Workforce Management

Workforce Management (WFM) is a vital process and toolset used by organisations to optimise workforce efficiency and productivity. It encompasses tasks like staffing, scheduling, forecasting, and employee management, ensuring that the right personnel with the necessary skills are available when needed. WFM is especially critical in industries with fluctuating workloads, such as call centres, retail, healthcare, and hospitality. One of its core functions involves forecasting future workforce needs based on historical data and factors like average handle time, shrinkage, and turnover. This forecast informs scheduling, which aligns agents with predicted requirements while considering agent availability, skills, adherence, and more. WFM is an ongoing process, with schedules and forecasts frequently revised to accommodate changing variables like volume fluctuations or increased handle times. The ultimate goal is to have the right number of skilled agents at the right place and time, minimising costly overstaffing and optimising operations. Modern WFM relies on advanced technology to automate these tasks, making them more efficient, accurate, and flexible. It enables organisations to create intelligent forecasts, conduct what-if analyses, and make real-time schedule adjustments with ease, streamlining and enhancing contact centre operations.