Pitman Schedule: How it Works, Pros, Cons & Best Practices

If your business needs more employee coverage, the Pitman schedule may be the solution. This flexible plan allows you to organize team members into shifts that can span just a few hours once or twice a week all the way up to and including 24 hours, seven days a week.

In this article, we discuss how the Pitman schedule works, the pros and cons of the process, and the best practices that can help make the system more successful.

What is the Pitman schedule?
How does the Pitman schedule work?
Pros and cons of the Pitman schedule
Best practices for implementing a Pitman schedule

What is the Pitman schedule?

The Pitman schedule is an organizational scheme that allows businesses to build shifts that will cover round-the-clock operational hours.

Within the schedule itself, four teams work two-week cycles of 12-hour days and 12-hour nights. In some cases, the schedule will stay the same month in and month out. In other cases, the schedule may rotate so that employees work different days and nights.

Variations of the Pitman schedule include DuPont, Panama, Panama Plus, 2-2-3, and DDNNOO.

How does the Pitman schedule work?

Fixed Pitman schedule

In the fixed Pitman schedule, two teams (or employees) will always work 12 hours on the day shift, while two other teams (or employees) will always work 12 hours on the night shift.

In order to achieve full coverage around the clock, teams work a rotation of two days on, two days off, three days on, and two days off (also known as a 2-2-3-2 schedule).

Here’s an example of how the fixed Pitman schedule fits into a two-week period:

Week One:

Team A works two 12-hour day shifts, has three days off, and works two 12-hour day shifts.
Team B works two 12-hour night shifts, has two days off, and works three 12-hour night shifts.
Team C has two days off, works two 12-hour day shifts (while Team A and Team B are off), and then has three days off.
Team D has two days off, works two 12-hour night shifts, and then has three days off.

Week Two:

Team A has two days off, works two 12-hour day shifts, and has three days off.
Team B has two days off, works two 12-hour night shifts, and has three days off.
Team C works two 12-hour day shifts, has two days off, and then works three 12-hour day shifts.
Team D works two 12-hour night shifts, has two days off, and then works three 12-hour night shifts.

After week two, the cycle starts over.

In that way, teams A and C (or individual employees) rotate through a 2-2-3-2 schedule where they always work the day shift, while teams B and D (or individual employees) do the same but always work the night shift.

Rotating Pitman schedule

In the rotating Pitman schedule, teams (or individuals) alternate working day shifts and night shifts according to the pattern (i.e., 2-2-3-2) started in the fixed Pitman schedule.

After the first two weeks, teams A and C move to the night shift and teams B and D move to the day shift.

Continuing from weeks one and two of the fixed Pitman schedule, here’s what the rotating Pitman schedule looks like:

Week Three:

Team A works two 12-hour night shifts, has two days off, and works three 12-hour night shifts.
Team B works two 12-hour day shifts, has two days off, and works three 12-hour day shifts.
Team C has two days off, works two 12-hour night shifts (while Team A and Team B are off), and then has three days off.
Team D has two days off, works two 12-hour day shifts, and then has three days off.

Week Four:

Team A has two days off, works two 12-hour night shifts, and has three days off.
Team B has two days off, works two 12-hour day shifts, and has three days off.
Team C works two 12-hour night shifts, has two days off, and then works three 12-hour night shifts.
Team D works two 12-hour day shifts, has two days off, and then works three 12-hour day shifts.

After week four, the teams switch again and the whole cycle starts over from week one.

While this exact schedule may work for some, there are variations of the Pitman schedule to consider as well. Let’s take a look at some of those below.

Variations of the Pitman schedule

1) Panama Plus

The Panama Plus is similar to the Pitman schedule but adds a “normal” string of workdays (i.e., 9 to 5) every two, four, or eight weeks.

Because of this extra weekday shift, the Panama Plus schedule requires five teams instead of four.

The Panama Plus also extends each portion of the Pitman to eight weeks (instead of two or four) before switching and looks like this:

Two 12-hour day shifts, two days off, three 12-hour day shifts for eight weeks
Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for one or two weeks
Two 12-hour night shifts, two days off, three 12-hour night shifts for eight weeks
Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for one or two weeks

Adding a “normal” 9-to-5 workweek or two into the rotation isn’t absolutely necessary to the overall workings of the schedule itself. However, it can be a good way to fit in time for training and administration that doesn’t affect the rest of your employees.

