shift rosters

examples

roster design training shift roster software

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Examples 24-hour Shift Rosters

Shell 2-2-2

legenda
m	morning
a	afternoon
n	night
x	off shift

The roster designed by Shell.

With 10 staff it offers a staff level of two, around the clock. This is excellent for a fixed workload.
Suitable for 5 teams, or multiples of 5 employees.
Average 33.6 work hours per week.
Cycle repeats after 10 weeks.

	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr		Sa	Su	Good	Bad
1.	m	m	a	a	n		n	x	Fast forward shift rotation, with well enough rest between duties. Minimal disturbance of the biorhythm by only 2 sequential night shifts. Very regular, cycle repeats after just 10 days. Always 4 consecutive days off. Well enough rest to recover from night shifts.	Recover from night shift on Saturday in line 4. Only 2 full weekends off in 10 weeks. Always 6 consecutive days off.
2.	x	x	x	m	m		a	a
3.	n	n	x	x	x		x	m
4.	m	a	a	n	n		x	x
5.	x	x	m	m	a		a	n
6.	n	x	x	x	x		m	m
7.	a	a	n	n	x		x	x
8.	x	m	m	a	a		n	n
9.	x	x	x	x	m		m	a
10.	a	n	n	x	x		x	x
	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr		Sa	Su
Morning, m	2	2	2	2	2		2	2
Afternoon, a	2	2	2	2	2		2	2
Night, n	2	2	2	2	2		2	2
Off, x	4	4	4	4	4		4	4

Example: New Shell roster

Same workshift strength as the 2-2-2 roster, so well suited for a steady amount of work.
Suitable for 5 shifts, or multiples of 5 employees.
Average 33.6 workhours per week.

	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr		Sa	Su	Good	Bad
1.	m	m	a	a	n		x	x	Shorter workweeks than the standard 2-2-2 roster Fast forward rotation, with plenty of rest between shifts. Minimal disruption of biorithm, at most 2 sequential night shifts. Cycle repeats after 5 weeks. The weekends off are always an extended weekend.	Cycle is more tricky to remember than the standard 2-2-2 roster. Once every 5 weeks an odd single night shift. Recover on Saturday after that odd single night shift. Often only 3 days off after night shifts, in stead of 4 in the standard 2-2-2 roster.
2.	x	x	m	m	a		n	n
3.	x	x	x	x	m		a	a
4.	n	n	x	x	x		m	m
5.	a	a	n	n	x		x	x
	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr		Sa	Su
Morning, m	1	1	1	1	1		1	1
Afternoon, a	1	1	1	1	1		1	1
Night, n	1	1	1	1	1		1	1
Off, x	2	2	2	2	2		2	2

BP 5 shifts

Runnable with multiples of 5 employees, with a constant workforce, just like the 2-2-2 roster.
Similar shifts are consecutive in one work week.
Some employees appreciate the similar consecutive duties. Others prefer various shifts in one week, for example to spend some time with their children every week.

	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr		Sa	Su	Good	Bad
1.	m	x	x	a	a		a	a	2 full weekends off per cycle of 5 weeks. 1 long weekend, 4 days off After night shifts always 4 days off. At most 4 consecutive work days.	3 till 4 consecutive night shifts disturb the biorhythm. After afternoon shifts just one day off. The pattern is less regular than the 2-2-2 roster.
2.	x	n	n	n	x		x	x
3.	x	m	m	m	m		x	x
4.	a	a	a	x	n		n	n
5.	n	x	x	x	x		m	m
	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr		Sa	Su
Morning, m	1	1	1	1	1		1	1
Afternoon, a	1	1	1	1	1		1	1
Night, n	1	1	1	1	1		1	1
Off, x	2	2	2	2	2		2	2

Shifts for 3 teams

Monday to Friday workforce for morning and afternoon shifts.
In weekends just day shifts.
Average 4 days, 32 hours per week.

	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr		Sa	Su	Good	Bad
1.	x	m	m	a	a		x	x	2, 3 or 4 consecutive workdays Rhythm offers variation, offers space for social, family activities. 2 out of 3 weekends off	Irregular workweeks of 2, 3 or 4 days
2.	m	a	a	x	x		d	d
3.	a	x	x	m	m		x	x
	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr		Sa	Su
Morning, m	1	1	1	1	1		-	-
Day, d	-	-	-	-	-		1	1
Afternoon, a	1	1	1	1	1		-	-
Off, x	1	1	1	1	1		2	2

40 hours per week

Morning-, day-, evening- and night-shifts from Monday to Friday.
Saturday a minimal crew in morning, evening and night.
Sunday just a morning and evening crew.
Average 5 days, 40 hours per week.

	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr		Sa	Su	Good	Bad
1.	x	m	m	m	m		x	x	Regular workweeks of 4 or 5 days Alternating rhythm, giving room to arrange social life 3 out of 5 Sundays off	One weekend spoiled by night shift on Saturday 40 hours per week is quite tough for employees doing shift work 2x short rest of just one day off
2.	a	a	n	n	n		x	x
3.	d	d	d	d	x		a	a
4.	n	n	x	x	d		m	m
5.	m	x	a	a	a		n	x
	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr		Sa	Su
Morning, m	1	1	1	1	1		1	1
Day, d	1	1	1	1	1		-	-
Evening, a	1	1	1	1	1		1	1
Night, n	1	1	1	1	1		1	-
Off, x	1	1	1	1	1		2	3

Example: 4 teams shift roster

With thanks to Jamie Winton, Petroleum Industry, South Australia.

A 24x7 shift roster with just four teams
8 hour shifts on weekdays.
And 12 hour shifts in weekends to maximise weekends off.

	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr		Sa	Su	Good	Bad
1.	x	x	m	m	m		d	x	regelar, short workweeks of just 3, 4 or 5 days. once in 4 weeks an entire weekend off. twiced in 4 weeks a half weekend off.	This shift roster is quite taxing for staff with an average of 42 workhours a week. Check the labour law in your country (Conditions of employment in Australia) to see if this is allowed. 3 night shifts in a row, of which 2 long nights.
2.	m	m	a	a	a		x	x
3.	a	a	n	n	x		x	d
4.	n	n	x	x	n		L	L
	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr		Sa	Su
Morning, m	1	1	1	1	1		-	-
Day 12 hour shifts, d	-	-	-	-	-		1	1
Afternoon, a	1	1	1	1	1		-	-
Night, n	1	1	1	1	1		-	-
Long night 12 hour shift, L	-	-	-	-	-		1	1
Off, x	1	1	1	1	1		2	2

More on shift roster design

SUMit	on-line roster software, shift roster helpdesk.

Australia	Fair Work
Australian Council of Trades Unions	Health And Safety Guidelines For Shift Work
American College of Emergency Physicians	Circadian Rhythms and Shift Work
Canada, Saskatchewan governement	Choosing the right shift schedule
Workers Health Centre, Australia	Shiftwork and extended hours
NSW Nurses' Association	Surviving shiftwork