Comments on: Wal-Mart Scheduling and Respect for People http://www.leanblog.org/2007/01/wal-mart-scheduling-and-respect-for/ Mark Graban's leanblog.org - Lean Healthcare, Lean Thinking, Lean Manufacturing, Toyota Production System Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:59:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: WalmartAssociate http://www.leanblog.org/2007/01/wal-mart-scheduling-and-respect-for/#comment-28644 WalmartAssociate Sun, 29 Jan 2012 04:36:08 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2007/01/wal-mart-scheduling-and-respect-for-people/#comment-28644 I am a current Walmart associate. We just received the first of these schedules in our store... I can understand the need to make sure that there are enough associates working on an hour-to-hour basis for the "estimated customer load", however, I have seen full-time associates who have 8 hrs for that week (two 4 hr days) whereas part-time associates (including myself) have upwards of 30 hours and our schedules are all over the place. Along with this, they are doing away with positions entirely and shifting schedules/shifts for most other positions. In particular, in 1 week, I have 5 different scheduled days, including two 4.5 hr days. The associates at my store also have been told that the on-site management has absolutely no control over the schedules and in fact can't even override the computerized scheduling, which, in my opinion, is a major downfall of the new system if this is in fact true. This may be just a particular of the system that Walmart has chosen to use, but it is still wrong and I know a lot of associates are angered by it. Call me crazy, but I see a class action lawsuit in the future for Walmart, if only one... I am a current Walmart associate. We just received the first of these schedules in our store… I can understand the need to make sure that there are enough associates working on an hour-to-hour basis for the “estimated customer load”, however, I have seen full-time associates who have 8 hrs for that week (two 4 hr days) whereas part-time associates (including myself) have upwards of 30 hours and our schedules are all over the place. Along with this, they are doing away with positions entirely and shifting schedules/shifts for most other positions. In particular, in 1 week, I have 5 different scheduled days, including two 4.5 hr days. The associates at my store also have been told that the on-site management has absolutely no control over the schedules and in fact can’t even override the computerized scheduling, which, in my opinion, is a major downfall of the new system if this is in fact true. This may be just a particular of the system that Walmart has chosen to use, but it is still wrong and I know a lot of associates are angered by it. Call me crazy, but I see a class action lawsuit in the future for Walmart, if only one…

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]]> By: Balloon Juice » Occupy Defiance http://www.leanblog.org/2007/01/wal-mart-scheduling-and-respect-for/#comment-26875 Balloon Juice » Occupy Defiance Fri, 28 Oct 2011 19:39:55 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2007/01/wal-mart-scheduling-and-respect-for-people/#comment-26875 [...] workers is that they don’t know from one month to the next when they’re working, because their schedules change constantly. That makes it very difficult to have a less than chaotic family or personal life outside work, let [...] [...] workers is that they don’t know from one month to the next when they’re working, because their schedules change constantly. That makes it very difficult to have a less than chaotic family or personal life outside work, let [...]

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]]> By: Internal Competition Hurts Teamwork? Duh! — Lean Blog http://www.leanblog.org/2007/01/wal-mart-scheduling-and-respect-for/#comment-22821 Internal Competition Hurts Teamwork? Duh! — Lean Blog Thu, 28 Jul 2011 03:28:24 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2007/01/wal-mart-scheduling-and-respect-for-people/#comment-22821 [...] got me thinking about the WalMart scheduling system that I blogged about last year. Computerized scheduling systems created outputs might have made [...] [...] got me thinking about the WalMart scheduling system that I blogged about last year. Computerized scheduling systems created outputs might have made [...]

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]]> By: Anon http://www.leanblog.org/2007/01/wal-mart-scheduling-and-respect-for/#comment-21927 Anon Fri, 17 Jun 2011 16:36:34 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2007/01/wal-mart-scheduling-and-respect-for-people/#comment-21927 a. so many companies are doing this now b. people have no idea how often they'll work, or if they can pay their bills. c. the american economy is driven by retail sales now (ie there are no other jobs) d. how do you get a second job when every company works with this program and all schedules are done one week out, or less, and you MUST be available 24/7 for any one of them? e. how does any work not customer service related (ie stocking) get done since it's really not taken into consideration. I am not a cashier, I am in charge of a department, but I get pulled to cover when it doesn't schedule enough cashiers, then I am late clocking out because I am the only one up front and the evening people are late. On top of that, I can't get my own work done since our days are blocked out with certain tasks for certain amounts of time that we're not allowed to deviate from, or else get written up for not being "efficient". bottom line, people can't afford this. customer service WILL suffer when employees literally drop what they're doing to clock out on time, or else get written up. And no, I don't work for walmart. Just a company that wants the least amount of people on it's payroll that it can get in order to maximize it's already ridiculous profits. a. so many companies are doing this now
b. people have no idea how often they’ll work, or if they can pay their bills.
c. the american economy is driven by retail sales now (ie there are no other jobs)
d. how do you get a second job when every company works with this program and all schedules are done one week out, or less, and you MUST be available 24/7 for any one of them?
e. how does any work not customer service related (ie stocking) get done since it’s really not taken into consideration. I am not a cashier, I am in charge of a department, but I get pulled to cover when it doesn’t schedule enough cashiers, then I am late clocking out because I am the only one up front and the evening people are late. On top of that, I can’t get my own work done since our days are blocked out with certain tasks for certain amounts of time that we’re not allowed to deviate from, or else get written up for not being “efficient”.

