The success of any organization is built on the commitment and engagement of its high-performing employees, who are the driving force behind innovation and growth. To motivate and retain these individuals, organizations need more than competitive salaries.
A strategic approach is required—one that focuses on continuous motivation, recognition, and professional development.
Below are practical strategies that help foster long-term engagement and retention of high-performing employees:
1. Offer Meaningful Work
Top performers seek challenges that align with their skills and aspirations. Assigning projects that require problem-solving and creativity not only keeps them engaged but also reinforces their sense of purpose within the organization.
2. Provide Growth Opportunities
Stagnation leads to disengagement. Establishing career development plans, mentorship programs, and training opportunities encourages employees to expand their skill sets and remain committed.
3. Recognize and Reward Achievements
Recognition fosters motivation. Publicly acknowledging accomplishments through awards, incentives, or personal appreciation reinforces their value within the organization.
Statistics from Zippia show that 37% of employees consider recognition the most important factor in the workplace, emphasizing the significance of appreciating their efforts.
4. Encourage Autonomy
Micromanagement stifles engagement. Trusting employees to make decisions and giving them the freedom to manage tasks independently enhances job satisfaction and accountability.
5. Foster Open Communication
A culture of transparency allows employees to voice concerns, share ideas, and contribute to company goals. Regular check-ins, feedback sessions, and open-door policies strengthen trust and alignment.
6. Ensure Competitive Compensation and Benefits
While salary matters, benefits such as health coverage, flexible work arrangements, and performance-based bonuses contribute to long-term engagement.
7. Promote Work-Life Balance
Burnout reduces productivity. Encouraging breaks, respecting boundaries, and offering remote or hybrid work arrangements support well-being without compromising efficiency. Managing remote workforce effectively includes clear expectations, regular touchpoints, and access to necessary tools.
8. Cultivate a Positive Workplace Culture
A workplace where employees feel respected, heard, and supported enhances morale. Fostering inclusivity, celebrating diversity, and maintaining a supportive environment create a culture where high performers thrive.
9. Provide Clear Career Progression Paths
Lack of advancement opportunities leads to disengagement. Defining specific criteria for promotions, offering role-based progression plans, and providing visibility into leadership tracks help employees understand their potential growth within the organization. Employees stay engaged when they see a clear and attainable future in the company.
10. Align Roles with Company Vision
Employees who see their contributions making an impact remain engaged. Regularly communicating how their work supports company goals strengthens purpose and motivation. Workforce management strategies should include aligning individual objectives with organizational success.
11. Support Employee Well-Being
Providing wellness programs, mental health resources, and fitness incentives enhances overall satisfaction. A focus on health reduces stress and increases engagement. Healthy employees perform better and contribute more effectively.
12. Celebrate Milestones and Successes
Recognizing anniversaries, promotions, and project completions enhances satisfaction and strengthens commitment. Celebrating achievements creates a sense of belonging. Acknowledging progress maintains motivation and enthusiasm.
Keeping Top Talent Engaged for Lasting Success
When employees feel valued, they are 87% less likely to leave. Understanding how to motivate and keep your high-performing employees engaged is essential for maintaining a productive and committed workforce. A proactive approach that nurtures motivation, growth, and job satisfaction ensures that top talent stays invested in their roles.
At Call Design, we help organizations strengthen workforce management by implementing strategies that keep high-performing employees engaged. Our expertise ensures that businesses create an environment where talent thrives.
Contact us today to learn how we can help your organization build a positive and committed workforce.
In many organizations, people are promoted because they’ve been in a role for a while, and they know the right buttons to push or the right people to work with. And I think that’s a problem.
Don’t get me wrong, I think internal promotion and giving people a career path is fantastic! Study after study has shown how important professional development and career growth are to retaining talent, especially younger generations. The point isn’t to say we should stop promoting people internally, but I think that people should be interviewed, even internally, when receiving a promotion.
I can hear your comments now. “I shouldn’t have to interview for a position I’ve already earned” … “Interviewing for a promotion is just an extra hoop to jump through” … “I hate interviewing! If they make me interview, I’m going to tank and lose out on this opportunity.” I get it and I think your concerns are valid and should be considered as these processes and policies are implemented. But what you don’t realize is that the organization is doing you a disservice by not interviewing you for the role. Hear me out.
In my role, I’ve had an opportunity to help people move from one organization to another. Whether that’s hiring them into my team or coaching them through their job search process. One of the biggest challenges I’ve seen from people is their inability to articulate their value in an interview. “Why should we hire you.” It’s a common enough question but so many people swing-and-miss on this question and it’s such a critical answer for you to nail!
I’ve heard plenty of people mention how they are self-starters, self-learners, quick learners, self-motivated, team players, great communicators, etc, etc. These are likely all true and possibly valuable. However, why would I hire you, a self-starter who loves to collaborate, over someone else that expresses the same thing? There needs to be more definition, a finer point, or a better way to communicate your value.
