24/7 shifts definition · RotaCloud glossary (2024)

FAQs

What is the meaning of 24 7 shift? ›

What is a 24/7 Shift Pattern? A 24/7 shift pattern refers to an organisation's need for round-the-clock staffing covering every hour of the day. A 24/7 shift schedule ensures continuous coverage where employees work different types of shift pattern to meet demand across a 24-hour window.

24hr shift work schedules typically involve a rotation pattern. This could be a pattern of 'four days on, three days off' or 'two days on, two days off'. The rotation pattern you choose will depend on your staffing needs and the nature of your business.

24 Hour Schedule Pattern Examples

This pattern is designed for 4 teams, composed of as few or as many staff as you like. Every 28 days, it cycles 4 teams through a very balanced flow of 8 hour shifts: 7 day shifts on, 2 days off, 7 swing shifts on, 2 days off, and 7 night shifts on, then 3 days off.

The Dupont schedule is a 12-hour rotating shift pattern. It requires four teams — each following their own four-week schedule — to provide 24/7 coverage — with two teams working at all times. After each four-week period, the work schedule resets, and the cycle repeats.

24-7 means twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

This is a fixed (no rotation) shift pattern that uses 3 teams working 24-hr shifts to provide 24/7 coverage. Each team repeats the following sequence over a 63 day period: 1 day on, 1 day off, 1 day on, 1 day off, 1 day on, 4 days off.

Businesses that are open for extended hours or 24/7 use rotating shifts to make sure they have coverage at all hours. Specific shifts may include day shifts, night shifts, overnight shifts and swing shifts. Rotating shifts means that all employees cover each type of shift throughout the week or month.

The most common example of a rotating shift schedule are 8-hour shift rotations for teams offering 24/7 coverage. Usually, there are 4 teams to cover 24/7, and each team rotates through a 28 days sequence – 7-day shifts, 2 days off, 7 swing shifts, 2 days off, 7-night shifts, and 3 days off.

This is a fixed (no rotation) shift pattern that uses 2 teams and two 12-hour shifts to provide 24/7 coverage. One team will be permanently on the day shift and the other will be on the night shift.

To cover 24/7 operations, you would typically need to calculate the full-time equivalent (FTE) based on the number of hours each employee works per week. For example, if you have a standard 40-hour workweek, you would need 3.4 FTEs to cover 24/7 operations.

How many employees do I need to cover 24/7 with 10 hour shifts? ›

The 4-3 Ten Hour Rotating Shift schedule uses 6 teams (crews) and 3 overlapping ten-hour shifts to provide 24/7 coverage.

Divide the total number of working hours a day by your chosen shift duration to determine the number of shifts in a day when using the shift length schedule. For example, a day's work schedule can have four-hour, six-hour or eight-hour shifts and therefore have six, four or three shifts per 24-hour day.

Rest well. First, if possible, get a solid night's sleep before your call shift. Getting a good night's sleep the night before can optimize your energy for the next day and keep your mind sharp during your shift. Starting fresh will go a long way when there's a long night ahead of you.