Shift pattern comparison
12x36 vs 6 on 1 off
12x36 runs a 2 day cycle: one shift of 12 hours, then one day off. 6 on 1 off runs 7 days: 6 shifts of 7 hours 20 minutes, then one day off.
Every number below is calendar math on real dates, averaged over every phase of each cycle, because where a crew starts changes the answer. Nothing here is estimated and nothing is hand counted.
The numbers, side by side
| Metric | 12x36 | 6 on 1 off |
|---|---|---|
| Cycle length | 2 days | 7 days |
| Shift length | 12 hours | 7 hours 20 minutes |
| Hours a week | 42 hours | 44 hours |
| Crews for 24/7 cover | 4 | Not a 24/7 pattern |
| Days worked a year | 182.7 | 313 |
| Full weekends off a year | 0 | 0 |
Year by year
Days worked and full weekends off for each year on the site, averaged across every phase of the cycle. Each row links both calendars.
| Metric | 12x36 | 6 on 1 off |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 12x36 2026 Days worked a year: 182.5 · Full weekends off a year: 0 | 6 on 1 off 2026 Days worked a year: 313 · Full weekends off a year: 0 |
| 2027 | 12x36 2027 Days worked a year: 182.5 · Full weekends off a year: 0 | 6 on 1 off 2027 Days worked a year: 313 · Full weekends off a year: 0 |
| 2028 | 12x36 2028 Days worked a year: 183 · Full weekends off a year: 0 | 6 on 1 off 2028 Days worked a year: 313 · Full weekends off a year: 0 |
Who each one suits
12x36
Suits people who want every other day free and are paid by the shift. Twelve hours on your feet with a 36 hour gap is the deal, and Saturdays land wherever the cycle puts them.
6 on 1 off
Suits shops, kitchens and small factories where somebody has to be there six days a week. One day off, usually Sunday, is the whole of your week.
6 on 1 off works 130.3 more days a year. Full weekends off come out level. 6 on 1 off is the longer week, by 2 hours. Past that it is preference: how long a block you want, where the days off fall, and what your site actually rosters. The math does not pick a winner.
A perfect rotation fits in a calendar file. A real roster does not.
Swaps, overtime, and holiday cover break the pattern. Reading a real roster is what the Lumical app does: photograph it and every shift lands in your calendar, overnights included. We make it, so weigh the recommendation accordingly.