Increasing Schedule Predictability in Hourly Jobs: Results From a Randomized Experiment in a U.S. Retail Firm

Abstract

For hourly workers, schedule predictability often depends on how far in advance schedules are posted. This article presents results from a process evaluation of an intervention to increase advance schedule notice in hourly retail jobs. The authors open up the black box of implementation to understand managers’ experiences posting schedules further in advance and employees’ ability to anticipate working time. Although schedules were posted further in advance in treatment than control stores, the intervention did not improve schedule anticipation. The findings demonstrate the value of attending to the “dual agenda” of assessing workplace interventions from the perspective of both employers and employees.