For Many, Full-Time Employment is Out
By Teena Rose
On the scene is just-in-time (JIT) employment. In years passed, JIT referred to new inventory technologies that eliminated costly overhead associated with inventory and procurement. The term now identifies a new breed of worker who works on an as-needed basis, such as contract, temporary, freelance, or day labor. These JIT workers make up an estimated 25% (34 million or so) of the current workforce. Needed and used within tight time restrictions, and employed only during an allotted time and to perform a specific task. Similar to how JIT transformed the way manufacturing companies looked at inventory levels, a JIT workforce is expected to transform how employees view certain jobs and how employers view slots that need to be filled.
