Work today comes in all shapes and sizes. Whether your operation runs 24/7 or you have a more traditional work setup, there’s a work schedule that’s best for you.
Employees today want more flexibility.
They want more work-life balance and more say in when they work.
Choosing a work schedule model that supports your staff and your operation is the only way to ensure retention and adequate shift coverage.
Today, we’ll cover 13 types of schedules for various businesses so you can decide which one is right for you.
- 1. Dupont Schedule
- 2. 2-2-3 Schedule
- 3. 4-10 Schedule
- 4. 9-80 Schedule
- 5. Fixed Work Schedules
- 6. Flex Work Schedules
- 7. On-Call Work Schedules
- 8. Remote Work Schedules
- 9. Part-Time Schedules
- 10. Split Shift Schedule
- 11. Rotating Work Schedules
- 12. Seasonal Work Schedules
- 13. Contract staff scheduling
- MakeShift Supports Multiple Types of Staff Scheduling
1. Dupont Schedule
Named after the DuPont company, which was the first to implement it in the 1950s, this shift schedule works well for operations that run 24/7.
In this schedule, you’ve got 4 different teams working 12-hour shifts. Day and night shifts are set on a 28-day rotation cycle. Over 4 weeks, an employee’s shift schedule will look like this:
- 4 nights on / 3 days off
- 3 days on / 1 day off
- 3 nights on / 3 days off
- 4 days on / 7 days off
With this schedule, employees work more than 40 hours during some weeks, which gives them consistent overtime in their paychecks. Many employees love the 7 days off in a row.
2. 2-2-3 Schedule
The 2-2-3 schedule, aka the Panama schedule, is believed to have originated from the schedule used by workers building the Panama Canal. The canal required constant operation, so workers devised a schedule of long shifts and days off.
This is another popular option for 24/7 operations. This method also works on a 28-day rotation cycle with 12-hour shifts and 4 teams of employees. A typical work schedule looks like this:
- 2 days on / 2 days off / 3 days on
- 2 nights on / 2 nights off / 3 nights on
Usually, teams work solely on day shifts or night shifts instead of switching back and forth. This works better for employees who need more consistency in their schedules.
Employees on a 2-2-3 schedule only work 180 days a year and only 3 days in a row. Plus, they get a sweet bonus of a 3-day weekend every other week.
3. 4-10 Schedule
Most employees who work a 4-10 schedule wouldn’t go back to 5 days a week if their lives depended on it. The 4-10 schedule plans 40 work hours in a four-day workweek. Employees work 4 10-hour days, then take 3 off.
Typically, it’s a Monday — Thursday workweek, with a 3-day weekend.
While 10-hour days take some getting used to, the extra day off makes it worth it for most employees. This schedule supports employee well-being by offering a better work-life balance.
In this South African Case Study, 90% of employees favored continuing with the 4-day week. Over half the participants said they’d need a 21-50% pay increase even to consider returning to a 5-day schedule.
4. 9-80 Schedule
This schedule weaves 80 hours of work in only 9 days. Employees get a 3-day weekend every other week.
The 9-80 schedule aims to keep employees' work days under 10 hours. Workday lengths vary to get in 80 hours of work every 2 weeks. Here’s a typical 9-80 work schedule:
Week 1: It’s a whole 5-day week. The first 4 days are 9-hour shifts, and Friday is an 8-hour shift.
Week 2: Employees work four 9-hour days this week and take Friday off.
This type of schedule can reduce callouts due to weekday appointments or employees who want to go out of town for a 3-day weekend because they have every other Friday off.
5. Fixed Work Schedules
A fixed schedule is just what it sounds like — work days and start and end times don’t change. This schedule typically adheres to a standard 9 to 5 workday, but the hours may vary. (ex: 7am to 3pm, 4pm to 12am…etc.)
84% of wage and salary workers work a fixed daytime schedule.
A fixed schedule is standard in industries with traditional office settings (e.g., Banking, dental clinics, financial management companies, and non-profits).
6. Flex Work Schedules
Flexibility is the new work-life currency. Flexible work hours are becoming increasingly important to employees. This type of schedule allows employees to determine their start and end times and work in hybrid conditions (remote/in-office).
25% of the global working population prioritizes flexibility above all else.
A flex work schedule gives employees more autonomy in their work life, directly impacting their engagement level.
