What is the 4-3-3-4 shift pattern?
The 4-3-3-4 shift pattern, also written 4 on 3 off, 3 on 4 off, is a 14-day cycle: four shifts on, three days off, three shifts on, four days off. Each team works seven shifts per fortnight. For 24/7 cover with 12-hour shifts, four teams are used, two on days and two on nights. Within each pair the partner team works exactly the days the first team has off, which gives it the sequence three on, three off, four on, four off (3-3-4-4).
The partner’s 3-3-4-4 is the 4-3-3-4 sequence in reverse order, not the same sequence started on a different day. “4 on 3 off” is also used for a 7-day pattern of four shifts and three days off every week; this guide covers the 14-day 4-3-3-4.
The two templates, in order
The fortnight, day by day
With day 1 on a Monday, the two day teams work like this:
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team A, week 1 | Work | Work | Work | Work | Off | Off | Off |
| Team A, week 2 | Work | Work | Work | Off | Off | Off | Off |
| Team B, week 1 | Off | Off | Off | Off | Work | Work | Work |
| Team B, week 2 | Off | Off | Off | Work | Work | Work | Work |
Team A works Monday to Thursday in week 1 and Monday to Wednesday in week 2, and never works a Saturday or Sunday. Team B works Friday to Sunday in week 1 and Thursday to Sunday in week 2, so it works every weekend. Every date has exactly one of the two teams on duty.
Team A calendar (days)
Team B calendar (days)
How four teams cover 24/7
4-3-3-4: two day teams and two night teams across one 14-day cycle (day 1 = Monday)
| Day | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mo | Tu | We | Th | Fr | Sa | Su | Mo | Tu | We | Th | Fr | Sa | Su | |
| Team A (days) | D | D | D | D | · | · | · | D | D | D | · | · | · | · |
| Team B (days) | · | · | · | · | D | D | D | · | · | · | D | D | D | D |
| Team C (nights) | N | N | N | N | · | · | · | N | N | N | · | · | · | · |
| Team D (nights) | · | · | · | · | N | N | N | · | · | · | N | 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.
Teams A and C work the 4-3-3-4 template on the same dates; teams B and D work 3-3-4-4. Cover is exact: 28 shifts per fortnight from four teams working seven each, so the rotation has no spare team. Unless teams carry more people than each shift needs, any absence that needs covering means overtime or relief staff.
Hours and time off
Seven 12-hour shifts per 14 days is 84 hours a fortnight. With a Monday start team A works four shifts (48 hours) in week 1 and three (36 hours) in week 2, and team B works three, then four. Averaged over the fortnight that is 42 hours a week. Over a year it averages about 183 shifts and about 183 days with no shift starting. For night teams all of those shifts are nights.
No run of work is longer than four shifts and no break is longer than four days. Because 14 days is exactly two weeks, the same weekdays come round every fortnight for as long as the rota runs.
Weekends: which team gets them
On 4-3-3-4 the weekends are not shared equally between partner teams. Which team gets them depends on the weekday the cycle starts:
| Team A’s day 1 is a… | Team A (days) | Team B (days) | Team C (nights) | Team D (nights) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Every weekend | 0 | Every weekend | 0 |
| Tuesday | Every weekend | 0 | 26 | 0 |
| Wednesday | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Thursday | 0 | 26 | 0 | 26 |
| Friday | 0 | Every weekend | 0 | Every weekend |
| Saturday | 0 | Every weekend | 0 | 0 |
| Sunday | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
“Every weekend” means all 52 or 53 weekends in the year; 26 means every other weekend. 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.
With day 1 on a Monday, teams A and C have every weekend free and teams B and D work every weekend. With a Sunday start no team has a fully free weekend.
4-3-3-4 compared with other 14-day rotas
| Pattern | Sequence | Most shifts in a row | Longest break | Free weekends (Monday start) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4-3-3-4 | 4 on, 3 off, 3 on, 4 off (partner 3-3-4-4) | 4 | 4 days | Every weekend for one team on each shift, none for its partner |
| Pitman | 2 on, 2 off, 3 on, 2 off, 2 on, 3 off | 3 | 3 days | 26 for every team |
| Panama | Same as Pitman, rotating between days and nights | 3 | 3 days | 26 for every team |
| 5-5-2-2 | 5 on, 5 off, 2 on, 2 off (partner 5-2-2-5) | 5 | 5 days | Every weekend for the 5-5-2-2 day team, none for the other three teams |
All four work seven shifts in every 14 days with 12-hour shifts, so the hours are the same. They differ in run length, break length and how weekends are split between teams.
Set up 4-3-3-4 in ShiftShow
- Open Smart Shift Builder and choose the date of your first shift.
- On the 4-3-3-4 team, add four blocks: 4 shifts, 3 off, 3 shifts, 4 off. On the partner team, add 3 shifts, 3 off, 4 shifts, 4 off, starting on day 5 of the other team’s cycle.
- Use day shifts for a day team or night shifts for a night team and set your shift times.
ShiftShow then shows your shifts up to 20 years ahead, and the alarm adjusts to each shift.
Get ShiftShow for Android4-3-3-4 FAQ
What is a 4-3-3-4 shift pattern?
Four shifts on, three days off, three shifts on and four days off, repeating every 14 days. Each team works seven shifts per fortnight.
Is 4 on 3 off the same as 4-3-3-4?
Not always. “4 on 3 off” is also used for a 7-day pattern of four shifts and three days off every week. 4-3-3-4 adds a second week of three shifts and four days off, so the cycle is 14 days.
How many teams does 4-3-3-4 need for 24/7 cover?
Four with 12-hour shifts: two on days and two on nights. In each pair one team works 4-3-3-4 and its partner works the days in between, which is three on, three off, four on, four off (3-3-4-4).
How many hours a week is 4-3-3-4?
Seven 12-hour shifts, 84 hours, per fortnight. With a Monday start that is 48 hours in one week and 36 in the other. Averaged over the fortnight it is 42 hours a week.
Do you get weekends off on 4-3-3-4?
It depends on the start day and on which team you are in. With day 1 on a Monday, the 4-3-3-4 team on each shift has every weekend free and its 3-3-4-4 partner works every weekend.
Do days off fall on the same weekdays every time?
Yes. The cycle is exactly two weeks, so your days off fall on the same weekdays every fortnight.
Explore other shift patterns
The staff scheduling calculator works out the teams and staff for any number of days on and days off.
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 On 3 Off Shift Pattern
Three days, three off, three nights, three off on a 12-day cycle, plus the fixed 6-day version.
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 →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 →