What is a 4-on-4-off shift pattern?

A 4-on-4-off rota is an 8-day rotating cycle: you work 4 consecutive days, then rest for 4 consecutive days. This repeats continuously, meaning your days off shift through the week over time. It is common in healthcare, security, manufacturing, and emergency services.

How many hours is 4-on-4-off per week?

On a standard 4-on-4-off pattern with 12-hour shifts, you work an average of 42 hours per week. Over an 8-week block you will work roughly 28 shifts. Exact hours depend on your contracted shift length.

Can ShiftFlowr handle a 4-on-4-off pattern?

Yes. ShiftFlowr includes a built-in 4-on-4-off preset. Set your anchor date, choose your shift type and times, preview the full calendar, and apply it across as many months as you like — existing shifts are never overwritten.

4-on-4-off shift pattern

The 4-on-4-off shift pattern.
How it works and how to track it.

ShiftFlowr has a built-in 4-on-4-off preset. Set your anchor date, pick your shift type, preview the calendar, and fill as many months as you need — without re-entering anything.

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What is it?

How the 4-on-4-off pattern works

A 4-on-4-off rota is an 8-day rotating cycle. You work 4 consecutive days, then rest for 4 consecutive days. Because the cycle is 8 days — not 7 — your days off shift through the week over time, so you'll work some weekends and have others free.

It is one of the most common shift patterns in the UK, used across healthcare, security, manufacturing, warehousing, and emergency services. On a standard 12-hour shift, you average around 42 hours a week.

The 8-day cycle

Day 1 ✓ Day 2 ✓ Day 3 ✓ Day 4 ✓ Day 5 off Day 6 off Day 7 off Day 8 off

Then repeats. ShiftFlowr tracks exactly where you are in the cycle and fills your calendar automatically.

Also known as a 4-on-4-off roster in Australia and New Zealand, or a 4 and 4 rotating schedule in the US and Canada.

Who uses it?

Common industries and roles

🏥 Healthcare

Nurses, HCAs, and care home staff across the NHS and private sector frequently run 4-on-4-off, particularly on Day/Night split rotas.

🛡️ Security

Door staff, control room operators, and site security teams use 4-on-4-off to cover 24/7 operations with two alternating crews.

🏭 Manufacturing

Factory and warehouse workers on continuous production lines commonly run 4-on-4-off with rotating early, late, and night shifts.

🚨 Emergency services

Some fire, ambulance, and police services use 4-on-4-off alongside patterns like Panama and Continental.

See it done

Your 4-on-4-off rota, set up in the app — about 20 seconds

ShiftFlowr preset library with the 4-on-4-off pattern selected — **1 · Pick the preset.** 4-on-4-off is built in — the pattern bar shows the 8-day cycle.

Configuring the 4-on-4-off pattern: shift type, times and anchor date with a cycle preview — **2 · Set your anchor.** Choose your shift type (Days, Nights, Earlies — in your region's language), set your times, and tell it which day your cycle started.

A month view filled with the applied 4-on-4-off shifts — **3 · Apply.** The month fills itself — existing shifts are never overwritten, and every shift gets its reminders and wake-up alarm automatically.

That's the whole job — next month is one tap. And the alarm rings through silent mode until you're up, so the rota you built actually gets you to work.

Common questions

4-on-4-off FAQ

How many hours is 4-on-4-off per week?: On 12-hour shifts, you average around 42 hours per week across the 8-day cycle. ShiftFlowr's salary calculator works out your exact take-home based on your hourly rate, night and weekend uplifts, and UK or US tax.
Does my day off move around?: Yes — because the cycle is 8 days and a week is 7, your days off rotate through the week over time. ShiftFlowr tracks this automatically from your anchor date.
Can I mix day and night shifts in the same pattern?: Yes. You can apply the same 4-on-4-off cycle with different shift types across different months, or use ShiftFlowr's custom pattern builder to create a day/night alternating version.
Will it overwrite shifts I've already added?: Never. ShiftFlowr checks each date before applying and skips any day that already has a shift logged.

Stop re-entering your rota every month.

ShiftFlowr builds your 4-on-4-off pattern once. You apply it in seconds, as far ahead as you need.

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