Short Answer 
Walmart defines full-time work as 32 hours, contrasting with the traditional 40-hour week to provide employee flexibility and attract a broader applicant pool. This change enables more workers to access benefits like health insurance and fosters better work-life balance while potentially addressing unemployment and underemployment by allowing greater distribution of work.
Step 1: Understanding Walmart’s Definition of Full-Time Work
Walmart defines a full-time work week as just 32 hours, which contrasts with the traditional 40-hour work week. This redefinition aims to offer flexibility for employees, allowing for better accommodation of their personal lives and responsibilities. By setting a lower threshold, Walmart can attract a wider range of potential employees who may be seeking more adaptable work schedules.
Step 2: Benefits of 32-Hour Full-Time Status
With a 32-hour work week, more employees can gain access to important benefits, like health insurance. This policy is part of Walmart’s effort to create an attractive employment proposition for its workers. Not only does this approach help foster employee satisfaction, but it also makes it feasible for workers to achieve a better work-life balance, especially when most U.S. workers often clock in over 40 hours weekly.
Step 3: Economic Implications of Redefining Full-Time Work
Economically, by adopting a lower full-time hour threshold, Walmart can potentially hire more staff and address unemployment and underemployment issues. This strategy could lead to a more equitable distribution of work among the workforce. By limiting the maximum hours an employee works while increasing the full-time status eligibility, Walmart can contribute positively to broader workforce trends and societal goals.