What is the 3 on 3 off shift pattern?
3 on 3 off is a shift pattern in which you work three consecutive shifts and then have three days off. In the rotating version used for 24/7 cover, each team works three day shifts, three days off, three night shifts and three days off, repeating every 12 days. Four teams starting three days apart keep one team on days and one on nights on every date.
With 12-hour shifts each person works half the days of the year and never more than three shifts in a row. The same name is used for a fixed version, in which two teams work only days and two work only nights on a 6-day cycle.
The rotating cycle, in order
What “3 on 3 off” can mean
The name describes three shifts on and three days off. The name is used for these versions:
| Version | Sequence | Cycle | Who works nights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rotating (this page) | 3 days, 3 off, 3 nights, 3 off | 12 days | Every team, one block of three per cycle |
| Fixed | 3 days, 3 off (or 3 nights, 3 off) | 6 days | Two permanent night teams |
A different pattern, 3-3-3, runs three days, three nights and three days off. It has no break between the day block and the night block and uses three teams instead of four.
The 12-day cycle on a calendar
This example shows one team starting its day shifts on a Monday:
Twelve days is one week and five days, so each new cycle starts two weekdays earlier than the last: Monday, then Saturday, then Thursday. After seven cycles, 84 days or exactly 12 weeks, the rota is back on the same weekdays.
How four teams cover 24/7
Each team starts the same 12-day cycle three days after the one before. On any date one team is on days, one is on nights, one is off after its day shifts and one is off after its night shifts.
Rotating 3 on 3 off: all four teams across one 12-day cycle
| Day | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team A | D | D | D | · | · | · | N | N | N | · | · | · |
| Team B | · | · | · | D | D | D | · | · | · | N | N | N |
| Team C | N | N | N | · | · | · | D | D | D | · | · | · |
| Team D | · | · | · | N | N | N | · | · | · | D | D | D |
| Day cover | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Night cover | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Swipe the table sideways to see every day of the cycle.
D = day shift, N = night shift, · = off. The bottom two rows check every date: ✓ means exactly one team is on that shift.
Four teams each working 6 shifts in 12 days supply exactly the 24 shifts the cycle needs, so the rotation has no spare team. Unless teams carry more people than each shift needs, any absence that needs covering means overtime, relief staff or a fifth team.
The fixed version: permanent days or nights
Two day teams alternate three-day blocks, and two night teams do the same. Each team’s cycle is six days long.
Fixed 3 on 3 off: two day teams and two night teams across one 6-day cycle
| Day | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team A (days) | D | D | D | · | · | · |
| Team B (days) | · | · | · | D | D | D |
| Team C (nights) | N | N | N | · | · | · |
| Team D (nights) | · | · | · | N | N | N |
| Day cover | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Night cover | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Swipe the table sideways to see every day of the cycle.
D = day shift, N = night shift, · = off. The bottom two rows check every date: ✓ means exactly one team is on that shift.
Day teams never work nights, and night teams work only nights. Six days is one day short of a week, so each cycle starts one weekday earlier than the last and the rota returns to the same weekdays after seven cycles, 42 days. A fixed day team averages about 17 fully free weekends a year (16 to 18 in any given year) and a fixed night team about 9 (8 to 9), because a Friday night shift runs into the Saturday.
Hours, nights and days off
The rotating pattern gives 6 shifts in every 12 days: 72 hours with 12-hour shifts. Averaged over the cycle that is 42 hours a week, but because 12 days is not a whole number of weeks, some calendar weeks have more shifts than others. Over a year that averages about 183 shifts, roughly 91 of them nights, and about 183 days with no shift starting.
Every break is three days long. After the night block, the first day off starts with you finishing the third night shift that morning.
Between the last day shift and the first night shift there are four nights not at work. Between the last night shift and the next day shift there are three.
Weekends off on 3 on 3 off
About 13 fully free weekends a year on average on the rotating version. The number in any particular year ranges from 12 to 14, depending on where the cycle falls.
| Version | Average | In any given year |
|---|---|---|
| Rotating (12 days) | About 13 | 12 to 14 |
| Fixed day team (6 days) | About 17 | 16 to 18 |
| Fixed night team (6 days) | About 9 | 8 to 9 |
A weekend counts as free only if you are not at work at any point on the Saturday or Sunday, so a night shift starting on Friday evening rules it out. Because the cycle moves across the week, the start weekday does not change these averages.
