Shift patterns

Shift patterns compared: 12-hour, 8-hour and rotating schedules

A shift pattern is the order of work days and days off that each crew repeats. Here are the common ones, with the numbers worked out from each cycle. Open a pattern for its calendar, a calculator and free downloads.

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Written by Maren Vellory, Operations Manager · Updated October 19, 2026

All patterns side by side

Pattern	Shift length	Crews	Cycle	Average hours a week	Weekends fully off	Cover
DuPont schedule	12 h	4	28 days	42	1 in 2	24/7
2-2-3 schedule	12 h	4	28 days	42	1 in 2	24/7
Panama schedule	12 h	4	28 days	42	1 in 2	24/7
Pitman schedule	12 h	4	14 days	42	1 in 2	24/7
4 on 4 off schedule	12 h	4	16 days	42	3 in 8	24/7
3 on 3 off schedule	12 h	4	6 days	42	1 in 3	24/7
Continental shift pattern	8 h	4	28 days	42	1 in 4	24/7
8-hour rotating shift schedule	8 h	4	28 days	42	1 in 4	24/7
3-crew 12-hour schedule	12 h	3	6 days	56	1 in 6	24/7
5/2 schedule	8 h	1	7 days	40	Every weekend	Weekdays, days only

Weekends are counted from a Monday start: a weekend is off when Saturday and Sunday are both off.

How to pick a pattern

Hours you must cover. Weekdays only? A 5/2 schedule is enough. Around the clock? You need a 24/7 pattern.
Shift length. 12-hour patterns mean fewer trips to work and fewer handovers. Pick 8 hours when the work is heavy or 12 hours is not allowed.
People you have. Most 24/7 patterns need four crews. With three crews, each person works about 56 hours a week.
What your team wants. Long breaks (DuPont), every other weekend off (2-2-3) or fixed nights (Pitman). Ask them before you change.
Overtime. The average hides long weeks. Check the hours per pay period on each pattern's page.

12-hour shift schedules for 7 days a week

A 12-hour shift schedule covers each day with two shifts: day and night. With four crews, each person averages 42 hours a week. With three crews, 56.

DuPont schedule · 4 crews, 28-day cycle, 42 hours a week, 1 in 2 weekends off
2-2-3 schedule · 4 crews, 28-day cycle, 42 hours a week, 1 in 2 weekends off
Panama schedule · 4 crews, 28-day cycle, 42 hours a week, 1 in 2 weekends off
Pitman schedule · 4 crews, 14-day cycle, 42 hours a week, 1 in 2 weekends off
4 on 4 off schedule · 4 crews, 16-day cycle, 42 hours a week, 3 in 8 weekends off
3 on 3 off schedule · 4 crews, 6-day cycle, 42 hours a week, 1 in 3 weekends off
3-crew 12-hour schedule · 3 crews, 6-day cycle, 56 hours a week, 1 in 6 weekends off

For 12-hour days only, 7 days a week, two crews on the 2-2-3 sequence are enough: one works while the other is off.

Names that overlap

The 2-2-3, Panama and Pitman schedules share one 14-day sequence. Most sources say Pitman crews stay on days or nights, and 2-2-3 and Panama crews change. Some UK sites call the 12-hour 2-2-3 "continental"; most sources use continental for an 8-hour pattern.

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