And here is where interviewing for internal roles comes in.
When organizations interview for internal roles, it gives you the opportunity to practice articulating the “why me” answer. It gives you the chance to self-assess and look for the core nuggets of why you’ve been successful and then how to articulate that to other people.
There will be a temptation to simply point toward the projects you’ve run well or the team that has grown under you. The problem is that those examples don’t get to the core of your value add. Great, you ran a project well, but what was it about your skillset and unique ability that allowed you to do that? You’ve got to dig deeper and articulate something specific and unique.
So how do we do this and what does it look like? I’m so glad you asked!
You think you work well in team environments and that is a reason someone should promote you or possibly hire you. But when is that true and when has it not been true? Do you work best when teams are made up of certain people or in certain environments? So you refine your answer to “I’m a great team player with people who love to dream and cast vision”, but why is that true? What is it about working with them that you enjoy and that makes you so valuable in that environment? You refine further. “I love working in a team environment with people that cast vision and dream well because I don’t do those things well.” We’re getting closer but we don’t want to end on a negative. Plus, we need to go one level deeper. So instead of saying “I’m a great team player” you can say “I work well in team environments with individuals that cast vision well. I’ve found that my skill is in taking someone else’s vision and making it a reality. I love refining and executing big picture thinking and I work well in environments that include that.” You don’t just work well in team environments, you’re an executor and refiner!
For myself, I could just say “I’m curious and I like to ask questions”, and that might be a bit unique but it’s far short of what it could be. My answer is “I’m incredibly curious and love to ask questions. I’m very comfortable being the dumbest person in the room and asking the questions that everyone thinks but no one wants to ask. My questions typically help teams investigate assumptions and norms to ensure everyone is aligned and on the same page before moving forward. Simply put, you should hire me because my curiosity can help your organization improve communication and move faster by uncovering the unanswered questions.”
This type of self-assessment and ability to articulate your unique value can lead to greater confidence and impact, even in your current organization. When you don’t interview for internal roles and promotions you miss out on the opportunity to assess why you’ve been successful, find a way to articulate that and practice your answer well before trying to land that dream job, possibly at another organization.
Whether you’ve been with an organization for 2 years or 20 years, do yourself a favor and practice your answer to “Why should I hire you”, your next career move may just depend upon it!
At Call Design we believe that employees have the right to be happy, engaged, fulfilled, and aligned at work. Part of finding fulfillment at work includes knowing what you’re good at and what you love to work on. If you’d like help discovering your unique skills or being able to articulate them, please reach out and let us know. One of our coaches would love to work with you and help you find fulfillment at work!
A culture-driven team is intentionally built around shared cultural values and norms, which are considered essential for success. It’s about identifying the values that resonate with your team and using them as the compass to guide your hiring, onboarding, and development processes. Building a culture-driven team means going beyond individual expertise and focusing on collective growth and collaboration.
Hiring for the Team, Not Just the Individual:
To build a culture-driven team, it’s crucial to prioritize the team dynamic over individual roles. Instead of solely focusing on qualifications, seek candidates who are the best fit for the team’s cultural fabric. You may be tempted to think that your new hire will typically have few opportunities to work with other people, so you don’t need to worry about team dynamics. Their “just” a forecaster, or scheduler that will be in the corner just pushing a few buttons (an oversimplification of their role!). The reality is that each person, regardless of how vocal or connected they are, impacts the whole team. As you hire each role you need to be thinking about the values your team is centered around, finding those values in the interview process, and then supporting the values during the training and onboarding process. Remember, a strong team always outperforms a lone superstar.
Possible Team Values:
There are a ton of values you can center your team around, and which ones you should pick will be dependent upon your leadership style, company values, and even your geographical area. For this blog, we’ll focus on four values that Call Design sees as important to helping people be Happy, Engaged, Fulfilled, and Aligned at work.
Curiosity: Look for candidates who exhibit a genuine thirst for knowledge and a desire to continuously learn and grow. This soft skill can be developed in others, but it’s incredibly hard to impart it to people who lack it entirely. Find individuals that naturally ask questions and look to dig into things.
Embracing Chaos: Seek individuals who thrive in dynamic environments and see chaos as an opportunity for innovation and adaptation. Contact center and WFM teams are full of days where things are constantly changing. The key isn’t just how they respond in chaos, but how they feel in chaos. Is the constantly changing environment life-giving or life-taking for them? Plenty of people can put up with the chaos, but where are the people that enjoy the chaos?
Transparency: Value candidates who prioritize open and honest communication, even if it means challenging the status quo and leadership! Organizations that not only allow but encourage people to push boundaries and innovate position themselves to be successful long-term. Sure, curiosity is important to innovation, but even more important is an environment where people are open and honest to push on bad ideas and share their opinions, even if it’s the opposite of the boss.