The “normal” schedule can also be an effective way to transition from the day shift to the night shift rotation.

2) DuPont

The DuPont schedule is a more complex variation of the Pitman schedule and consists of four teams working a four-week schedule that looks like this:

Week One: Work four consecutive night shifts followed by three days off
Week Two: Work three consecutive day shifts, have one day off, and then work three consecutive night shifts
Week Three: Have three days off, then work four consecutive day shifts
Week Four: Have seven consecutive days off

So, for example, Team A would start on week one, Team B would start on week two, Team C would start on week three, and Team D would start on week four.

Everyone would cycle through all four weeks before starting again, like this:

Week One

Team A works Monday through Thursday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (the day shift) then has Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off.

Team B works Monday through Wednesday 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. (the night shift), has Thursday off, then works Friday through Sunday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (the day shift).

Team C has Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday off and then works Thursday through Sunday from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.

Team D has Monday through Sunday off.

Week Two

Team D works Monday through Thursday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (the day shift) then has Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off.

Team A works Monday through Wednesday 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. (the night shift), has Thursday off, then works Friday through Sunday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (the day shift).

Team B has Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday off and then works Thursday through Sunday from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.

Team C has Monday through Sunday off.

Week Three

Team C works Monday through Thursday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (the day shift) then has Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off.

Team D works Monday through Wednesday 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. (the night shift), has Thursday off, then works Friday through Sunday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (the day shift).

Team A has Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday off and then works Thursday through Sunday from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.

Team B has Monday through Sunday off.

Week Four

Team B works Monday through Thursday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (the day shift) then has Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off.

Team C works Monday through Wednesday 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. (the night shift), has Thursday off, then works Friday through Sunday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (the day shift).

Team D has Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday off and then works Thursday through Sunday from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.

Team A has Monday through Sunday off.

After that, the cycle restarts with week one again.

3) DDNNOO

The Ds, Ns, and Os in the DDNNOO schedule stand for “Day,” “Night,” and “Off,” respectively. That means employees or teams work a pattern of days and nights and then have time off.

To ensure 24-hour coverage, you’ll need three teams: one working 12-hour days, one working 12-hour nights, and one off.

Here’s how it all fits together:

Team A: Monday (12-hour day shift), Tuesday (12-hour day shift), Wednesday (12-hour night shift), Thursday (12-hour night shift), Friday (off), Saturday (off)

Team B: Monday (off), Tuesday (off), Wednesday (12-hour day shift), Thursday (12-hour day shift), Friday (12-hour night shift), Saturday (12-hour night shift)

Team C: Monday (12-hour night shift), Tuesday (12-hour night shift), Wednesday (off), Thursday (off), Friday (12-day shift), Saturday (12-hour day shift)

On Sunday, the cycle starts again with all three teams returning to the beginning of the rotation (e.g., Team A works a 12-hour day shift, Team B has Sunday off, and Team C works a 12-hour night shift).

Pros and cons of the Pitman schedule

Pro #1: Complete coverage

The Pitman schedule is an ideal way to achieve complete, round-the-clock coverage with the fewest amount of personnel possible.

Aside from having backups on hand (which is always a good idea), you could conceivably implement the Pitman with a minimum of four employees per major responsibility.

Pro #2: Predictability

The fixed version of the Pitman schedule offers predictable work hours to all employees. This allows them to plan their personal lives around their work shifts more effectively.

Pro #3: Reduced costs

Achieving complete coverage with as few personnel as possible can help you reduce the spending associated with one of the largest expenses your business may face: labor costs.

Con #1: Long shifts

One of the main cons of the Pitman schedule is the long shifts that employees have to work.

Being on the clock from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (or whenever you set your start and stop times) can take its toll both mentally and physically and dramatically affect alertness and productivity.

When employees work 12-hour shifts, those long work days and non-standard work weeks can cause significant disruption to your employees’ social lives and family time.

Over time, the stress that comes with it can lead to feelings of displeasure with the job and even outright burnout.

Con #3: Less flexibility

By its very nature, the Pitman schedule has a fairly rigid structure.

That rigid structure doesn’t often work well when employees need to be flexible with their time on the clock in order to handle things like family obligations and medical appointments.

Aside from calling in sick or finding a substitute, there aren’t a lot of options when employees find conflicts in their schedules.

