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 | M | M | A | A | N | N | N | A | A | N | N | O | O | O | N | N | O | O | M | M | M | O | O | M | M | A | A | A |
| Team B | A | A | N | N | O | O | O | N | N | O | O | M | M | M | O | O | M | M | A | A | A | M | M | A | A | N | N | N |
| Team C | N | N | O | O | M | M | M | O | O | M | M | A | A | A | M | M | A | A | N | N | N | A | A | N | N | O | O | O |
| Team D | O | O | M | M | A | A | A | M | M | A | A | N | N | N | A | A | N | N | O | O | O | N | N | O | O | M | M | M |
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
Run 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 begins MMAANNN: two mornings, two afternoons, three nights, then the blocks roll forward through afternoons, nights and rest across the four weeks. Teams B, C and D follow the same 28 day string offset by a week each. On every date the four teams sit on the morning, afternoon, night and rest slots, so all three shifts are staffed and one team rests. Each team gets seven rest days spread across the cycle.
- 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 seven a cycle.
Hours per week worked out
Each team works 21 of the 28 days on 8 hour shifts. Twenty one shifts of 8 hours is 168 hours over four weeks, which is 42 hours a week on average. Because each shift is exactly eight hours, it matches the OSH Code ordinary day, so within the prescribed weekly limit there is little or no overtime on a normal cycle. Any work called beyond the roster is overtime at twice the ordinary wage rate with consent. Three 8 hour shifts avoid the long 12 hour day that some staff find hard.
Who the pattern suits
Continental suits factories and process lines that prefer three shorter shifts and fast rotation, so nobody is stuck on nights. The quick changes keep the load even and the 8 hour day matches the ordinary limit, which keeps overtime low. The flip side is frequent shift changes, which can unsettle sleep, and more handovers than a two shift plan. Women may work the night block with their consent and the safety conditions the government sets. Give clear handover time between shifts so nothing is dropped at each change.
Pros
- Fast rotation means nobody stays on nights for long.
- Eight hour shifts match the ordinary day and cut overtime.
- Four teams cover three shifts around the clock.
- Seven rest days are spread across each 28 day cycle.
Cons
- Frequent shift changes can disturb sleep.
- More handovers than a two shift plan.
- The 28 day cycle takes time to learn.
- Short blocks give fewer long rest stretches.
Set it up in ZeniaHR
- In the shift catalogue add 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 holding the short morning, afternoon and night blocks, and offset the four teams by seven days each.
- Assign in bulk over up to 92 days and use the day grid, filtered by shift, to confirm morning, afternoon and night are each staffed daily.
- Keep the overtime policy ready so any hours called beyond the eight hour roster are counted and paid at or above twice the ordinary rate.
- Set a short paid handover in the attendance rules by using grace at shift start and end so crews overlap cleanly at each change.
- File night punches that cross midnight to the correct shift day and switch on the missed punch out alert for the night crew.
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
What is a Continental shift pattern?
It is a fast rotating, four team rota running three 8 hour shifts, morning, afternoon and night, over a 28 day cycle. Teams move through short blocks of each shift with rest days between, covering a round the clock plant with four crews and averaging 42 hours a week.
How is Continental different from a 12 hour rota?
Continental uses three 8 hour shifts and fast rotation, while 12 hour rotas like DuPont or Panama use two long shifts. Eight hour shifts match the ordinary day and cut overtime, but you get more handovers and shift changes. Twelve hour rotas give longer rest blocks but longer, more tiring days.
Does Continental keep overtime low?
Usually yes, because each shift is exactly eight hours, matching the ordinary day, and a team averages 42 hours a week within the weekly limit. Only work called beyond the roster becomes overtime at twice the ordinary wage rate with consent, so a normal cycle carries little extra pay.