmas, Hanukkah, and a diverse range of other celebrations are treated on equal footing. This also means celebrating personal milestones like birthdays, promotions, and anniversaries.
• Equitable pay schemes: Equal pay is important among staff, so the company should avoid a biased pay structure to boost inclusion in the workplace. Compensation should be fair and transparent. If pay gaps exist, then you need to uncover what’s caused them and address these issues.
• Ask questions: A company dedicated to inclusion should never stop asking questions. Approach employees about their thoughts on inclusion initiatives and see if they have any ideas for consideration. Try to do this as a routine to reduce the risk of stepping backward with inclusivity.
• Open door policy: Managers should have an open door policy and encourage staff to come to them with any concerns. A manager should want to hear from all different viewpoints on their team. If staff can come to their with concerns or suggestions, this can quickly lead to a more harmonious and productive workplace.

Creating an inclusive work environment is an ongoing process that should be informed by the staff. As new people join an organization, inefficiencies in inclusion may reveal themselves, and a business dedicated to inclusion will try to act quickly.

Whenever anyone seeks employment, one persistent question keeps raising its head. Is it better to be paid with a salary or hourly? It’s tempting to give a practical answer to this question, and say that a wage is a wage is a wage. But more often than not, our experience questions such a simple approach.

How many of us have been offered a job and negotiated a suitable compensation, only to realize six months into employment that it’s anything but suitable? Maybe you signed on to work forty hours a week, yet regularly work sixty. Or you need forty hours of pay each week, yet the boss consistently sends you home early when work is slow.

Each and every person seeking employment brings a unique mishmash of needs. They include things like short and long term financial goals, consistent work-life balance, and a desire to hone skills, establish professional connections, and be part of a meaningful initiative. Employers are no different. Some need a dedicated, long-term team, while others are looking for some people to pick up a few months of seasonal labor.

A wage is much more than a wad of cash you stick into your pocket at the end of the day. The various benefits of salary or hourly pay address these needs differently. A method of compensation directly impacts an employee’s level of dedication to a company, and the company’s dedication to him or her. It can mitigate against overwork and burnout.

Thinking through the pros and cons of hourly pay versus salary leaves both employees and employers scratching their head from time to time. Let’s consider the implications behind both these methods of pay, and in doing so uncover the benefits and downsides to each.

Clarifications: Salary, Hourly & Everything In-between

Hourly and salary are two of the most common methods that employers use to compensate employees.

The hourly method simply pays workers an agreed-upon rate for each hour of work completed. Someone who earns $10 an hour and who puts in a ten hour day earns $100. If this person takes a day off, he doesn’t receive any compensation. If he works overtime (above 40 hours in one week) he receives time and a half for each hour of overtime, or $15 an hour.

A salary is a fixed annual compensation given to an employee in exchange for labor or services. A salary, generally, is accompanied with benefits such as health care, a retirement plan and paid leave for vacation and personal time.

There are various shades of grey between these two black and white definitions. Oftentimes hourly employees receive benefits such as health insurance and paid leave. A salaried employee is generally contracted to work a designated number of hours each week. (However, a salaried employee does not earn more or less pay if her total weekly hours exceeds or falls below this designed amount.)

And there are plenty of other employment styles and methods for compensating employees. Both freelancers and consultants, generally, are paid hourly, but they aren’t employees of the company where they render services. Commission and profit sharing are methods of paying employees either a portion of their individual proceeds or the company’s proceeds as a whole.

With these clarifications, let’s turn to some of the pros and cons of salaried employees.

The Pros & Cons of Salary

For both the employee and employer, a salary offers a range of positives and negatives.

The Pros and Cons of Salaries for Employees

A salary, first and foremost, is great because it guarantees an employee a certain amount of money each year. This financial stability allows salaried employees to budget, spend, and invest to meet both long and short-term financial goals.

And a salaried compensation plan is much more than just cash. Its medley of perks and benefits provides health insurance, allows for paid vacation and personal leave, and pockets away savings for retirement. It covers and cares for an employee holistically.

Oftentimes, salaries offer a yearly bonus as well.

And unlike most hourly positions, a salaried employee isn’t expected to work diligently through the entire day. If there isn’t a lot of work at the moment, salaried employees can get away with fooling around on the job for a while.

On the other hand….

A salaried position creates an environment ripe for overwork without any acclaim or additional compensation. Take seasonal work, for example. During tax season, a salaried accountant may easily rack up 80 hour weeks, staring into spreadsheets until she can’t see straight. Or a teacher may spend the entire weekend grading exams at the end of a semester. Yet in both scenarios, the monthly paycheck is the same steady amount.

