Benefits and Challenges of Non-Traditional Work Schedules in Local Government

San Juan County recently made headlines with its one-year report on implementing a 32-hour workweek (32 HWW) for county employees. After launching their program in October 2023, San Juan County now offers one of the most comprehensive datasets on shortened workweeks in American local government.

At the one-year assessment, the results were striking — the number of applicants increased by more than 85.5%, and the time it took to fill positions dropped by 23.75%. Voluntary separations (including quitting and retiring) decreased by 48%.

“For small, remote counties like San Juan County, improvements to recruitment and retention efforts have had a significant impact on our workforce and ability to provide consistent services,” said Erin Andrews, Communications Coordinator for San Juan County.

The altered workweek seems to have solved some of the issues that led the county to implement this schedule in the first place, including recruitment, retention, and a limited budget for wage and salary increases. The increased flexibility and free time was enough of a draw for employees.

"The 32HWW allows me to spend more time with my family, which is so important while they are young. I feel empowered at work to accomplish what I can in 32 hours, and feel it is sufficient time to complete my job tasks. If the 32HWW were repealed, I would immediately begin looking for new employment,” said one county employee.

As local governments face increasing competition for talent, traditional 9-to-5, five-day workweeks are being reconsidered. Recruitment challenges, employee burnout, and changing worker expectations are driving exploration of alternative scheduling models across the public sector. Local governments are increasingly exploring innovative approaches to workforce management, with non-traditional work schedules gathering momentum across Washington State and beyond. 

Non-Traditional Workweek Models

Several approaches to shortened workweeks have emerged. San Juan County opted for a true 32-hour model, maintaining full compensation while reducing weekly hours from 40 to 32. In response to a chronic police staffing shortage, the City of Golden, Colorado implemented a 32-hour workweek for its police department.

However, most state and local agencies have not actually limited work hours but rather added more flexibility. For instance, Utah conducted an experiment with compressed 40-hour workweeks, where employees worked four 10-hour days, from 2008 to 2011.

The Town of Plainville, Connecticut also recently adopted a four-day/40-hour workweek for specific departments while excluding certain public-facing services like public safety and public works. The town extends service hours Monday through Thursday, with Thursday operations until 6:00 PM, creating more accessible hours for residents who work traditional 9-to-5 schedules.

The City of Los Altos, California offers employees three schedule options: traditional five-day workweeks, nine-day schedules with alternating Fridays off, or a four-day/10-hour schedule — the most popular choice. This flexibility-focused approach allows the city to maintain five-day service availability while accommodating diverse employee needs.

Successes

The data reveals several concrete benefits. Staff recruitment and retention show measurable improvement — San Juan County experienced a 46% drop in voluntary separations. Employee well-being represents perhaps the most consistent success. San Juan County found 83% of employees reported improved work-life balance and 78% better mental health. Los Altos City Clerk Melissa Thurman emphasized the benefits: “I think it brings a lot of help for mental health, it brings just clarity for the employee to just know their employer cares enough to offer that situation.”

Fiscal benefits have also emerged alongside workforce improvements. The Golden Police Department reported an 80% reduction in overtime spending during its six-month pilot, saving approximately $115,000. As public sector budgets face ongoing constraints, these financial advantages take on increased significance.

Challenges

Despite these successes, significant challenges emerge. Service continuity tops the list for most communities. Reporting on the six-month compressed workweek trial, Golden notes that its approach means “working less hours and doing work differently,” not doing less. 

At the one-year check-in, San Juan County departments reported challenges including balancing employee schedules, offering sufficient office hours and front desk coverage, re-organizing priorities, and maintaining productivity.

Employees also reported feelings of stress to complete their workloads in fewer hours, worries about understaffed programs, interdepartmental communication, and managing time-intensive and seasonal projects.

“Yet despite these identified challenges, 67% of exempt employee respondents somewhat or strongly agree that the 32HWW has improved their work-life balance. (And an additional 24% say that their work-life balance has not changed),” Erin told me.

Labor market realities present additional hurdles. Economics professor Subramanian Iyer notes that employers may struggle to find enough workers to fill positions needed to switch to a four-day workweek during periods of low unemployment. This concern extends to the public sector, which already faces recruitment challenges. 

Public perception creates another hurdle. San Juan County faced criticism about fairness from taxpayers working traditional schedules.

Research limitations further complicate decision-making. Professor Iyer cautions against “small sample bias” prevalent in existing studies, noting that academic literature from the 1970s onward provides inconclusive results.

Takeaways

For local governments considering non-traditional work schedules, several key lessons emerge. First, measurement systems provide the foundation for success. The city of Golden tracked 100 specific municipal service metrics, enabling data-driven adjustments. This commitment to data collection helps overcome skepticism from both elected officials and community members by demonstrating that service quality remains.

Second, jurisdictions should consider the scheduling needs of all departments.

“For most departments, staggering staff across five days has maintained existing hours of operation. Smaller offices in the financial wing (Assessor, Auditor, and Treasurer) are utilizing a four-day work schedule to ensure that services continue uninterrupted even when employees are sick or are unexpectedly absent,” said Erin Andrews of San Juan County.

Communication strategies also help determine public acceptance. Commissioner Tye Menser of Thurston County, which is also considering moving to a 32-hour workweek, recognized the need to shift a deeply ingrained work-centric “paradigm” through carefully framed messaging.

Customization by department proves essential. Plainville explicitly excluded critical public-facing services from their shortened workweek model. This nuanced approach recognizes that local governments perform diverse functions with varying operational requirements and public expectations.

As we have seen over the last few years, local governments are testing new work schedules. These experiments could help balance employee needs with public service requirements. Alternative work arrangements might solve ongoing challenges while keeping critical services running. Time will tell if these changes are temporary or a lasting transformation in how public sector jobs operate.

As we wait, San Juan County will likely continue to demonstrate how this alternative workweek will drive recruitment and retention.

“The 32HWW was adopted in the face of rising wage and inflation pressure to strengthen the workforce and prioritize the well-being of islanders. If other jurisdictions are facing these hurdles, then this might be a solution worth considering,” said Erin.