Employers like it because it keeps them from racking up unnecessary labor costs. When store traffic is low, the system calls for fewer employees when the system projects more patrons, it demands more workers. Software-based scheduling systems do the trick by linking labor supply to consumer demand. The industry’s profit margins are tight, says Ostrega, and companies are looking to extract savings however they can. Under this system, workers are required to be “on call” to come in and work on a particular day even if they’re not scheduled to do so. Workers Employed in the Retail Trade Industries (Seasonally Adjusted) | FindTheDataĪn especially harsh practice among retailers is what’s known as just-in-time or on-call scheduling. Joshua Ostrega, chief operating officer and co-founder of WorkJam, admits the 56 percent figure came as a bit of a shock. And while policies of this sort save companies money by allowing them to tailor schedules to an expected flow of customer traffic, workers say it's the source of headaches. Both trends run rampant in the fast-growing service sector, especially in low-wage fields like retail and fast food. What’s more, an astounding 56 percent say they get their schedules a week or less in advance. Nearly three in 10 hourly workers in the United States say they rarely get consistent work schedules, according to a study released Tuesday by WorkJam, a firm that specializes in workforce scheduling technology. Eventually, it became too much to juggle. One week, she’d be scheduled for a 8 a.m.-to-noon shift on a particular day the next, it might be a 5 p.m.-to-11 p.m. But then her hours would fluctuate drastically. She would learn about her weekly work schedule three weeks in advance, which wasn’t too bad. Roy-Rankin says she would have to submit requests to take time off for spring break or visit her parents weeks, if not months in advance - otherwise she’d be slotted to work without recourse. Target has an unforgiving scheduling system. Before she graduated in May, she says it was a constant challenge to balance her studies and social life with her part-time job - usually around 20 hours a week at just under $10 an hour. Roy-Rankin went to college nearby, at the University of Illinois. “Otherwise, I honestly, probably, would’ve stayed.” I was at the mercy of the scheduling system,” she says. But last week, after two years as a sales associate, Roy-Rankin quit her job. She says she loved her job at the retailer's store in Champaign, Illinois. She had great bosses, got along well with her co-workers and enjoyed the employee discounts. Brianna Roy-Rankin, 23, is just the kind of worker Target would like to retain and promote.
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