An employer invests in a salaried employee with the aspiration that he or she becomes proficient and skilled in the position. With time, then, a salaried employee often produces the same amount of work in fewer hours, with a higher quality of output. He becomes a ninja, essentially. At this point, an employer may capitalize on the employee’s proficiency and increase the workload without increasing pay.

In short, it’s easy for a salaried employee to feel undervalued. Add to it that the position offers less mobility, oftentimes, than an hourly position. The employer may feel bound to stay in position, as a comparable position can only be found with great difficulty.

The Pros and Cons of Salaries for Employers

To the employer, hiring a salaried employee is akin to making an investment. The employer allocates many resources to taking care of the employee, and shows concern for her overall well being. As a rule, the employee in turn invests herself into the company, pouring her talent, energy and time into her role. Her skills increase, and over the long term she reaps many rewards for the company.

An employer can depend on the dedication of salaried employees. If the workload suddenly increases, they’ll show up on the weekend and work late into the night to get everything finished. And they bring more integrity to the position, generally, than an hourly employee, being less likely to show up late and abuse the sick leave policy.

On the other hand…

Salaried employees are far more expensive than an hourly employee. They may take several weeks off at a time yet still require a paycheck. Not only are they not earning the company any money during this time, they’re also draining its savings.

In summary, a salary offers great benefits to both the employer and the employee. But the pay structure can be abused, leading employees to feel overworked and undervalued. One way to mitigate against this downside is by incorporating alternate forms of compensation along with a salary. For example, an employee who earns both a salary and a commission off his own services is incentivized to put in many hours of hard work.

The Pros & Cons of Hourly

Now, let’s get into the pros and cons of an hourly position, from both the employee and employer’s perspective.

The Pros and Cons of Hourly Pay for Employees

Generally, a boss can’t afford to pay an employee who racks up hours and hours of overtime, so hourly positions mitigate against scenarios of overwork and burnout. At the same time, an employee is well compensated during busy stretches, earning time and a half of what she earns for regular pay.

On the other hand…

An hourly employee is only paid when there’s work to do, and so many hourly positions do not offer a consistent and reliable paycheck. If it’s a slow evening, say, at a restaurant or the movie theater, the boss sends staff home early. This instability can make it impossible to budget, save and achieve long term financial goals.

Additionally, an hourly employee cannot dilly dally through the morning and expect to get away with it in the way that a salaried employee might. Their time is money, and when the employee is at work, she’s expected to work diligently throughout the entire day, with only one thirty minute lunch and brief fifteen minute breaks every four hours.

The Pros and Cons of Hourly Pay for Employers

To an employer, the clear benefit of hourly employees is that they’re cheaper than salaried employees. If they get sick and take a week off, the employer has no obligation to pay them. Many hourly positions don’t offer any health benefits or a retirement plan. This creates savings across the board.

Generally, hourly work doesn’t carry the commitment of a salaried position, and so hourly employees are useful for seasonal, temporary or part time work.

On the other hand….

For what they save in the short term, an hourly employee can be expensive in the long term. Hourly employees will up and leave at a moment’s notice, forcing a company to dole out time and money into hiring and training replacements.

Not to mention that when a deluge of work blows in like a tornado, the boss has no choice but to dole out hefty paychecks to employees, brimming with overtime pay.

In summary, then, hourly employment can be either good or bad depending on the circumstances. Sometimes an employer has no choice but to hire hourly employees, simply to save money, and then can hire salaried employees once the business is established. Freelancers play a significant role in the economics of employment. They can be hired and paid hourly for their specialized labor, then let go when their skills are no longer needed.

And the Winner Is….

The truth is, there is no winner between salaried and hourly pay. Each has distinct advantages and disadvantages. Let’s go over some considerations for both employers and employees to help determine whether to pursue salary or hourly compensation, or another method altogether.

• Employers need to consider the long and short term consequences of both hourly and salaried pay. As mentioned, hourly employees save money in the short term. But their weak dedication to the company may end up costing the business in the long term. Skilled labor is the most critical resource for most businesses, and salaried positions are more likely to hire and retain top talent.
• Employers, as well, can consider incorporating other methods of pay into both a salaried and hourly positions. Offering commissions to any employee incentives them to work harder. And profit-sharing makes employees feel like stakeholders in the company, not simply hired hands.
• When considering compensation, it’s helpful for employees to gauge the current stage of their career, and their long-term objectives. If they aspire to hone a specific skill, and can afford irregular pay, then pursuing hourly work as a freelancer is a solution. If they need a steady paycheck in order to save for a home, pay off a car, or provide for a family, then a salaried position is probably a more responsible route.
• Employees need to also consider their work capacity, both mental and physical. Many have demanding personal lives, and cannot commit to working more than 35 or 40 hours a week. While others have a fairly flexible lifestyle, and can swing 80 hour weeks from time to time. Knowing this work capacity guides someone toward a work package that mitigates against overwork and burnout.

