Q. "Can we let staff that work Sundays choose an extra day off?"
Answer:
Yes, you can allow staff to choose their own schedule, including what their day "off" will be as long as you include this in the time off policy in your Staff Handbook. Staff that chose their own days off throughout the week often run into the following problems, though:
Employees feeling pressure to work when a coworker is firing off emails or needing an answer on their chosen day off
Employees failing to consistently take their day off leading to burnout and unhealthy work culture
An understaffed office when too many staff members choose to take the same day off
Several churches we work with have made the move to close their church office Friday and Saturday. Ministry staff maintain a Sunday through Thursday schedule and the rest of the support staff typically work 20-30 hours Monday through Thursday. The benefits to this method include:
Staff experience a consecutive two-day break each week
Constituents or congregates have clear expectations about who can be reached when
A precedent for rest and boundaries is set and upheld consistently for all levels of staff