Kindness: Prioritize kind team members. It’s simple to say but hard to do. We all know that kindness doesn’t make up for an inability to do a job. We’ve all worked with a Kind Karen who is super sweet but is constantly needing help. And we’ve also worked with a Mean Megan who gets work done but no one wants to work with her. Reminder, we’re trying to build a team and not just fill roles. Karen’s kindness is going to have a bigger positive impact on the team than Megan’s, even if you try to isolate Megan to minimize the negativity while still benefiting from her efforts.
Interviewing for Cultural Fit:
Here are some questions you can use to find the four team values we’ve already highlighted.
Curiosity: “What questions do you have for me?” Normally we ask this question at the end of an interview but when we start with this question we learn a few things immediately. Did the person do any research and come prepared with a list of questions? If they didn’t, how quickly are they able to switch into questioning mode and how insightful are their questions? We can learn a lot about someone’s curiosity within the first few minutes of an interview by starting with this question.
Chaos: “Is chaos life-giving or life-taking”. Most people have a great answer as to how they respond in chaos, but the key here is how they feel in chaos. You can teach someone the steps you want them working through during fire drills, but if your chaotic environment is going to suck the life out of them, well that’s the opposite of what we’re looking for. Hire for feeling and train for action.
Transparency: “Tell me about a time you told your boss they were wrong.” If they can come up with a dozen examples they may be more interested in pointing out flaws than coming up with solutions. If they’ve never told their boss they’re wrong then they may not feel comfortable sharing honest feedback. This question allows you to see how easily the person can push against authority and possibly provide helpful feedback, even for the boss.
Kindness: Observe how candidates speak about their former employers and colleagues, looking for indications of a cooperative and compassionate mindset. Again, this value is so simple but it’s incredibly impactful on your team. Don’t overlook how well the interviewee would or would not get along with the rest of your team.
Reinforcing Culture through Onboarding and Development:
Once team members join your organization, it’s crucial to nurture and reinforce the desired culture:
Curiosity: Don’t just encourage curiosity, communicate that it’s an expectation. Every team meeting, 1-1 interaction, or catch-up conversation ask them what questions they have for you. If they are consistently saying they have none then that should be a big red flag. Help them understand that you expect them to have questions and to come to you with them. More than any other time, onboarding is when they need to be bringing questions to the table.
Embracing Chaos: After they’ve been on your team for a while ask them how they feel their job description should change. What should be removed and what should be added? Help them see that they have a chance to shape the chaos and focus on what brings them joy. Plus, they’ll be engaged and find fulfillment in a role they help shape!
Transparency: Lead by example and share your challenges, creating an environment where honesty and open communication are rewarded. Help them see that you value honesty and openness over being right and perfect. They’ve likely made a career of constantly having the right answer and getting things correct. Show them that even their leader is still making mistakes and trying to learn things. Set a tone that promotes transparency and honesty.
Kindness: Encourage team members to connect on a personal level and build relationships with their colleagues. It’s easy to do meet-and-greet meetings and just learn about the person’s role in the organization. Push your team to really find out about the person. The more they can learn about the person’s personal and professional life the better they’ll be able to collaborate and work together.
Building a culture-driven team is an investment that pays off in multiple ways. It not only enhances productivity and collaboration but also creates an environment where employees can be happy, engaged, fulfilled, and aligned. At Call Design, we are passionate about helping contact centers and workforce management teams unlock their full potential. We believe in the power of culture-driven teams and the positive impact they can have on organizations. If you’re ready to take your team to the next level, let’s connect and explore how we can collaborate to elevate your workforce management strategy. Together, let’s build a culture-driven team that drives lasting success!
After a long road, you’re finally ready to implement. You did the research and selected the platforms you wanted to look at. You sat through too many demos and sales calls and finally selected your new Workforce Management (WFM) platform. The platform has been installed, you’ve set up the initial configuration, and you’ve gone through the training. Everything is ready to go, and then, like an amusement park ride at Disney World, the resistance begins to rise. You start getting pushback from the agents, their supervisors, or maybe even your own WFM team. What is this all about?!
Well, let’s start with why you might be getting some of this internal resistance.
Understanding the Resistance
Internal resistance to change isn’t unique to WFM or contact centers. From professional to personal, non-profits to Fortune 10 companies, the world is full of people who are scared or uneasy about change. Whether it’s because of loss of control, excess uncertainty, or past resentments we need to stop and consider the environment of our key stakeholders. Why might they be resistant to a WFM software change?
1. Agents: Balancing Work and Life
Agents often view changes in WFM software through the lens of their daily routines. This software, more than others, directly impacts their work/life balance. Issues like schedule selection and management, PTO requests, and overtime availability are vital to them. Study after study has shown work/life balance can have huge positive impacts on employee engagement. When WFM software is introduced to an environment agents are rightly going to be concerned that it may negatively impact their work/life balance and be resistant to this change.
2. Agent Supervisors: The Changing Roles
Agent supervisors are often the bridge connecting management’s directives and the agents on the frontline. When new WFM software is introduced, it can signify a shift in their roles, and this can lead to resistance.