“Learning to stand in somebody else’s shoes, to see through their eyes, that’s how peace begins. And it’s up to you to make that happen. Empathy is a quality of character that can change the world.” – Barack Obama.

Empathy lies at the core of human connection, yet we find it lacking in the workplace. It’s a skill that helps us understand conflict and create environments that allow our people to thrive and feel supported.

With offices becoming more reliant on technology than ever before, our connections to other people in our teams have been stretched thin.

Remote and hybrid working has added many sought-after benefits to jobs but has given rise to virtual walls, making it harder to consider the people on the other side of the screen as real.

More than ever, leaders in business need to be tapping into their empathetic side to help employees navigate the abundant changes to their place of work.

This article covers examples of empathy in the workplace, the real situations that may arise, and how an empathetic hand can make a world of difference.

What is Empathy in the Workplace?

Empathy is something we need in every aspect of our lives. It helps us understand what someone else is feeling. It’s a sign of emotional intelligence and is a key skill needed to navigate through complex social landscapes.

In the workplace, using empathy is one way to create a people-first environment. Seeing employees not as cogs in the machine but as real individuals with wants and needs that extend beyond work.

A common rule in some workplaces is: Leave your problems at the door.

This rule may be a practical request for ensuring staff maintain focus on their work during company time, but it’s an impossible ask ignoring that people are real.

Bosses who can’t tap into empathy at work can do nothing to tackle a toxic workplace. Where understanding and compassion are needed, they throw down the rulebook, creating resentment amongst their people.

Empathy comes naturally to many people, while others may struggle. It’s considered a “soft skill” at work, meaning it’s something a person is born with rather than a learned behavior.

However, leaders who commit to learning and practicing empathy can develop these skills over time. As a sought-after workplace skill, it’s worth investing time in.

Here are some of the characteristics that define empathy:

• Perspective-taking: Instead of letting emotions lead actions, perspective-taking is about stopping and looking at a situation from an alternative point of view. In the workplace, this may mean looking at how the situation appears to someone else. As a manager, it would mean putting your biases in check and asking yourself more questions about what’s happened.
  • Example: Priti, the newest coffee shop team member, makes a latte but uses the wrong milk and adds too much foam. In this instance, the manager might criticize them for wasting stock; however, by taking perspective, they might realize the Priti has had insufficient training to be left alone making drinks.
• Emotional resonance: This is the ability to connect with and influence the emotions of another. At work, this could be mirroring someone’s positive emotions following good news. However, emotional resonance also occurs with negative feelings, so if one person on the team is angry, this can spread, creating a toxic environment.
  • Example: Khalid, a senior employee, is having a bad day, talking down to his staff, being abrupt, and showing visible signs of stress and anger. Employees notice this and become more withdrawn as a result. In times like these, teams are less productive, and the workplace is less friendly.
• Non-judgmental understanding: Being able to approach situations with a sense of balance when there are misunderstandings. Being non-judgmental means not making a moral judgment about another person as a result of the situation they are in.
  • Example: We previously mentioned the outdated “leave your problems at the door” rule. If a coworker has suffered a bereavement, they may be unable to focus on their duties entirely. The wrong approach would be to classify them as lazy. Instead, shifting their responsibilities or extending their deadlines may help them get back up to speed.
• Active listening: Truly hearing and understanding what someone is saying, both verbally and non-verbally. To do this, you would ask questions, listen to the speaker’s tone of voice, and watch their body. Do not interrupt the speaker, but show signs of understanding through non-verbal cues like nodding your head.
  • Example: John has requested a meeting to discuss recent changes at work they believe have negatively impacted team productivity. His manager uses this opportunity to hear what John’s saying, takes notes on their discussion, and lets John speak about issues without the need to defend corporate actions.

How Empathy Impacts on Workplace Dynamics

Empathy has fast become a sought-after skill for leadership roles within the workplace. As time has progressed, high-value employees are looking for more than just a paycheck from the places they choose to work.

Modern employees put value in more freedom, which may come from flexible hours or being able to opt in for hybrid work. Beyond that, they also want to work for good people and companies committed to innovating work conditions.

