7 popular types of shift pattern – and how to test them

Companies often use the term ‘shift work’ generically, but a shift can mean many different things. A shift-based role could be working anything from 8-12 hours; it could involve evenings and weekends. It can mean working set patterns week-to-week, or shifts changing in length and start time every few days.

For companies operating beyond the standard Monday-Friday, 9-5:30 structure, running a profitable and productive business means finding the right staffing set-up for your needs. Here are seven of the most popular shift patterns that companies tend to choose from:

1. Four on, four off

What is it?

The structure of a four on four off shift pattern is logical: staff members work 12-hour shifts for four consecutive days and then get four consecutive days off to recover.

The pattern repeats continuously, however employers may choose to vary the start time – for example, four day shifts for block one, followed by four night shifts for block two. This gives staff time in between each four-day block to adjust their body clock or get their circadian rhythm back on track.

Who does it work for?

Any type of business or organisation that needs staffing round-the-clock such as hospitals, emergency telephone support centres and security monitoring companies. Using a four-day model gives people the familiarity of a repeat pattern and the stability of knowing when they’re next working, without always rostering the same team members to work weekends.

2. Staggered

What is it?

A staggered shift pattern is most similar to the typical working week, as employees work five 8-hour days per week. The big difference is that not all team members will work Monday-Friday; employers stagger working days so that their business can operate every day of the week.

Who does it work for?

Businesses that need to run 7 days a week, such as call centres, maintenance providers and IT support services. These companies don’t necessarily need to run round-the-clock, but they do need to be available to customers over the weekend.

3. Two shift system

What is it?

Rather than segmenting shift patterns by day, some companies choose to roster staff by the hour. In a two shift system, one set of employees will work for a set period each day, before another group of employees take over for a different period that day.

Two shift systems tend to be divided into early and late shifts – for example, one team works 6am-2pm and the other from 2pm-10pm. Employers can choose whether to keep staff on the same shift pattern throughout the year or alternate them between earlies and lates.

Who does it work for?

Companies that need to operate for long periods of time but have jobs that either require intense concentration or have restrictions on working times for health and safety reasons. For example, some manufacturing firms find the two shift system ideal for their requirements.

4. Three shift system

What is it?

The same as the two shift system but with night shifts covered as well. The day will be divided into three periods – e.g. 6am-2pm, 2pm-10pm, 10pm-6am – and staff will be rostered one eight-hour shift per day. Rosters tend to change every 2-3 weeks in a three shift system to avoid employees constantly having to work night shifts.

Who does it work for?

Businesses similar to those using the two shift system, but who want or need to operate through the night.

5. One week on, one week off

What is it?

Similar to the four on, four off pattern – except professionals work for seven consecutive days before taking a week off. It’s designed to help people devote their full attention to work and personal affairs by not trying to manage the two simultaneously.

Who does it work for?

A week on, week off structure is less common than other shift patterns. However, this technique is reportedly used by successful business leaders who want to work intensively without burning out.

6. Day (or night) with rest

What is it?

A flexible shift pattern in which employees work for a set number of days or nights, followed by a set period of rest. The number of days they are scheduled to work can change, so long as each person’s schedule is compliant with industry regulations.

For example, staff may work three day shifts followed by two days off, then two night shifts followed by two days off. They may even work two different types of shift back-to-back – such as two day shifts followed by two night shifts, then three days off.

Who does it work for?

Any type of company that needs to manage its workforce flexibly. Emergency services workers such as firefighters and police officers often work different shift combinations, to rotate the days and times they’re on duty. Pilots can also be managed through this type of schedule with mandatory downtime in between each flight.

7. Alternating weeks

What is it?

An alternating week schedule strikes the balance between flexibility and familiarity. Team members will be given two set working patterns – one for week one, then another for week two. These two patterns will change from week to week, but people have the comfort of knowing they are always working one of two patterns.

Who does it work for?

Businesses that benefit from shift work but who want to give staff the ability to plan ahead in their personal lives. An alternating week shift pattern may suit hotels, restaurants and leisure centres, which need staff on shift beyond the standard 9-5:30 day but can still accommodate regular working patterns.

Which shift pattern is best for my business?

If you’re running a shift-based business, you’re spoilt for choice. But which of these popular approaches is the ideal fit for your operational needs?

To take the guess work out of staff scheduling, WhosOffice has created an online sample shift generator.

Use our free shift planning tool to create and compare shift patterns up to 18 months in the future, to forecast how many people you’ll need to meet your working requirements.

WhosOffice’s sample shift generator will automatically calculate rosters based on the seven shift patterns we’ve highlighted in this blog, to avoid you having to manually plan schedules. Or if you need a shift plan that’s specific to your business set-up, you can use our custom planning option to build your own roster from scratch.

Try WhosOffice’s sample shift plan generator to experiment with your staff schedule.

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Photo by Alina Grubnyak of Unsplash.com.