Building buffers into the work force
Imagine for a moment a soccer team who has to cancel an important game on short notice because two of the players fell sick, and having only twelve players on the payroll overall, they are unable to put the necessary eleven players on the field. It seems inconceivable to not plan ahead and keep more players than the bare minimum available, in case of injuries. All the more surprising that quite a few companies run their business that way.