Tech startups like Google and Apple have driven these changes as they’ve redefined working conditions for employees at their businesses. Google, for example, has constantly been in the news for its work practices, which include superior health and life insurance, unlimited sick pay, generous parental leave, and on-site daycare facilities.

Google’s approach has been to create a workplace that genuinely alleviates personal concerns people may have. Empathy, looking for and understanding the problems that everybody faces, leads them to create a place of work that’s high in demand, meaning they can pick the best of the best.

Empathetic Leadership Examples

Creating the kind of workplace that gets in the news for all the right reasons doesn’t happen overnight. A significant culture shift is needed to put empathy at the center of decision-making, but when this happens, the positive work environment leads to lower staff turnover and more loyal employees.

Here are some examples of empathetic leadership in action:

• Improving Communication in the Team: When managers concentrate on improving communication, they can help reduce miscommunication and misunderstanding between team members. Beyond the manager-employee relationships, it’s essential to create systems that enhance communication and collaboration among each team member.
  • Example: Sarah struggles to keep pace with rapid changes at work. Her manager, recognizing this, implements a weekly “kickoff meeting,” which gives each person a chance to ask questions, sets out weekly tasks, and provides real-time progress updates. As a result, Sarah has the opportunity to get feedback each week without being singled out and feels more prepared for her tasks.
• Servant Leadership: This leadership style takes an empathetic approach to work dynamics. A servant leader is someone who puts the needs of the team above their own ambitions. Instead, they will work hard alongside their team and promote a culture of ‘we’re all in this together,’ which helps to deepen bonds at work.
  • Example: Tony leads a small software development team at a large multinational company. His role as a servant leader means his door is always open for support and guidance. He works proactively alongside his team to complete all tasks on time. When upper management praises Tony for his hard work shipping the latest software update, he ensures his team is appropriately credited and does not take it for himself.
• Prioritizing Employee Wellbeing: Employees have lives outside of work, and sometimes, whether we like it or not, this can impact their output. It’s natural for people to have times of lower productivity, and there could be any number of reasons why: burnout, lack of sleep, family concerns, conflicts at work, a sudden illness, and plenty more. An empathetic manager will notice these changes and offer productive solutions.
  • Example: Terrence is a new father who struggles to balance his new responsibilities with work. His employer notices that Terrence has been arriving late more frequently, and his productivity levels have dropped. After explaining his struggles to his manager, Terrance switches to a flexible working schedule to better manage his time between family and work. He’s also given the information about the Employee Assitance Program, which offers counseling and resources for new parents.
• Promoting Team Development: Employees tend to have aspirations beyond what they’re currently doing. An empathetic manager invests themselves in helping their staff achieve their career goals. The manager may offer opportunities for learning, skill development, and helping them to make connections. Instead of holding someone back because you don’t want to lose a good worker, you’ll be the champion of their growth.
  • Example: A tech company may send the development team to a conference. Here, they’ll be able to learn about emerging trends in their area, network with other professionals, and get hands-on with the latest technology. Once the team returns, the company arranges presentations and meetings for staff to share their learnings and suggest new ideas for growth.

Introducing these empathetic leadership qualities to your team directly correlates with employee satisfaction. If all these measures become commonplace, an employee will feel supported, empowered, and cared for by their leadership. You’ll be rewarded with loyalty, increased productivity, and a workplace culture that attracts and retains top talent.

Real-Life Examples of Empathy in the Workplace

Each workplace is its own distinct entity, so there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to empathy. People make a place what it is, and since the human spirit is so complex, you’ll need to decide the best way to create a more empathetic workplace.

However, there are some universal situations that all managers must address at some point in their careers. Here are some real-life examples of empathy in the workplace:

Supporting an Employee During Crisis

Personal crisis affects productivity, even in the most hard-headed employees. Work can play a pivotal role in navigating times of distress by providing a safe environment for someone to escape to. Many people will find comfort in focusing on their work, but real-life issues can weigh heavily on a person and eat away at their productivity.

Ciara has been a rising star at her office and is known for being hardworking and punctual. Recently, she has distanced herself from her colleagues and refuses to engage with people. Her manager notices this switch in Ciara’s personality, but instead of reprimanding her for refusing to collaborate, he initiates a welfare check to make sure everything is okay. Ciara tells him her mother has received a terminal illness diagnosis, and she’s beset with worry.

Her manager offers his condolences and suggests that Ciara take the rest of the week off. He also gives her the option of switching to a flexible schedule to spend more time with her Mother.

