5-4/9 roster

5-4/9 roster (in shift work): Working 8 9-hour days and 1 8-hour day in a two-week period.

5-4/9 roster

This flexible work schedule allows employees to clock in 9-hour shifts for 8 days, then adding an 8-hour shift for 1 day over a two-week period.

What is a 5-4/9 roster

This schedule is called “5/4/9” (five-four-nine) because of how it structures the workdays in a two-week period:

1. “5” refers to working 5 days in the first week
2. “4” refers to working 4 days in the second week
3. “9” refers to working 9 hours per day on most workdays

Example of a 5-4/9 roster:

• Week 1: 5 days of 9-hour shifts
• Week 2: 3 days of 9-hour shifts and 1 day of 8 hours

This adds up to 80 hours over two weeks while allowing for one day off every other week (usually resulting in a three-day weekend every other week). The extra hour worked each day (9 instead of 8) accumulates to allow for the additional day off.

This compressed work schedule is popular in some organizations as it can offer employees more flexibility and longer weekends while still maintaining a full-time work schedule.

Companies incorporating the 5/4/9 roster benefit from heightened employee morale and productivity, as workers often report feeling refreshed and engaged with an extra day of leisure. It’s not uncommon for service-oriented industries to adopt this schedule, allowing business operations to run smoothly while granting employees valuable downtime.

How we can help

When your basic roster is not enough, Zelos is a practical addition to your toolbox for shift exchange and extra shift signup. Explore our self-scheduling software, Zelos Team Management, to see if it might align with your unique requirements. We’re a dedicated team focused on shift management and self-scheduling, actively developing this solution to help professionals like you. Check out our website, sign up for a free account, and see if it’s right for you!

Shift work glossary