Wal-Mart is upending people’s lives by subjecting its workers to unpredictable just-in-time scheduling. The practice is just what it sounds like: a system in which employers set workers’ hours according to the ebbs and flows of consumer activity.
Wal-Mart loves keeping track of data. For instance, the retail giant’s researchers know that before and after major storms, customers buy strawberry Pop-Tarts at a rate that’s seven times faster than normal.
How does Wal-Mart use this data? To stock its shelves with more — or less — of a certain good based on consumer demand.
When no storms are in the forecast, Wal-Mart doesn’t need as many strawberry Pop-Tarts. Known as just-in-time ordering, this approach allows the company to maximize its profit by predicting consumer behavior.
Lately, Wal-Mart has taken to treating its workers just like Pop-Tarts.
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