A fictional trial across 38 distribution sites examines a less visible employment cost: unpredictable scheduling. In the demonstration dataset, publishing rotas 3 weeks ahead reduces last-minute shift changes by 27%. Output per paid hour remains broadly unchanged. The scenario does not establish a general productivity effect, but it illustrates why workers might value stability even without a shorter working week.

Employers in the model absorb an additional $1.4 million in staffing costs to preserve cover during demand swings. Lower recruitment spending offsets part, but not all, of that amount. The bargaining question is therefore explicit: how should the price of flexibility be shared? A transparent rota agreement makes that trade-off easier to negotiate than an informal expectation that employees remain perpetually available.