The roster
One row per team, one column per day of the cycle. The cycle then repeats.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team A | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | O | O | O | O | O | O | O |
| Team B | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
| Team C | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | M | M | M | M | M | M | M |
| Team D | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | M | M | M | M | M | M | M | A | A | A | A | A | A | A |
Shifts per 28-day cycle
| Team | Days in the cycle |
|---|---|
| Team A | 7 morning, 7 afternoon, 7 night, 7 off |
| Team B | 7 morning, 7 afternoon, 7 night, 7 off |
| Team C | 7 morning, 7 afternoon, 7 night, 7 off |
| Team D | 7 morning, 7 afternoon, 7 night, 7 off |
How the 28 day cycle works
Set three 8 hour shifts: morning 6 am to 2 pm, afternoon 2 pm to 10 pm and night 10 pm to 6 am. Team A works a week of nights, then mornings, then afternoons, then a week off, shown as NNNNNNNMMMMMMMAAAAAAAOOOOOOO. Teams B, C and D follow the same string a week apart. On every date one team is on nights, one on mornings, one on afternoons and one resting, so every process is covered. Weekly blocks let agents settle into client hours before they change, which helps quality on complex processes.
- M is morning, 6 am to 2 pm.
- A is afternoon, 2 pm to 10 pm.
- N is night, 10 pm to 6 am.
- O is a rest day; each team gets a full week off.
Hours per week worked out
Each team works 21 of the 28 days on 8 hour shifts, which is 168 hours, or 42 hours a week on average. The eight hour shift matches the OSH Code ordinary day, so a clean roster carries little overtime; hours called beyond the roster are paid at twice the ordinary wage rate with consent. Night shifts usually carry a shift allowance on top. Build cab pick up and drop into the night week, since agent safety and travel time shape how sustainable the roster really is.
Who the pattern suits
This roster fits BPO, KPO and support desks serving clients in other time zones. Weekly blocks give agents a settled week on client hours and a full week off each month. Night work is the hard part, so a night allowance, safe transport and rest matter. Many agents are women, who may work nights with their consent and the safety conditions the government sets, including secure cabs with an escort. Rotate the night weeks fairly so the load does not sit with the same people.
Pros
- Covers 24x7 global processes with four teams.
- Weekly blocks let agents settle into client hours.
- A full week off falls in each 28 day cycle.
- Eight hour shifts match the ordinary day.
- Night allowance can be added for the night week.
Cons
- Night weeks are hard on sleep and health.
- Late travel needs safe cabs and adds to cost.
- Global time zones can force odd shift edges.
- Slow rotation means a whole week on nights.
Set it up in ZeniaHR
- In the shift catalogue add the morning, afternoon and night 8 hour shifts with code, timings, break, full and half day hours, grace, and the night flag with a colour.
- Build a rotation template with a 28 day cycle of weekly night, morning, afternoon and off blocks, and offset the four teams by a week.
- Assign in bulk over up to 92 days and use the live board filtered by shift to confirm every process is staffed on each date.
- Add a night shift allowance as a payroll input for the night week, alongside any overtime wages for hours beyond the roster.
- Use capture controls to limit punches to allowed office networks or a check in spot, so attendance is recorded from the floor not from outside.
- File night punches that cross midnight to the shift day and turn on the missed punch out alert so a team lead is told when a night shift does not close.
Run this roster in ZeniaHR
Build the rotation once, stagger it across teams and let attendance, overtime and payroll follow it. Free for your first 50 employees.
Book a free demoSee pricingFrequently asked questions
Why do BPOs run night shifts?
BPOs and KPOs often serve clients in other time zones, so peak work in India can fall at night. A rotational roster with a night shift keeps those processes covered around the clock. Agents rotate through nights, mornings and afternoons so the night load is shared fairly across the team.
How many hours a week is a BPO rotation?
This roster averages 42 hours a week. Each team works 21 of the 28 days on 8 hour shifts, which is 168 hours over four weeks. Night shifts usually add a shift allowance, and any hours beyond the roster are overtime at twice the ordinary wage rate with consent.
What safety rules apply to women on BPO night shifts?
Women may work night shifts with their consent and the safety conditions the government sets. In BPOs this usually means secure cab transport with an escort, adequate staffing through the night and safe rest areas. Record consent for each agent and build transport into the night week when you plan the roster.