Imagine you’re a supervisor accustomed to handling PTO approvals, schedule adjustments, or real-time monitoring. These responsibilities are integral to maintaining team performance. However, as the new WFM software takes its place, these tasks might transition to automation. For supervisors, this shift can be met with skepticism and apprehension. They may wonder if their importance is diminishing, as the software now handles functions they previously managed.
3. WFM Team: Embracing Automation
Similar to the supervisors, the WFM team may see the new software as a threat to their roles. Automated forecasting by just clicking a few buttons can feel threatening to a forecast analyst who has built a career on the accuracy of their Excel spreadsheets. Schedule optimization and what-if scenario building can also look like a threat to the WFM professional who has always heard “Your schedules are so creative!” Automation can appear to replace their expertise, potentially leading to downsizing, and this will consistently lead people to resist change.
4. Company Leadership: The Big Picture
For company leaders, software changes represent more than just a shift in tools; they can affect the entire organization. These leaders, responsible for steering the company toward its goals, often view such transitions with a critical eye. They may be concerned that these changes could disrupt daily operations and potentially divert attention from primary objectives. Anything that may negatively impact customers, employees, or the business is going to be met with resistance.
(Sure, we might have forced a dog picture into this blog off of the “adoption” header… but aren’t you enjoying this blog a bit more now that this picture is in here?)
Fostering Buy-In and Adoption
Now you better understand why the people around you may be resistant to change, but what do you do about it? Regardless of role, there are three keys to fostering buy-in and adoption that you need to keep in mind:
1) Know and Connect with Stakeholders
Before you can connect the software to what matters to them, you have to know what matters to them. Get to know your stakeholders and understand their priorities and challenges before you start implementing new software.
Once you know their priorities and challenges you can then connect the new WFM software to what’s important to them. Coming to them with WFM bells and whistles that aren’t grounded in what they care about will do nothing to reduce or eliminate their resistance. Get to know them, and then show them how the new software will help remove their challenges and reach their goals.
2) Don’t Stop Training
You’ll certainly adjust the training of the platform to the audience, but you at least need to introduce the product to all of your stakeholders. Company leaders need a walk-through, the agents need to understand how to submit requests, and the WFM team needs to understand how to administer the platform. We all know the value of training, and differing that training for the audience, but one training isn’t sufficient.
Of course, the contact center environment is often hard-pressed to find another 30-60 minutes for classroom training. However, there are a variety of ways that you can go after additional training.
WFM team members can get additional training through the user groups, WFM networking groups, or 3rd party consulting. This is especially critical as new features are released in the tool and new functionality is made available. They can also sign up for online webinars that they can either attend live or watch the recording afterward.
Agents and supervisors may need less access to consistent training, but the adoption of the platform will benefit from the WFM team making themselves available. This might look like Office Hours where WFM is available to field any questions they may have. It could also take a more structured approach where WFM shares best practices during a town hall or webinar.
The key to long-term adoption is consistent training. Helping people understand the value the platform provides, how it continually adds value to their environment, and how to best use it for their needs. You may not have another 30-60 minutes for in-classroom training, but you shouldn’t need it to still provide additional training.
3) Communicate Throughout the Process
One of the best ways to create buy-in from all your stakeholders is to keep them in the loop throughout the process. You should have already connected with them and you’re able to show how the platform benefits them. But if you’re not communicating with them about the changes that are coming, before they happen, then all of the benefits in the world won’t be able to overcome the resistance to sudden and unknown change.
Agents and Supervisors – You may want to wait until you’ve settled on which platform you’re going with, but letting them know a change is coming in a few months will help. This gives you a chance to explain to them why it’s happening and how the new platform can help them.
WFM Team – You’ll probably want to include them in the research and vetting process. Maybe the whole team doesn’t need to be involved, but you’ll get great buy-in from your team if they feel like their opinion is being heard when it comes to selecting the tool they’ll use every day.
Company Leaders – Varying what you share can be important for this group. You don’t want to overshare details with them that they aren’t going to find helpful. However, keeping them in the dark until rollout will also likely frustrate them. Pay attention to how involved they are with the contact center. If they are heavily involved then they’ll likely want updates throughout the selection, training, and implementation process. If they have little to do with the contact center, then just give them an overview as you select the tool and roll it out to the team.
Understanding the Benefits
You get the resistance to change, and you understand how to get buy-in, but maybe you aren’t sure about why people would care about WFM software. As a leader in WFM, we can easily miss the larger picture and just see the value of our environment. Ease of use, increased forecasting, better reporting, and visibility, all these features clearly benefit WFM, but they can benefit others in the organization as well.
As mentioned above, knowing how the software can benefit others is critical for adoption, and you still need to hear from them before you can sell them. But as you’re listening to their challenges and priorities having these benefits in mind may help you highlight the value of the software.
For Agents
Improved Work/Life Balance: WFM software can streamline scheduling, making it easier for agents to request time off, pick up extra shifts, and maintain a better work/life balance.
