4 on 4 off shift pattern calendar generator

How the 4 on 4 off pattern works

Two versions of 4 on 4 off are in use. This page is the one with days and nights in it, which is how 24/7 sites usually run it; the days-only version has its own page. The cycle is 8 days long, so your days off land on a different day of the week each time and only meet a weekend now and then.

Also searched for as: 4 on 4 off rota, 2 days 2 nights 4 off, 4 on 4 off 12 hour shifts.

The cycle is 8 days long: 2 day shifts, 2 night shifts, 4 days off, and then it starts again.

Every crew, day by day

One full cycle for each crew, so you can see who covers what.

The numbers

A year is 365.25 days on average, so the yearly figures are averages; the calendar above counts the exact days of the year you pick.

Good and bad about 4 on 4 off

In its favour

• A four-day break in every cycle
• Never more than two nights in a row
• Every crew works the same number of days and nights

Against it

• 12-hour shifts are tiring, especially the second night
• Moving from days to nights in the middle of a block disturbs sleep
• Days off rarely line up with weekends

Who uses 4 on 4 off

Often used by sites that run round the clock, such as factories, process plants and control rooms, to get 12-hour shifts with long breaks.

Employers run these patterns in slightly different ways, and a union contract or roster can differ from the version here. The grid above is exact for the cycle shown: if your roster differs, choose “My own cycle” in the calendar and type it in.

Other shift patterns

• 4 on 4 off (days only)Four working days, then four days off, repeated.Open
• Pitman (2-2-3)Work two, off two, work three, off two, work two, off three: 14 days of 12-hour shifts.Open
• Panama (2-2-3 rotating)The 2-2-3 pattern with crews that swap: two weeks of day shifts, then two weeks of night shifts, on a 28-day cycle with four crews.Open
• DuPontA 28-day, four-crew rotation of 12-hour shifts: four nights, three off, three days, one off, three nights, three off, four days, then seven days off.Open

All shift patterns and the cycle builder

Frequently asked questions