The 5-5-4 Schedule: Rotation, Honest Math & Template

Q: How many hours a week is the 5-5-4?

An average of 50.4 hours (nine 12-hour shifts per 15 days). Weeks inside the 5-day work block reach 60 hours. Write-ups quoting ~42 hours are transplanting four-crew arithmetic onto a three-crew pattern.

The 5-5-4 schedule is a 15-day rotating pattern on 12-hour shifts, usually run with three teams: 5 day shifts, 5 off, 4 night shifts, 1 off, then repeat. Its signature is the 5-day off block; its fine print is a heavy 50.4-hour weekly average — the arithmetic most write-ups skip.

Try the rotation

Pick a start date to map the rotation onto real weeks. Team A starts the cycle on day 1; the other teams are staggered so cover never drops.

Cycle start date

	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun	Mon
Team A	Day	Day	Day	Day	Day	Off	Off	Off	Off	Off	Night	Night	Night	Night	Off
Team B	Off	Off	Off	Off	Off	Night	Night	Night	Night	Off	Day	Day	Day	Day	Day
Team C	Night	Night	Night	Night	Off	Day	Day	Day	Day	Day	Off	Off	Off	Off	Off

Day = Day shiftNight = Night shiftOff = Day off

The math

Cycle length	15 days
Shift length	12 hours
Shifts per cycle (per person)	9 (5 days + 4 nights)
Average hours per week	50.4 hours — one of the heaviest named patterns
Teams	3 (each staggered by 5 days)
Coverage caveat	3 team-days per cycle need relief cover for true 24/7

How the rotation works

Each team works nine 12-hour shifts per 15 days: a 5-shift day block, the prized 5-day break, then a 4-shift night block with a single rest day before the wheel restarts. Three teams run it staggered by 5 days.

Now the honest math. Nine 12-hour shifts in 15 days is 108 hours per cycle — a 50.4-hour weekly average, with 60-hour weeks inside the day block. And three teams working 9 of 15 days supply 27 team-days per cycle, while full 24/7 cover (one team on days, one on nights, daily) needs 30 — so three team-days per cycle are uncovered and need relief staff or overtime. The grid above shows those gaps honestly. Operations that love the 5-day break and can fund a relief pool run 5-5-4 happily; operations that can't end up burning the gap into overtime, which is how this pattern gets its mixed reputation.

If you want the 5-day-block feel with balanced cover, the fix is a fourth crew — at which point you are in classic four-crew territory (42 h/week) and should compare the DuPont and 4 on 4 off directly.

Who uses it

Small 24/7 operations — three-crew sites accepting overtime in exchange for long breaks
Plant & utility control rooms — where a relief operator pool can cover the cycle gaps
Security contracts — three-team sites pricing the built-in overtime explicitly
Teams transitioning to four-crew patterns — 5-5-4 is often the inherited starting point

Pros & Cons

Pros

A genuine 5-day break every cycle without using leave
Only 9 work days per 15
Three teams, not four — smaller total headcount
Simple, memorable block structure

Cons

50.4-hour weekly average — sustained heavy load
60-hour weeks inside the day block
Three team-days per cycle are uncovered: relief or overtime is structural, not incidental
Four consecutive nights straight after the break ends

Variations & alternatives

DuPont schedule 4 on 4 off 7 on 7 off 24/7 schedule models

Free template download

Download the pre-built rotation calendar, ready to print or edit. No email required.

Download Excel Download PDF

Build this schedule in Tommy

Set the rotation once and Tommy fills the weeks ahead — shift swaps, leave and coverage gaps handled in one place, with your team always seeing the latest version.

Get Started

Frequently asked questions

How does the 5-5-4 schedule work?

Each team works 5 day shifts, takes 5 days off, works 4 night shifts, takes 1 day off — a 15-day cycle on 12-hour shifts, with three teams staggered by 5 days.

How many hours a week is the 5-5-4?

An average of 50.4 hours (nine 12-hour shifts per 15 days). Weeks inside the 5-day work block reach 60 hours. Write-ups quoting ~42 hours are transplanting four-crew arithmetic onto a three-crew pattern.

Does the 5-5-4 fully cover 24/7?

Not by itself: three teams × 9 work days supply 27 of the 30 team-days a fortnight-plus-a-day of 24/7 cover requires. The three gap days need relief staff, overtime, or accepting reduced cover.

Why do teams still choose it?

The 5-day off block every cycle, with one fewer crew on the payroll than four-crew patterns. It's a deliberate trade: heavier weeks and a relief plan in exchange for long breaks and lower headcount.

What's the balanced alternative?

Add a fourth crew and move to a 42-hour pattern — DuPont if your team values the long break (it keeps a 7-day off block), or 4 on 4 off for simplicity.