Empowerment and Autonomy: The ability to indicate their shift preferences and availability can give agents a sense of empowerment and greater control over their work schedules.
Fair Scheduling: With the help of the software, agents can ensure a fair distribution of shifts and opportunities, reducing any perceived scheduling biases.
For Agent Supervisors
More Time for Coaching: With automation handling administrative tasks, supervisors can focus more on coaching and providing support to agents to improve their performance.
Data-Driven Decisions: WFM software provides valuable data and insights that can highlight performance gaps for supervisors and enable more data-driven decisions.
Team Visibility:It can be challenging, especially in remote environments, for supervisors to see who is working and when their team might be able to meet for a team meeting. WFM software can provide them visibility, and could even go a step further in scheduling team meetings at optimal times.
For WFM Team
Enhanced Efficiency: Automation in forecasting and scheduling simplifies complex processes, increasing efficiency and accuracy in their roles.
Creative Scheduling: WFM software can help the team develop more creative scheduling solutions, enabling them to create schedules that meet business needs, while still providing exceptional customer service and employee schedule flexibility.
Real-Time Monitoring: The software provides real-time data, enabling the WFM team to make informed, timely decisions based on the latest customer and employee data. It isn’t just seeing what is happening in the moment, but also better predicting what will happen the rest of the day and making adjustments accordingly.
For Company Leadership
Optimized Staffing: WFM software ensures that staffing aligns with customer demand, reducing unnecessary labor costs and increasing operational efficiency.
Improved Customer Experience: Through efficient scheduling and staffing, the software helps maintain high service levels, leading to improved customer satisfaction.
Increased Employee Engagement: The software can also provide agents the schedule flexibility they’ve been asking for without having to sacrifice customer or business outcomes. This will increase employee engagement, helping the organization retain talent that they likely see as their strategic advantage in the marketplace.
Implementing new WFM software comes with its share of challenges. Agents, supervisors, the WFM team, and company leaders may resist the change, but it can be effectively managed by understanding their concerns and offering ongoing training. Embrace the software’s benefits, such as improved work-life balance for agents, streamlined decision-making for supervisors, and better staffing alignment for company leadership.
At Call Design North America, we’re here to guide you through this transformative journey, ensuring your organization is fully prepared for the transition. We don’t just implement or train and leave, we make sure you are thinking through all of the challenges of change management and helping you avoid common pitfalls. We can also help with continuous training, ensuring you’re getting the most out of your WFM platform.
Change may be challenging, but it’s also an opportunity for growth and success. With the right strategies and the right partner, resistance can transform into enthusiastic adoption, propelling your contact center to new heights.
We may be a little bit biased, but we believe that the role of Workforce Management (WFM) software cannot be overstated. It’s the linchpin that keeps operations optimized and agents in sync. However, we also realize that implementing WFM software is not without its hurdles. One of the most prominent challenges that contact centers face is the complexity of integration. Whether that’s integration to your ACD, HRIS/payroll, or even your performance management platform, all of these systems can benefit from WFM data and your WFM platform can benefit from their data. But too often it isn’t as simple as plug-and-play, but could it be that simple?
Why is Integration Complex?
To grasp the essence of integration complexity, it’s crucial to understand the inherent intricacies that come into play. First and foremost, the challenge arises from the need to synchronize data seamlessly between various systems. When you integrate with WFM software, you’re essentially building bridges between databases and applications that may use different data formats, protocols, and technologies. Too often may feel like you’ve integrated a system but then find out that the data doesn’t match the original system and the WFM system. The challenge to build well-structured and consistently available “data bridges” can be incredibly challenging.
Moreover, the availability of data adds to the complexity. Many systems will say that they integrate with your WFM platform, but they may only mean 2 to 3 data points. This can leave WFM leaders incredibly frustrated as they need a full system integration between ACD to WFM and WFM to HRIS. Also, the data may be available, but the lack of timeliness can often make it pointless. How is WFM supposed to forecast intraday when the interaction volume is only updated daily? Or how can we provide intra-day flexibility to agents when we only get updated PTO allotments weekly?
Lastly, by integrating systems you may disrupt existing workflows, something that most contact centers strive to avoid at all costs. Agents rely on smooth, efficient processes to deliver top-notch customer service, so any disruption is a cause for concern.
Key Platforms for Integration
We’ve already mentioned how WFM can benefit from integration with other platforms. Here are a few key ones to consider:
1. Communication Channels: Integration with various communication channels such as phone, email, chat, and others is essential. Without the ability to access interaction volume, workload time, and unproductive activities, WFM teams will fly blind when creating forecasts and schedules.
2. Reporting and Analytics Tools: For data-driven decision-making, integration with reporting and analytics tools is paramount. WFM may be able to analyze data inside of the channel distribution platform, and they may be able to pull that data into the WFM platform for further review. The ideal scenario, though, is being able to have all of that data in a BI tool. When WFM data is integrated with performance, productivity, and customer experience data WFM leaders are able to better justify the impact of their processes.
