Long working days were always part of daily life for Sennhof inmates. At times, they took on jobs in the public sphere, such as street cleaning. However, due to the high risk of escape, this practice was abolished with the 1870 regulation. The working hours at the time were as follows: in the summer, work started at 6 a.m., and in the winter, at 7 a.m. Work continued in the evenings until 6:30 p.m. or 7:30 p.m., which were standard working hours in the city of Chur as well. Men received 8 “Rappen” (100 Rappen equal 1 Swiss Franc) daily for their work in the workshop (such as weaving or manual labor), while women received 5 Rappen for sewing, knitting, and spinning.

Starting from 1927, inmates were also allowed to work outside the Sennhof again. Women assisted with laundry in the cleaning department.

In 2017, inmates faced more humane working hours, from 7:30 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. The assigned tasks ideally matched their skills. In their final days at the Sennhof, inmates primarily worked in the carpentry, industrial (including packaging and processing), and economic sectors (kitchen and laundry). The pay depended on their performance and discipline, averaging around 30 Swiss Francs per day.