Dick's Sporting Goods: Improve your scheduling practices

Right now, hourly "associates" are scheduled from week-to-week on an inconsistent schedule and a lot of the times the following week's schedules are published on the previous Friday. But sales managers are able to get their schedules a month in advance.

Since we get our schedules with such little advance notice, it’s really difficult to plan everything we need to do in our lives outside of work. If I want to schedule a doctor appointment or any trips with the family, instead of being able to plan ahead around my work schedule, I have to request days off in advance. That means I often lose hours which means a lower paycheck that week because I didn't know ahead of time when I was going to work.

In addition to not getting our schedules far enough in advance, the communication around schedules and any changes to them needs to be improved. The only way to see an up-to-date schedule is to come in to the store. If you are working part-time or if you are not working during the weekend when schedules are posted, there is no way to know your schedule unless you call.

Even worse, when changes are made to the schedules posted in the store, it isn’t properly communicated to employees. People have been fired because the schedule has changed without notice so they didn’t know they were expected to work a shift. The manager who changed the schedule almost never calls and there is nothing automated (like an email) that tells anyone of any changes -- you are expected to call everyday to find out. I’ve worked in other stores that have schedules posted online or send you an email alert when your schedule has changed.

Dick’s Sporting Goods already pays us way below poverty level -- since that isn't changing anytime soon, at least improve your scheduling and communication practices.

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