3. HR and Payroll Systems:Integrating WFM software with HR and payroll systems streamlines workforce management processes. Sure, your WFM platform may be able to create schedules, but if it isn’t integrated with the time-keeping software then schedule adherence can become an incredibly manual process for the WFM team. The manual work for WFM also increases when PTO approval has to be reviewed in two different systems. When WFM teams can see both the employee’s personal account balance and the forecasted net staffing the PTO approval process can be significantly streamlined. Add an ability to apply checker rules that automatically approve PTO requests based upon If/Then logic and you’ll really be moving!
Additional Considerations
1. Selection of Compatible Software and Tools: Compatibility is not just about technical integration; it’s about harmonizing the various components of your technology ecosystem.
This is where third-party integration companies specializing in building WFM connectors come into play. Companies like Call Design, with decades of experience in this field, offer a unique value proposition. They bring a deep understanding of WFM software and its intricacies, which means they can tailor integration solutions to match your specific needs and platforms.
The advantage of working with such experts is their ability to bridge the gap between your existing systems and the WFM software you’re integrating. They not only ensure compatibility but also optimize the integration for maximum effectiveness. This can save your organization valuable time and resources, as you’re not left grappling with technical challenges.
2. Thorough Planning and Assessment: If we don’t know the value of good planning, are we even doing WFM?!
There’s no sense in looking to ingrate systems “just because”. The platforms need to be helping the WFM team move towards a particular goal, or set of goals, that are supportive of the larger organizational strategy. Sure, improving automation of manual processes is great by itself, but once that manual work is automated what do you do with the labor associated with it? Where will we now have the WFM coordinator’s focus?
The planning and assessment process includes the project and change management necessary for all effective software rollouts, but it also includes mapping out how the WFM team will conduct their work differently once the integrations are complete.
3. Continuous Monitoring and Optimization: Implementing the integrations is just the start of a long process. The WFM team needs to continually review and refine how the data flow is helping or could help additional processes.
It could be that the integration was just meant to improve the connection and accuracy of PTO balances between the WFM and HR teams. However, WFM may also be able to help HR with payroll accuracy based on ACD data coming in for schedule adherence. Or maybe there’s an ability to tie all three systems together. Where the agent logs into the phone system, which logs a clock-in action for payroll, and then submits a schedule adjustment for WFM schedule adherence all done automatically through integrations.
The key here is to continually review what additional systems, processes, and teams might benefit from deeper integrations.
As you consider how your WFM team can benefit from additional integrations, rest assured that experienced partners are here to assist. Call Design, with over 20 years of expertise in building and implementing WFM connectors, stands ready to walk you through the full process. From identifying which platforms you want to integrate with, to building the actual connectors, and implementing the solutions; we are here to help. We understand the challenges you face and are well-equipped to help you navigate the path to seamless integration, ensuring your WFM efforts yield optimal results for your employees, customers, and business leaders. Integrations can be complex, but they don’t have to be intimidating when you have the right partner with you.
WFM teams can be, and should be, part of the strategic planning process. Unfortunately, though, Call Design has seen dozens of organizations that don’t understand why. Sometimes it’s the leadership above the WFM team that doesn’t get it, and other times it’s the leadership in the WFM team. Regardless of who doesn’t get it, we believe that WFM teams are critical to the success of every organization because of their added value to the strategic planning process.
To the Leaders Above WFM Teams:
One – We Sit at the Crossroads of the Organization:
As WFM professionals, we have a unique perspective that allows us to witness the intersections of various organizational functions. By being at the forefront of operations, we can identify opportunities to drive efficiencies, cut costs, and optimize resources. Our insight into the intricacies of agent management and scheduling positions us to contribute significantly to strategic planning discussions.
Two – Front Row Seats to Improve Agent Lives:
Happy, engaged, fulfilled, and aligned (HEFA) employees are the backbone of any successful organization. WFM plays a crucial role in shaping the work environment for agents. By involving WFM in the strategic planning process, leaders can leverage our expertise to design flexible schedules and implement automation solutions that enhance agent satisfaction. Happier agents lead to improved customer experiences, reduced turnover, and increased productivity. And that’s a strategic advantage!
Three – Early Adoption of Data-Driven Decision-Making:
Long before the term “data-driven” became popular, WFM teams have relied on data and analytics to optimize call center operations. By incorporating WFM into the strategic planning process, organizations can tap into our wealth of data and insights to inform future forecasts, resource allocation, and performance measurement. WFM professionals are well-equipped to guide organizations toward evidence-based decision-making and help align strategic goals with operational realities.