bottom line, people can’t afford this. customer service WILL suffer when employees literally drop what they’re doing to clock out on time, or else get written up. And no, I don’t work for walmart. Just a company that wants the least amount of people on it’s payroll that it can get in order to maximize it’s already ridiculous profits.

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]]> By: Pamela Johnson http://www.leanblog.org/2007/01/wal-mart-scheduling-and-respect-for/#comment-18027 Pamela Johnson Thu, 10 Feb 2011 14:35:29 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2007/01/wal-mart-scheduling-and-respect-for-people/#comment-18027 If Wal Mart is so great then why do they terminate employees on medical leave? If Wal Mart is so great then why do they terminate employees on medical leave?

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]]> By: Drew Hunt http://www.leanblog.org/2007/01/wal-mart-scheduling-and-respect-for/#comment-12622 Drew Hunt Wed, 08 Sep 2010 21:55:55 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2007/01/wal-mart-scheduling-and-respect-for-people/#comment-12622 Wal-Mart should also respect their employees decision or thoughts about this one. Wanna learn more about managing your employees schedules?Well, it’s very easy. Check out our blog post and see how easy it is to manage your employees scheduling online. http://www.skedx.com/a-retailers-guide-to-employee-scheduling/ Wal-Mart should also respect their employees decision or thoughts about this one.
Wanna learn more about managing your employees schedules?Well, it’s very easy. Check out our blog post and see how easy it is to manage your employees scheduling online.
http://www.skedx.com/a-retailers-guide-to-employee-scheduling/

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]]> By: Walmartemp29939 http://www.leanblog.org/2007/01/wal-mart-scheduling-and-respect-for/#comment-10087 Walmartemp29939 Sun, 23 May 2010 12:55:57 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2007/01/wal-mart-scheduling-and-respect-for-people/#comment-10087 walmart seems to forget that freight doesnt magically get taken care of in the receiving areas, doesnt magically appear on the floor, straightened out and priced correctly. its great to have a lot of associates when its really busy, but to trim down to the point where freight cannot be delivered to the floor before customer rushes is mere stupidity. Their immediate answer is all the "prep work" will be done overnight, I dont know about *your* walmart, but ours has always been seriously understaffed over night, and a good percentage of those who are staffed are woefully under-trained. these leaves numerous pallets of freight which must be dealt with between the hours of 7am (when the ON shift leaves) and 4pm (when the receiving area must be cleared to unload the next series of trucks) true customer traffic is generally lower during the earlier part of that shift, so walmart tends to not even schedule people in certain departments till later in the day, meanwhile their freight isnt getting worked. You will see the results of this by the numerous "outs" product not being on the shelf. features not set up, prices not up to date, merchandised scattered and not neat. but if this is the kind of store you want to shop at, and make return trips because the item/items arent there where they should be, then by all means, support this new scheduling system, at least your check out time might be shorter, and in the end, isnt that all that really matters? walmart seems to forget that freight doesnt magically get taken care of in the receiving areas, doesnt magically appear on the floor, straightened out and priced correctly. its great to have a lot of associates when its really busy, but to trim down to the point where freight cannot be delivered to the floor before customer rushes is mere stupidity.
Their immediate answer is all the “prep work” will be done overnight, I dont know about *your* walmart, but ours has always been seriously understaffed over night, and a good percentage of those who are staffed are woefully under-trained. these leaves numerous pallets of freight which must be dealt with between the hours of 7am (when the ON shift leaves) and 4pm (when the receiving area must be cleared to unload the next series of trucks) true customer traffic is generally lower during the earlier part of that shift, so walmart tends to not even schedule people in certain departments till later in the day, meanwhile their freight isnt getting worked. You will see the results of this by the numerous “outs” product not being on the shelf. features not set up, prices not up to date, merchandised scattered and not neat. but if this is the kind of store you want to shop at, and make return trips because the item/items arent there where they should be, then by all means, support this new scheduling system, at least your check out time might be shorter, and in the end, isnt that all that really matters?