Ciara switches to a hybrid schedule, allowing her to make medical appointments with her mother and help attend to her personal affairs. Grateful for the opportunity to do this, Ciara feels less stressed, and her relationship with others in the office improves again. Her colleagues recognize the compassion offered and feel a renewed sense of pride for the company.

Bridging the Gap Between Cultural Difference

Companies are increasingly composed of diverse cultures as true international working has taken root. One benefit of this is tapping into a huge talent pool and bringing in new perspectives. However, cultural differences can affect the workplace, but this presents an excellent learning opportunity.

Sofea has joined an aerospace engineering company from Singapore. Her team is mainly made up of Americans who are all excited to work alongside Sofea. As a Muslim, Sofea observes Ramadan in March and April, which involves fasting from dawn til dusk.

Her colleague John suggests postponing the bi-weekly working lunch during Ramadan to support Sofea. Her manager also made accommodations so Sofea could have a private place to pray. Sofea was grateful to her colleagues for taking an interest in her religion and appreciated this gesture from her manager, John, and the team.

These simple acts helped Sofea feel respected and included in the team. It helped to deepen the bond between all team members and created a more cohesive work environment.

Making Mental Health Matter

We all have days where we feel like a million dollars and other days where we feel like we’re sinking to the bottom of the barrel. A bad day can become a bad week or even a month if people aren’t allowed to prioritize self-care. When this happens, it will affect their productivity and potentially spread to other team members.

Brian is a marketing executive working tirelessly on a massive campaign for the company’s most lucrative client. Throughout the campaign, Brain shows all the signs of burnout: working into the night, looking completely drained, not eating, and starting to make simple mistakes.

His manager, Lisa, takes Brian to one side to ask about his workload. Brian admits he has been pushing himself harder to compensate for the lack of resources provided. Understanding that Brain is one of the firm’s most successful marketers, she encourages him to take a day off to recover.

While Brain is recuperating, Lisa reviews the company’s resources and manages to allocate an assistant to help with his workload. On his return, Brain is grateful for the extra help, and together, he and his assistant complete the campaign on time and under budget.

Examples of Lack of Empathy in the Workplace

Where empathy is lacking, toxicity can spread like wildfire. Employees may be less engaged with their work and may leave the company. If people don’t feel properly supported and understood, they’ll be less inclined to raise problems and seek help when needed.

To give you an idea of what happens when there is a lack of empathy in the workplace, let’s go through some examples:

Ignoring People’s Personal Lives

Jamal works at a digital agency where collaboration thrives. He’s going through divorce proceedings, and his focus at work has started to wane. Jamal has stopped contributing to meetings, and his work lacks the quality it’s usually known for. His boss, Antonio, criticizes him during a meeting with the entire team present, reprimanding him for his sudden lack of commitment.

With no support from his boss and a public shaming in front of his team, Jamal’s performance declines further until he feels he has no choice but to leave. The rest of the team’s morale drops, and every employee avoids approaching Antonio with problems for fear of similar treatment.

Limiting an Employee’s Career Progression

Saorise is an architect who joined the company after completing her degree on an unpaid internship scheme. She quickly made a name for herself as talented and hardworking, eventually securing a full-time position at the company. Saorise is placed in Belinda’s team and enthusiastically contributes to client pitches.

Belinda uses many of Saorise’s ideas but keeps the credit for herself, and when this is raised, she accuses Saorise of not being a team player. After three years in the team, Saorise feels ready to progress to the next stage of her career and applies for an internal promotion. Her boss, afraid of losing a good team member, refuses to write a letter of recommendation.

Saorise is passed over for the role and, as a result, finds a position at a rival firm. The rest of Belinda’s team are unhappy with their boss’s treatment of Saorise, and requests for transfers start to go into HR.

Providing Unhelpful Feedback

Mateo has just started a new career in the IT department of a large energy company. Each new employee is placed on a 3-month probation period with regular meetings to monitor progress. His new boss, Michael, initially provides an excellent roadmap for Mateo’s training, but after the first month, their weekly meetings start to be postponed.

As issues arise, Mateo tries asking Michael for guidance but is told to figure it out himself. At the end of his probation period, Michael berates Mateo for not being good enough and dismisses the lack of support. He extends the probation period by three months and tells Mateo if his work doesn’t improve, he will be fired on the spot.

Mateo suggests they create an action plan together to ensure his work gets to the level expected of him, but Michael tells him no. Feeling unsupported and concerned about working for Michael long-term, Mateo chooses to leave immediately. As a result, the IT team suffers a backlog of tickets, and Michael must begin the hiring process again.