Four – Maximizing Cost Efficiency Through Resource Optimization:
One of the key contributions of WFM teams to the strategic planning process lies in their ability to drive cost savings through effective scheduling of resources and accurate forecasting. By leveraging historical data, advanced analytics, and industry expertise, WFM professionals can optimize staffing levels, align them with anticipated demand, and minimize overstaffing or understaffing situations. This proactive approach not only improves operational efficiency but also helps organizations allocate resources more judiciously, resulting in significant cost savings. By involving WFM teams in strategic discussions, leaders can harness their knowledge and insights to make informed decisions that directly impact the bottom line. Embracing WFM’s expertise in resource management is a strategic imperative for organizations seeking to achieve sustainable financial success while maintaining operational excellence.
We’re more than just the team that produces schedules and makes sure people are adhering to their schedules. The nature of our team requires us to hear from differing voices, digest qualitative and quantitative data, and make sure that appropriately balance the business, customer, and agent needs. If there was ever a team that needed to be at the table of strategic planning, it’s us!
To the Leaders In WFM Teams:
One – Don’t Just Focus on Tactics, Look Up and Consider the Strategic Direction:
While tactical execution is essential, as WFM leaders we must broaden our perspectives and align our efforts with the overarching strategic goals of the organization. Whether you want to positively impact your team, make a bunch of money, get promoted, or feel like you’re making a difference, all of these paths lead towards you participating in strategic planning. The best way for you to accomplish your goals is to elevate your impact past just tactics and start thinking strategically for your organization.
Two – Manage Up:
Building strong relationships with leaders above the WFM team is crucial for gaining recognition and influence. Proactively engage with senior management, provide regular updates on WFM initiatives, and articulate the value that effective WFM brings to the organization. By effectively managing up, we can secure a seat at the strategic planning table.
Three – Support Others First:
To become trusted advisors, we should approach strategic planning discussions with a mindset of support and collaboration. By actively listening to and understanding the needs and challenges of other departments, we can tailor our contributions to align with broader organizational objectives. By demonstrating a commitment to supporting others, we can earn the trust and respect necessary to lead strategic conversations.
Four – Lead with Expertise and Influence:
As WFM leaders, we possess a wealth of knowledge and experience in optimizing operations, enhancing customer experiences, and driving employee engagement. By confidently showcasing our expertise and providing strategic recommendations, we can shape discussions and guide decision-making. By becoming influential voices within our organizations, we can elevate the role of WFM and solidify its position in the strategic planning process.
Integrating WFM into the strategic planning process is a win-win situation for organizations and their WFM teams. By recognizing the unique insights and contributions of WFM professionals, leaders can unlock opportunities for operational efficiencies, agent satisfaction, and overall business success. Embracing WFM as a strategic asset paves the way for a future where organizations thrive, employees are happy, engaged, fulfilled, and aligned, and customer experiences are exceptional.
Remember, WFM is more than just a tactical function; it is a strategic enabler that empowers organizations to achieve their goals while creating a fulfilling work environment for employees. Let’s work together to elevate the role of WFM and drive positive change within our organizations.
As we gear up for the back-to-school season, it’s the perfect time to go back to basics on the ABCs of contact centers scheduling. Workforce management (WFM) plays a vital role in the seamless functioning of contact centers, ensuring optimal staffing, exceptional customer service, and agent satisfaction. Effective scheduling is the backbone of WFM, and mastering its basic principles is essential for success. In this blog, we will delve into the fundamental workforce management principles for scheduling in contact centers, providing you with the knowledge and tools to excel in your role.
1. Accurate Forecasting and Planning
The first lesson in workforce management scheduling is accurate forecasting and planning. Effective forecasting involves predicting customer interaction volumes, including calls, emails, chats, and more, based on historical data and trends.
By analyzing past data, you can identify patterns and predict future workload, helping you plan the right number of agents needed at different times of the day, week, or month. Accurate forecasting is the foundation of successful scheduling and ensures that customer demand is adequately met without over or under-staffing.
2. Schedule Flexibility for Dynamic Demands
Contact centers experience dynamic call volumes throughout the day, with peaks and troughs driven by customer behavior, external events, and marketing campaigns. Embracing schedule flexibility is essential for effectively managing these changes.
Consider implementing flexible scheduling options such as staggered shifts, part-time shifts, or offering voluntary time-off during quiet periods. Schedule flexibility empowers you to balance workload efficiently, improving service levels and agent satisfaction.
3. Real-Time Monitoring and Adjustments
In the world of contact centers, agility is key. Unexpected changes in customer demand can occur at any moment, necessitating real-time monitoring and adjustments.
Utilize real-time metrics to monitor call queues, average handle times, and agent availability. Being proactive in monitoring enables you to make informed decisions and redistribute resources as needed, ensuring optimal service and customer satisfaction.
4. Adherence to Service Level Agreements (SLAs)
Meeting service level agreements is a primary objective of workforce management. Service level agreements can be defined as the percentage of customer interactions that must be answered within a specified time frame, such as “80% of calls answered within 30 seconds” or average speed of answer, such as “60 seconds”.
Scheduling enough agents during peak hours is crucial to meeting service level targets consistently. Adherence to SLAs enhances customer satisfaction by reducing wait times and ensuring timely issue resolution.
