Why is the 4 on 4 off shift pattern so popular? (2024)

Shift planning can be a complex art. Get it right, and your business can boost productivity and staff retention. But most companies try a few schedules before finding the ideal timetable.

What's the best shift pattern for your business? Since our blog post on popular types of shift pattern, WhosOffice has seen more companies trialling 4 on 4 off schedules.

Why is the 4 on 4 off shift pattern so attractive? And how can you introduce a 4 on 4 of schedule without disrupting workflow? Let’s take a deeper dive...

What is a 4 on 4 off shift pattern?

4 on 4 off is a regular repeating shift pattern. Staff work four consecutive daily shifts, followed by four days off. The week becomes eight days long rather than seven days.

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. For example, someone doing 4 on 4 off might have a block of night shifts starting at 9pm. Then, after their four-day break, they have a block of day shifts.

What industries suit 4 on 4 off shifts?

There are many use cases for the 4 on 4 off schedule. But it’s often best suited to organisations that need 24/7 staffing, such as:

Care homes
Hospitals
Emergency services such as ambulances, fire service, police and coastguard
Telephone support centres
Hotels
Security services
Long-distance transportation
On-call repair services such as plumbing and heating
Vehicle breakdown cover

What are the benefits of a 4 on 4 off shift plan?

There are many reasons why 4 on 4 off shifts are growing in popularity. They benefit employers and employees in several ways, including:

Reliability: staff on a 4 on 4 off shift pattern know which days they’re working and which days they’re off. Using a repeat pattern allows employers to plan shifts far into the future. This way, everyone knows who is working and when, well in advance.
The regularity of a 4 on 4 off schedule is attractive to professionals with young children. Finding childcare can be difficult if your schedule is always changing. Especially if it changes at short notice. With 4 on 4 off, employees can see exactly which days their childcare provider will need to cover.
Flexibility: while the four-day pattern is rigid, start times can vary. Companies can rotate start times rather than the same people working earlies or lates.
Employee wellbeing: giving staff four days off between shifts allows them to rest. This helps to prevent burnout or potential mistakes on the job due to tiredness. Plus, during an eight-week cycle, staff will get three consecutive weekends off. This makes shift work more attractive to people with family commitments.
Forward planning: regular shifts can be easier to fill when staff take a holiday.

Do you need a template for 4 on 4 off shifts?

Another great benefit of a 4 on 4 off shift plan is its simplicity. You’re not trying to juggle several shift patterns to schedule the right number of staff each day. As a result, you don’t need a complex staff roster template to introduce 4 on 4 off shifts.

However, adding shifts takes time if you’re planning staff rosters on spreadsheets. There’s also room for human error – which can still happen with repeating schedules.

The 4 on 4 off shift pattern is popular because it’s easy to understand and gives people a good work/life balance. But you don’t want to cause stress setting it up.

The quickest way to move to a 4 on 4 off schedule is by using shift planning software. WhosOffice includes a shift pattern generator, so you can create schedules in minutes.

A shift pattern planner makes it easier to experiment with new rosters. For example, you could trial the 4 on 4 off schedule with one department and gather their feedback. If it works, you can roll it out across your organisation. If it doesn’t, you can switch back to your previous shift pattern.

Are you ready to experiment with the 4 on 4 off shift pattern? Start your free WhosOffice trial to use our online shift pattern generator. Select the pattern you want from our staff roster templates, which include 4 on 4 off.

WhosOffice offers a longer free trial than most shift planning software. Sign up today and you’ll get the rest of this month plus next month free!

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Posted by Tony Bushell
on Wednesday, 25th Jan 2023

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FAQs

What are the benefits of 4 on 4 off shift pattern? ›

This can lead to higher productivity levels. Reduced absenteeism and turnover rates: A more balanced work-life schedule can decrease burnout, reducing absenteeism and staff turnover. Enhanced flexibility in managing business operations: This pattern allows businesses to operate continuously, covering 24/7 demands.