7. On-Call Work Schedules
An on-call work schedule requires employees to be available to work when needed. They’re typically compensated for being on-call, regardless of whether they’re called in.
According to the Economic Policy Institute, at least 6% of hourly workers, 8% of salaried workers, and 30% of other employees work on-call shifts.
On-call work is typical in emergency services, IT support, and maintenance roles (e.g., locksmiths, plumbers, tow truck drivers…).
While some employees may be totally fine with unpredictable work hours, this can lead to work-life balance challenges that could impact retention.
8. Remote Work Schedules
This type of schedule lets employees work outside of the traditional office setting.
Successful remote work relies heavily on technology for communication and collaboration.
It also requires clear guidelines for expectations and communication to ensure productivity.
The expected growth rate of full-time remote work over the next 5 years has doubled, from 30% to 65%. An Upwork study states that 22% of the American workforce will be remote by 2025.
This work schedule option offers employees flexibility, letting your team know their well-being and mental health is essential.
9. Part-Time Schedules
Part-timers work fewer hours than full-time employees. Part-time schedules are ideal for students, retirees, or individuals seeking supplemental income.
This type of schedule offers flexibility in balancing work with other commitments.
As of April 2024, 28.24 million people were employed part-time, working less than 35 hours per week.
10. Split Shift Schedule
A split shift schedule has employees work 2 separate shifts within a single workday, allowing for coverage during peak business hours.
This schedule is standard in industries with extended operating hours, like restaurants and transportation.
The downside of this type of schedule is the impact on employees' work-life balance due to non-traditional hours and the increased risk of absences due to work-related injury and disease.
11. Rotating Work Schedules
A rotating work schedule involves employees regularly rotating through different shifts or work hours. It promotes fairness in distributing less desirable shifts among employees.
For example, a rotating schedule for night shift nurses means no one is always stuck on nights.
Approximately 2.4% of U.S. employees work on rotating schedules. That number jumps to 5% in wholesale, retail, recreation, healthcare, and hospitality.
If you use a rotating work schedule, prioritize clear communication to ensure smooth transitions between shifts.
12. Seasonal Work Schedules
The seasonal work schedule is designed to accommodate fluctuations in staffing needs during specific seasons or periods of high demand. It requires seasonal employees to work during peak times and may have reduced or no work periods.
Right now, there are over 73,260 U.S. seasonal workers.
Industries with seasonal employees include snow ski areas, beach resorts, construction, and agriculture.
A seasonal work schedule ensures sufficient coverage during busy seasons while controlling labor costs during slower periods.
13. Contract staff scheduling
A contract worker is usually a self-employed worker hired by a client for a specific project or time frame for a set fee. Contract employees aren’t guaranteed a minimum number of work hours.
Today, over 8,692 contract workers are currently employed in the United States.
Using contract workers allows you to offer work as needed without hiring a full-time employee.
MakeShift Supports Multiple Types of Staff Scheduling
MakeShift was designed with a people-first approach to scheduling. We can support whatever type of schedule works best for your business.
You can input your scheduling rules and templates, then let MakeShift do the heavy lifting. Our AI-powered scheduling platform is an intelligent workforce management system that will transform how you support your staff.
Our top benefits that apply to ANY type of scheduling are:
Manage your labor budgets — Set daily, weekly, or custom labor budgets to align with your financial targets. Simply feed in your labor budget, then adjust hours or dollars to manage employee workload and control costs effectively.
Streamline requests & end no-shows — Approve or decline shift exchanges with a click, keeping your team agile and responsive. Quickly review and manage time-off requests, keeping a smooth operation and a happy team.
Effortless Scheduling — Schedule based on employee availability, skills, demand, or position requirements. View shifts and assignments across locations at a glance and create templates for recurring shifts and common patterns.
Automate scheduling based on rules, availability, and workload requirements.
Uphold compliance, protect well-being, and minimize risk — Configure fatigue rules based on labor laws or industry regulations. Get real-time notifications when a shift assignment violates fatigue rules.
Today’s Work Looks Different: So Does Staff Scheduling
Gone are the days of a one-size-fits-all work schedule. Today’s work comes in many forms, and so does scheduling.
Choose the work schedule that is best for your operation and your employees.
Feel free to use more than one type of schedule if that works better for you.
No matter what type of schedule you use, MakeShift can support you and your staff in a modern, holistic way. Want to see for yourself? Take a test drive with our FREE demo.
Ready to Make the Shift?
 |
 |
