According to Wal-Mart executives, 75 percent of the company's workers in the United States are employed full time, although that number has been trending down gradually.
Retail industry watchers said Wal-Mart isn't exactly entering unchartered territory by exploring a flexible scheduling system. Rather than being intimidated by the retail behemoth, some stores say they're happy to tap into its success.
However, industry experts say many retailers over the years have migrated to flexible hours scheduling because of its inherent benefits to both employees and customers. Wal-Mart spokesman Marty Heirs acknowledged the high turnover and said Wal-Mart was taking steps to address it.