Study: Flexible scheduling challenges are keeping store managers up at night

A new survey finds that 63 percent of managers of hourly employees see control and input into work schedules as the greatest incentive for prospective employees they interview, followed by greater transparency into shift assignments and hours given (52.4 percent). The survey of 505 managers and 1,016 hourly workers in the U.S. from the workforce management software firm, Legion Technologies, comes as the Great Resignation has put the spotlight on flexible work policies across industries. Key manager survey findings in the report include:

• Forty-two percent said managing call-outs and no-shows takes the most time and effort, a seven percent increase from last year’s findings.
• Thirty-nine percent believe their employer could improve their experience by providing tools that make it easier to communicate with their team.
• Managers overwhelmingly agree (84 percent) that efficiency and productivity would improve if they were able to communicate with employees through the same app that they use to view their schedules.

In the accompanying survey of hourly workers, 85 percent said it's important to have schedule control. Other than pay, greater recognition and rewards are the incentives most likely to persuade hourly employees to leave and take a new job (58.3 percent), followed by the flexibility to pick up extra shifts and swap shifts (56.3 percent). Amazon.com, Target and Starbucks are among a number of retailers over the last two years investing in adding more flexibility to work hours in the tight labor market. Apple, according to Bloomberg News, in early June told store associates it would be providing longer breaks between shifts and more flexible scheduling in the face of unionizing efforts. The changes include imposing a limit of three days per week that workers are allowed to work past 8 p.m. and reducing the number of consecutive days they can be scheduled to work from six days in a row to five. In February, Neiman Marcus said it had decreased its turnover rate by 20 percent over 2019, in large part by emphasizing flexible work schedules, including remote options. [Legion will highlight the results of its findings during a live LinkedIn webcast on Wed., June 28 at noon eastern. Click here to register.]

• New Research Shows “Great Resignation” Slowing But Hourly Employees Remain Deeply Dissatisfied – Legion Technologies/Business Wire
• 2022: State of the Hourly Workforce – Legion Technologies
• Tech-enabled grocery stores: Lower costs, better experience – Mckinsey
• Target Hopes Flexible Scheduling Will Help It This Holiday Season – Barron’s
• Amazon and Starbucks are giving low-wage workers more job flexibility – Quartz
• Apple to Improve Working Hours for Retail Staff After Union Push – Bloomberg
• How Neiman Marcus increased hiring and lowered turnover during a labor shortage – Glossy
• Neiman Marcus Group Says Remote Work Has Boosted Retention Rates – Footwear News