WAL-MART SEEKS TO REVAMP WORKERS' SCHEDULES

Early this year, Wal-Mart will utilize computer scheduling to move workers from predictable set shifts to a system based on the number of customers in a store at a given time. This emphasizes the struggle employers face to increase profit, productivity and customer satisfaction; which must necessarily be balanced with a workforce comprised of people. Family welfare and individual needs will inherently conflict with Wal-Mart's proposed scheduling change. Employees will be faced with multiple challenges by the new system; such as scheduling childcare. Unpredictability in work schedule is extremely difficult for high-wage professionals to accommodate, let alone hourly workers dependent upon daycare.

As a consumer, I can't count the number of times I have marveled that there were only two cashiers checking for what seemed to be twenty waiting customers. I've also noticed periods where five employees were either standing idle or engaged in "busy work" during a lull in business. I have often wondered if a system could be devised that would staff precisely the right number of employees at exactly the time they were needed - like "just in time" inventory delivery, but for employees. However, when balancing productivity at this level against the ability of hourly workers to accommodate such a scheduling scheme, it will be very interesting to see how Wal-Mart's experiment fares. The jury may still be out for the moment, but the reception so far has been mixed at best.

http://blogs.wsj.com/juggle/2007/01/03/whats-worse-long-hours-or-unpredictable-hours/

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