Sometimes it means different things to the same employer.

A state Department of Labor's policy authorizes managers to allow employees to work four 10-hour days -- Monday through Thursday or Tuesday though Friday. Four nine-hour days and one four-hour day also is permitted with approval from a division or unit head.

Likewise, Lenovo's 1,600 Triangle employees can have a 4 1/2-day workweek this summer.

Lenovo's program is a reward for employees who, because they work for an international company, talk to colleagues and customers around the world at odd hours, spokesman Ray Gorman said. "It's a way to allow our employees to find balance in their personal lives," he said.

THE PROS

* Boosts morale and improves worker retention.

* Environmentally friendly and saves employees money.

* Three-day weekend. What's not to like?

THE CONS

* Longer work days and the pressure of completing the same amount of work in fewer days.

* Workers whose jobs dictate a traditional schedule may resent being excluded.

* Parents with children in day care or school may find it difficult to alter their schedules.