Guides

Two-week rotating schedules: 2-2-3, 4-on-4-off and other patterns

A rotating schedule repeats on a cycle, often two weeks, so everyone takes turns on weekends, nights, or long days. It’s common in places open seven days a week. Here are the patterns you’ll hear about and how they actually work.

The 2-2-3 schedule (sometimes called Panama)

Over two weeks, each person works 2 days, has 2 off, works 3, then has 2 off, works 2, and has 3 off. The cycle is 14 days, and every other weekend is a long one off. It usually uses 12-hour shifts with two or four crews covering every day.

The second crew works the opposite days. It fits places that need the same coverage every day, like a 24-hour shop. It fits a cafe with a quiet Monday less well.

4 on, 4 off

Work four days, then four days off. Because the cycle is 8 days, the days of the week shift each time, so nobody is stuck with the same days forever. The downside is that people can’t plan around a fixed weekly routine.

Simple weekend rotation

For most small shops and restaurants, the useful version is much simpler: keep weekday shifts mostly the same, and split the team into two groups that alternate weekends. Group A works this Saturday and Sunday, group B works the next. It’s easy to explain and feels fair.

Should you use one?

• Yes if you’re open the same hours every day and staff keep asking why the same people always get weekends.
• Maybe not if your busy days vary a lot week to week, or many staff are part-time with fixed outside commitments.

Longer shifts and overtime can trigger pay rules that vary by state, so check what applies to you before switching to 12-hour shifts.

Running a rotation week to week

A two-week rotation means this week looks like the week before last. Keep both weeks as your standard, and copy the right one forward each week. In WeeklyStaffSchedule, open the week two weeks back and use it as your guide, or copy last week and swap the weekend groups.