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]]> By: Anonymous http://www.leanblog.org/2007/01/wal-mart-scheduling-and-respect-for/#comment-5347 Anonymous Sat, 08 Aug 2009 02:24:32 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2007/01/wal-mart-scheduling-and-respect-for-people/#comment-5347 I am currently employed with Walmart and I can say that I along with so many others am not happy at all. We were just informed this past Wednsday that on the 15th of this month that the majority of us will be going to a 4 pm - 1 am schedule. What a notice I am intending on walking out the door I refuse to put Walmart before my child.I have personally found out that Wally cares nothing about FAMILY it's the almighty dollar they care about they are a GREEDY company.O by the way if we change our availability to try n keep from working such rediculous hours then we get 0 hrs I am currently employed with Walmart and I can say that I along with so many others am not happy at all. We were just informed this past Wednsday that on the 15th of this month that the majority of us will be going to a 4 pm – 1 am schedule. What a notice I am intending on walking out the door I refuse to put Walmart before my child.I have personally found out that Wally cares nothing about FAMILY it's the almighty dollar they care about they are a GREEDY company.O by the way if we change our availability to try n keep from working such rediculous hours then we get 0 hrs

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]]> By: Core Practice Partners LLC http://www.leanblog.org/2007/01/wal-mart-scheduling-and-respect-for/#comment-3659 Core Practice Partners LLC Mon, 16 Jun 2008 16:39:00 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2007/01/wal-mart-scheduling-and-respect-for-people/#comment-3659 Software - Strategy = strandand cost savings and angry employees...<br/><br/>Wal-Mart has made a classic mistake with this software. Kronos does in fact make great software that is respected in the industry. Yes, there will always be people that complain, but overall, they do a really good job. So, where did Wal-Mart go wrong?<br/><br/>When working with people, not machines, one must work with both the business AND the employees to get the job done. By not including employee preferences and creating alternative schedules with more acceptable shift lengths employees could end up driving 45 minutes to work to work for only 3 hours. With today's gas prices, you could actually lose money by going to work. <br/><br/>In the end, employee self service that truly allows for feedback and extensive scheduling preferences will be the one way to correct what can be fairly inhumane outcomes from scheduling. Software – Strategy = strandand cost savings and angry employees…

Wal-Mart has made a classic mistake with this software. Kronos does in fact make great software that is respected in the industry. Yes, there will always be people that complain, but overall, they do a really good job. So, where did Wal-Mart go wrong?

When working with people, not machines, one must work with both the business AND the employees to get the job done. By not including employee preferences and creating alternative schedules with more acceptable shift lengths employees could end up driving 45 minutes to work to work for only 3 hours. With today’s gas prices, you could actually lose money by going to work.

In the end, employee self service that truly allows for feedback and extensive scheduling preferences will be the one way to correct what can be fairly inhumane outcomes from scheduling.

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]]> By: Anonymous http://www.leanblog.org/2007/01/wal-mart-scheduling-and-respect-for/#comment-2881 Anonymous Fri, 14 Dec 2007 22:09:00 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2007/01/wal-mart-scheduling-and-respect-for-people/#comment-2881 They simply want to have more associates when they have more customers and less associates when they have less customers. This is common across all retailers. As a Retail WFM consultant, it's what all retailers want, but it comes down to the balance they are willing to provide. <br/><br/>What do you expect them and other retailers to do. Have you ever heard a shareholder call where people were demanding more employee respect? Nope, it's EPS they demand.<br/><br/>All this talk about the software is really moot. Honestly, the software is going to be customized and configured to fit the policies Wally world wants to put in place. The software can provide more associate flexibility and "respect" if Wal-Mart configures it to do such. But this is Wal-Mart and they will simply configure this to touch the bottom line, not the hearst of the employees. They simply want to have more associates when they have more customers and less associates when they have less customers. This is common across all retailers. As a Retail WFM consultant, it’s what all retailers want, but it comes down to the balance they are willing to provide.

What do you expect them and other retailers to do. Have you ever heard a shareholder call where people were demanding more employee respect? Nope, it’s EPS they demand.

All this talk about the software is really moot. Honestly, the software is going to be customized and configured to fit the policies Wally world wants to put in place. The software can provide more associate flexibility and “respect” if Wal-Mart configures it to do such. But this is Wal-Mart and they will simply configure this to touch the bottom line, not the hearst of the employees.

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