Shift pattern comparison
6 on 1 off vs 5 on 2 off
6 on 1 off runs a 7 day cycle: 6 shifts of 7 hours 20 minutes, then one day off. 5 on 2 off runs 7 days: 5 shifts of 8 hours, then 2 days 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 | 6 on 1 off | 5 on 2 off |
|---|---|---|
| Cycle length | 7 days | 7 days |
| Shift length | 7 hours 20 minutes | 8 hours |
| Hours a week | 44 hours | 40 hours |
| Crews for 24/7 cover | Not a 24/7 pattern | Not a 24/7 pattern |
| Days worked a year | 313 | 260.7 |
| Full weekends off a year | 0 | 52.3 |
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 | 6 on 1 off | 5 on 2 off |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 6 on 1 off 2026 Days worked a year: 313 · Full weekends off a year: 0 | 5 on 2 off 2026 Days worked a year: 261 · Full weekends off a year: 52 |
| 2027 | 6 on 1 off 2027 Days worked a year: 313 · Full weekends off a year: 0 | 5 on 2 off 2027 Days worked a year: 261 · Full weekends off a year: 52 |
| 2028 | 6 on 1 off 2028 Days worked a year: 313 · Full weekends off a year: 0 | 5 on 2 off 2028 Days worked a year: 260 · Full weekends off a year: 53 |
Who each one suits
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.
5 on 2 off
Suits anyone who wants every weekend off and a schedule that never moves. It gives up the long blocks of free days the 12 hour rotations are built around.
6 on 1 off works 52.3 more days a year. 5 on 2 off keeps 52.3 more full weekends off a year. 6 on 1 off is the longer week, by 4 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.