3 on 3 off compared with similar rotas
| Pattern | Cycle | Most shifts in a row | Most nights in a row | Longest break | Free weekends a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 on 3 off | 12 days | 3 | 3 | 3 days | About 13 |
| 4 on 4 off | 16 days | 4 | 4 | 4 days | About 16 |
| 5 on 5 off | 20 days | 5 | 5 | 5 days | About 18 |
| 6 days, 6 off, 6 nights, 6 off | 24 days | 6 | 6 | 6 days | About 20 |
| 7 on 7 off | 28 days | 7 | 7 | 7 days | 26 (start Monday to Friday) |
All five rotas use four teams and work half the days of the year. They differ in the length of the runs of work and of the breaks, and in the number of free weekends.
Set up 3 on 3 off in ShiftShow
- Open Smart Shift Builder and pick the date of your first day shift.
- For the rotating version, add four blocks: 3 days, 3 off, 3 nights, 3 off. For the fixed version, add 3 days and 3 off, or 3 nights and 3 off.
- Set your shift times. ShiftShow then repeats the pattern for years ahead.
The calendar shows which weekends and weekdays you have off as the cycle moves across the week, and the alarm adjusts to each day or night shift.
Get ShiftShow for Android3 on 3 off FAQ
What is a 3 on 3 off shift pattern?
You work three shifts in a row and then have three days off. On a rotating 24/7 rota that means three day shifts, three off, three night shifts and three off, on a 12-day cycle shared by four teams. A fixed version uses permanent day and night teams on a 6-day cycle.
How many hours a week is 3 on 3 off?
With 12-hour shifts you work six shifts, 72 hours, in every 12 days. Averaged over the cycle that is 42 hours a week. The number of shifts in each calendar week varies, because 12 days is not a whole number of weeks.
Is 3 on 3 off the same as 3-3-3?
No. 3-3-3 is three days, three nights and three days off on a 9-day cycle with three teams, so each person works two days in every three. The rotating 3 on 3 off puts three days off between the day block and the night block and uses four teams, so each person works half the days.
How many teams does 3 on 3 off need for 24/7 cover?
Four, with 12-hour shifts. On the rotating version one team is on days, one is on nights and two are off on every date. On the fixed version two teams cover the days and two cover the nights.
How many weekends off do you get on 3 on 3 off?
About 13 fully free weekends a year on the rotating version, between 12 and 14 in any given year. A fixed day team gets about 17 and a fixed night team about 9.
How many nights in a row are there on 3 on 3 off?
At most three, on the rotating version and for fixed night teams. Fixed day teams work no nights.
Explore other shift patterns
2-2-4: 2 Days, 2 Nights, 4 Off
An 8-day, four-team rota with no more than two nights in a row.
Read the guide →3-3-3: 3 Days, 3 Nights, 3 Off
A 9-day rota that covers 24/7 with three teams, so each person works two days in every three.
Read the guide →4 On 4 Off Shift Pattern
Four days, four off, four nights, four off on a 16-day cycle, plus the fixed version with permanent day and night teams.
Read the guide →4 On 3 Off, 3 On 4 Off (4-3-3-4)
Four on, three off, three on, four off on a 14-day cycle, with a partner team on 3-3-4-4.
Read the guide →5 On 5 Off (5 In 5 Out)
Five shifts, five off: the fixed 10-day and rotating 20-day versions, plus the 14-day 5-5-2-2 pair.
Read the guide →6 On 6 Off: 3 Days, 3 Nights, 6 Off
Three days, three nights, then six days off on a 12-day cycle with four teams.
Read the guide →7 On 7 Off (7 In 7 Out)
Seven shifts in a row followed by seven days off.
Read the guide →DuPont Work Schedule
A 28-day, four-team rotation with seven days off in a row every cycle.
Read the guide →Modified DuPont Schedules
Reverse DuPont, five-team versions and other variations of the standard 28-day rotation.
Read the guide →Panama Shift Pattern (2-2-3)
The 14-day 2-2-3 rhythm with teams rotating between days and nights and, with a Monday start, a three-day weekend every other week.
Read the guide →Pitman Schedule
The same 2-2-3 rhythm, with two teams fixed on days and two fixed on nights.
Read the guide →