Best practices for implementing a Pitman schedule

1) Set effective start and end times

Many businesses set their Pitman schedule to start at 7 or 8 a.m. and end at 7 or 8 p.m. But, if that doesn’t work for you, you can choose the start and end times that make the most sense for your team.

2) Use scheduling software to keep things organized

Creating a Pitman schedule can be incredibly time-consuming, but you can simplify the process with the right scheduling software.

Such software can provide automation, drag-and-drop capabilities, and templates that can make everything easier and more convenient.

3) Offer guidance on how to work the Pitman schedule

Working a Pitman schedule — both fixed and rotating — can be demanding, to say the least. You can help your team adapt by providing guidance about nutrition, hydration, sleep, breaks, and anything else that you think they should know.

This may even go as deep as advice on minimizing caffeine and sugar while they’re on the clock and after they leave work.

4) Focus on employee health

The Pitman schedule — or any 12-hour shift for that matter — can be physically challenging for even the healthiest team members.

You can minimize the impact that the long hours on the job can have on your employees by moving employee health to the top of your to-do list.

Here are two variables that can have a dramatic effect on the way your teams work.

Diet

Promote a balanced diet and encourage your employees to:

Drink plenty of water
Avoid sugary foods and caffeine at the end of the day (both can disrupt sleep patterns)
Stop eating fried, spicy, and processed foods close to the end of the shift
Include the recommended balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fat in their diet
Eat frequent light meals and healthy snacks to avoid the drowsiness that comes with rich, heavy meals
Choose foods that are easy to digest (e.g., fruits, vegetables, bread, rice, and pasta)

As we mentioned in the previous section, include these recommendations in any training you conduct regarding the Pitman schedule.

Lighting

You may also want to investigate the lighting you’re using for the overnight shifts, as it can have a direct effect on the energy level, productivity, and overall mood of your employees.

As you examine the lighting in your team’s work environment, find answers to the following questions:

Do lights flicker in places?
Do team members complain about eyestrain?
Would focused task lighting help?
Does glare affect the way an employee does their job?
Does your lighting meet the minimum United States General Services Administration (GSA) standards?
Can you improve on the existing lighting arrangement in any way?

It can also be beneficial to consider the type of bulb you use in your lights (e.g., fluorescent, light-emitting diode (LED), halogen, or incandescent) as well as the color and temperature of light they emit.

5) Abide by all labor laws

Labor laws can change overnight, so it’s important that you’re familiar with — and abide by — all local, state, and federal regulations that apply the Pitman schedule and its variations (i.e., any timetable that covers 24-hour operation of your business).

While the guidelines won’t necessarily mention the Pitman schedule by name, they will discuss such variables as:

Overtime
Breaks
Record keeping
How long an employee can be “on the clock”
What qualifies as full-time, part-time, and salaried
How to classify exempt vs. non-exempt employees

To avoid fines and potential legal issues down the road, make sure that your business conforms to all applicable local, state, and federal labor laws.

6) Communicate with your teams

If you’re considering a move to the Pitman schedule, take the time to communicate with your employees.

A change from one schedule to another can have a big impact on the work-life balance that they’re used to and create a lot of anxiety and confusion.

To avoid these problems, meet with your teams, explain how everything would work, ask for their input, and discuss the pros and cons of what may come.

Once the schedule is up and running, continue to communicate with your employees so that they don’t feel like they have to navigate a new work arrangement on their own.

Scheduling made easy

The Pitman schedule is an effective way to ensure that your business has coverage for hours up to and including 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

But, it’s not the only option out there. In fact, the perfect option for your team may be a combination of several different schedule types like 4/10, on-call, and flex.

Regardless of the system you choose, the Sling software can help you organize and manage everything from the simplest schedule to the most complex for one employee or 100 (or more).

Sling includes tools for everything you’ll need to optimize your team, including:

Scheduling
Time clock (both mobile and single-point-of-entry options)
Task management
Communication
Labor cost control
Employee document organization
And more

Whatever business you’re in and whatever type of timetable you use — be it the Pitman schedule or not — Sling can save you time, improve efficiency, and help your team work better.

To find out more about how these powerful scheduling, timekeeping, and task management features can transform your organization, visit GetSling.com today.

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This content is for informational purposes and is not intended as legal, tax, HR, or any other professional advice.

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