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What is the most popular shift pattern? ›

4 on 4 off calendar. Another popular shift pattern is the 4 on 4 off, which requires minimal planning and is also a favourite among employees. Each person works four 12-hour day shifts and then gets four days off. This shift pattern works well outside of hospitality, too.

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What is an example of a 4 on 4 off? ›

Regular 4-on 4 off:

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.

How many weekends off on a 4 on 4 off shift pattern? ›

With a four crew 4 on 4 off shift pattern, every eight-weeks throughout the year, there are six consecutive weeks where shift workers must work a minimum of one day on the weekend (this is 10 weeks with a five crew four on four off shift pattern).

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Is 4 on 4 off a good schedule? ›

The adoption of 4 on, 4 off, 10-hour shift schedules yields several benefits for both businesses and employees. Enhanced Work-Life Balance: The extended break periods permit employees to pursue personal interests and enjoy leisure time, resulting in overall enhanced work-life harmony and reduced burnout.

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What is the healthiest shift pattern? ›

For the most people, rotating forward through day, afternoon and night shift is better than backwards (night, afternoon then day).

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What is the least popular work shift? ›

Working the night shift can be hard on the body and mind. As a result, it is often the least popular among shift workers. And many businesses pay premium wages for working the night shift.

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What is the best shift pattern for working? ›

What is the most popular shift pattern to work? The 4 on 4 off shift pattern remains the most popular choice. Businesses requiring 24/7 staffing, like hospitals, emergency support centres, and security monitoring companies, often adopt a 4 on 4 off schedule.

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Which shift is the best shift? ›

First Shift

If your spouse isn't a shift worker or you have kids in school, this shift will likely give you the most time with your family. It frees you up for traditional social activities, and the hours are easy for many people to adapt to.

What is an example of a 4 team shift pattern? ›

4 on 4 off shift pattern example

The structure of the 4 on 4 off shift pattern is elegantly straightforward: employees engage in 12-hour shifts over four consecutive days, subsequently enjoying a continuous four-day off for recuperation and rejuvenation.

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What is 4 on 4 off 5 on 5 off? ›

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.

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What is a 6 on 4 off shift pattern? ›

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.

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What are the pros and cons of 4-on 4 off? ›

Four On, Four Off (or 4 x 4)

Pros: Always having four consecutive days off gives employees plenty of time to recuperate between shifts. ...
Cons: Because this schedule is based on an eight day period rather than the standard seven day week, employees' days off are pushed forward by a day each period.

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What is 4-on and 4 off? ›

Under a four-on-four-off shift pattern, employees work longer (12-hour) shifts for four days in a row, followed by four consecutive days off.

How does a 4 shift schedule work? ›

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.

How many hours do you work on a 4 on 4 off shift pattern? ›

For a 4 on 4 off shift pattern, the average weekly working hours is 42. This assumes you're working 12-hour shifts. This is calculated by multiplying an average of 3.5 shifts per week by 12. If you work 8-hour shifts; your average weekly hours will be 28.

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What is the average weekly hours for a 4 on 4 off 12-hour shift? ›

For a 4 on 4 off shift pattern, assuming 12-hour shifts, the average weekly working hours stabilise at 42. This calculation stems from multiplying the weekly average of 3.5 shifts by the 12-hour duration of each shift. Opting for 8-hour shifts reduces the average weekly hours to 28.

What is the best shift pattern for work-life balance? ›

Working best as part of a two or three-week cycle, a staggered day shift pattern consists of five eight-hour days over the course of a week. Days off are then set differently for members of staff. This ensures there is always weekend cover—making it a particularly useful shift pattern for those working in retail.

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What is a 4 on 4 off 10 hour schedule? ›

The 4/10 schedule is a compressed work schedule in which employees work for 10 hours each for four days over a seven-day cycle, thereby getting a total of 3 days off each week. Also called the four-day workweek, this schedule squeezes 40 hours of workweek into four days rather than five.

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