Shift Pattern Comparison Calculator
Different rotations can all average roughly the same hours while producing very different work stretches and staffing requirements. Compare them against your own daily requirement.
Enter your scheduling assumptions
Change the inputs and the result updates immediately. Keep the assumptions realistic—the output is only as useful as the staffing model you give it.
| Pattern | Work / off | Staff needed | Reserve | Fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 on / 2 off | 4 / 2 | 27 | 7 | Fits |
| 4 on / 3 off | 4 / 3 | 32 | 2 | Fits |
| 5 on / 2 off | 5 / 2 | 26 | 8 | Fits |
| 3 on / 3 off | 3 / 3 | 36 | -2 | Does not fit |
| 2-2-3 / Panama | 7 / 7 | 36 | -2 | Does not fit |
Method
Each pattern is converted into a work ratio. Required staff is calculated from daily staffing demand and the fraction of cycle days that each person is working.
Example
A 3-on/3-off cycle has a 50% work ratio, so a constant requirement of eight people working every day requires at least 16 people before reserve.
What the answer means
Use the comparison to eliminate patterns that cannot sustain your required daily headcount, then evaluate the remaining options against work hours, handoffs, fatigue, and local policy.
What this tool does not prove
Average staffing ratios do not capture handoff design, day/night team phasing, overtime policy, or fatigue considerations.
Answer the planning question before assigning names
Compare common shift patterns by work/off ratio, average weekly hours, required staffing ratio, and reserve against your team size.
Compare work/off ratios and average weekly hours side by side.
Estimate minimum people required to sustain the daily staffing level.
See which patterns leave reserve capacity with your current team.
Capacity math cannot see every person-level scheduling constraint
A staffing model can be mathematically feasible and still fail when only certain people are qualified for a role, approved absences remove key people, assignments overlap, rest windows are too short, or coverage changes on specific dates. Those are the checks RoleSchedule keeps attached to the schedule itself.