What is a 4 on 4 off shift pattern? (2024)

FAQs

What is a 4 on 4 off shift pattern? ›

A “4 on 4 off shift pattern” is a recurring work schedule where employees undertake four consecutive daily shifts, typically lasting 12 hours, followed by four consecutive days off. This shift pattern provides continuous 24/7 staff coverage, with alternating day and night shifts.

Regular 4-on 4 off:

This is a classic continuous working pattern based on 12 hour shifts. Participants work for four consecutive 12-hour days, followed by four consecutive days off, then four consecutive 12-hour nights, followed by four consecutive days off, then four more days and so on.

With the 4 on 4 off shift pattern you will be working roughly: 3.5 shifts per week (half of 7 days) 15 shifts per month (half of 30 days) 182.5 shifts per year (half of 365 days)

The 4 on 4 off schedule is a continuous shift pattern that runs throughout all 52 weeks of the year and provides 24/7 staff coverage. The teams work four consecutive days followed by four consecutive days off.

The 4 on, 4 off, 10-hour shift schedule is a unique work arrangement that spans over a period where employees work for four consecutive days followed by a fixed four-day break, and each workday involves a 10-hour shift.

Working out how many hours per year is a 4 on 4 off shift pattern requires you to use the average number of weeks in a year which is actually 52.18. So, you multiply the average weekly working hours by 52.18. This means for a 4 crew 4 on 4 off 12 hour shift pattern the average hours per year worked is 2,192.

Usually, 4 on 4 off is a rolling schedule. This means the schedule doesn't take weekends or public holidays into account. The shift pattern repeats every eight weeks. While there's no extra time off for weekends, employers can choose to change the start time of each shift block.

The 4-on-4-off schedule is a rotating work schedule where employees work for four consecutive days, followed by four consecutive days off. And during the four workdays, they typically work longer shifts (ten or twelve hours) for continuous coverage.

The 4-2 rotating shift schedule involves a recurring pattern where employees work four consecutive days followed by two days off. This method allows businesses to maintain continuous operations while providing employees with extended periods of rest, enhancing their work-life balance.

Four-Crew 12-Hour Shift Schedules

Many 12-hour shift schedules use four crews. Each crew works 42 hours/week (on average) to provide balanced coverage 168 hours/week. Ignoring vacations and holidays for a moment, all 12-hour 24/7-schedules will have 182 workdays and 182 days off in a 52-week period.

What is 6 days on 4 days off? ›

The 6-on, 4-off work schedule is characterized by its unique rotation of six consecutive workdays, followed by a substantial four-day break from work duties. In essence, employees adhere to a continuous six-day work cycle, after which they are granted a significant four-day respite from work-related obligations.

Also known as a 4-3 shift pattern, this term refers to when staff work four days in a row, then have three days off, for a period of three weeks. Although staff work fewer days per week, 4-3 shifts are typically 10 hours long rather than eight, so staff still work 40 hours per week.

We know that in 1 week there are 7 days, so in 4 weeks there are 28 days, but if we keep on increasing the number of weeks, our calculations become very difficult and complex.

Happier and Less Stressed Employees

A 4/10 schedule increased employee happiness overall and lessen stress in the workplace. Many employees stated that the flexibility of working 4 days a week instead of 5—whether those days landed on a Monday or a Saturday—gave them more flexibility and more work-life balance.

Less commuting time

30 min away from work and work five 8 hour shifts, that's 30 min x (5 x 2) = 300 min or 5 hours of travel time for the week. But say you work three 12 hour shifts... that's 30 min x (3 x 2) = 180 min or 3 hours of travel time for the week. Saving 2 hours a week definitely adds up.

It consists of a 30 day cycle where each team works six consecutive 10-hour first shifts, followed by 4 days off duty, works six consecutive 10-hour third shifts, followed by 4 days off duty, works six consecutive 10-hour second shifts, followed by 4 days off duty.

The 4-on-4-off schedule is a rotating work schedule where employees work for four consecutive days, followed by four consecutive days off. And during the four workdays, they typically work longer shifts (ten or twelve hours) for continuous coverage.

1. The system involves four (4) shifts on, five (5) off followed by five (5) shifts on, four (4) shifts off followed by five (5) shifts on, five (5) shifts off, on a continuing basis. 2. The shifts will start at 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.

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.