5. Agent Empowerment for Enhanced Engagement
Incorporating agent empowerment in the scheduling process has a direct impact on agent engagement and performance. Involve agents in the schedule creation process by considering their preferences and shift bids.
When agents have some control over their schedules, they are more likely to feel valued and committed to their roles. Empowered agents are happier, more productive, and less likely to seek alternative employment, reducing turnover rates.
6. Skills-Based Routing for Efficient Service Delivery
In contact centers, not all agents possess the same skill set or expertise. Skills-based routing ensures that customer interactions are directed to the most suitable agents, maximizing first-call resolution and customer satisfaction.
When creating schedules, align agent skills with expected call types and volumes. Skills-based routing reduces transfers, enhances agent confidence, and ultimately improves overall service delivery.
7. Adherence to Labor Regulations
Compliance with labor laws and regulations is non-negotiable for any contact center. Scheduling practices must align with local labor laws regarding working hours, break times, overtime, and rest periods.
Maintaining compliance not only avoids legal issues and penalties but also promotes a healthy work environment and safeguards agent well-being.
Allocate time in schedules for agents to participate in training sessions without compromising service levels. Ongoing training keeps agents updated on product knowledge, industry trends, and customer service techniques, making them more confident and capable in their roles.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You’ve successfully completed your back-to-school crash course on the basic workforce management principles for scheduling in contact centers. Armed with these principles, you are well-equipped to optimize schedules, meet customer demands, and enhance agent satisfaction.
Remember, accurate forecasting and planning form the foundation of effective scheduling. Embrace schedule flexibility to handle dynamic demands and be proactive with real-time monitoring to make timely adjustments.
Strive to meet service level agreements consistently, empower agents in the scheduling process, and implement skills-based routing for efficient service delivery. Always maintain compliance with labor regulations and invest in continuous training and development for agents.
As you apply these principles in your role in the workforce management team, you’ll contribute to the success of your contact center and foster a positive and productive work environment. With dedication and a commitment to excellence, you’re well on your way to becoming a scheduling superstar in the world of contact center workforce management!
As the summer sun sets and the back-to-school season approaches, it’s time to sharpen our pencils, gather our knowledge, and delve into the fundamentals of forecasting in the contact center world. Just like students preparing for a new academic year, contact center professionals must equip themselves with the essential techniques to predict future contacts with precision and finesse. Welcome to “Forecasting 101,” where we’ll guide you through the key concepts of forecasting and equip you with the tools to excel in this critical aspect of contact center operations.
Introduction: Unraveling the Mystery of Forecasting
In the world of contact centers, forecasting plays a crucial role in predicting the future. It’s the process of using historical data and trends to anticipate the volume of incoming contacts, such as calls, chats, and emails. The insights gained from forecasting are instrumental in making informed decisions about staffing, capacity planning, and budgeting.
Let’s take a closer look at the different types of forecasts used in the contact center environment:
Long-term forecast: Spanning from 6 months to 2+ years, this forecast provides a broader view of future contact volumes.
Mid-range forecast: Covering 3 to 6 months, this forecast helps contact centers plan for the medium term.
Short-term forecast: Encompassing one week to 3 months, this forecast focuses on immediate needs.
Daily forecast: This forecast provides a daily snapshot of expected contact volumes.
Intra-day or Interval level forecast: The most detailed forecast, it predicts contact volumes in smaller time increments.
In contact centers, different teams handle various forecasts—the Forecaster, Planner, and Scheduler each contribute their expertise to this complex process.
The Journey of Forecasting: From Data to Patterns
The first step in forecasting is collecting relevant historical data. This data, typically derived from the contact center’s ACD, SQL, PowerBI, or other reliable sources, should cover a timeframe of 1-3 years, if available. Metrics such as contacts handled, contacts abandoned, contacts offered, and average handle time are essential for accurate forecasting. Additional metrics like chat concurrency, IVR, web, or chat deflection rates add depth to the analysis.
Next comes the analysis of patterns in the data. Identifying seasonality, trends, and other significant patterns helps in refining the forecast. Removing outliers and normalizing days with extraordinary events, such as holidays or severe weather impacts, ensure the forecast’s accuracy.
Continuous Improvement: The Refinement Process
Forecasting is not a one-time task but an ongoing journey of improvement. By analyzing forecast errors and discrepancies, contact centers can enhance their forecasting models. Adjusting parameters and incorporating new data sources contribute to the accuracy of future forecasts. Consideration of upcoming marketing campaigns or events helps prepare for potential impacts on contact volumes.
Keeping a Watchful Eye: Monitoring and Adaptation
Once the forecast is set, it requires continuous monitoring and tracking. As new data becomes available, contact centers must update their forecasts to adapt to changing conditions and trends. Regularly reviewing forecast performance ensures it remains relevant and aligned with the contact center’s needs.
Unraveling Variance: The Detective Work
Sometimes, the forecast may not align with actual results, creating variance. In such cases, contact centers need to investigate the reasons behind the discrepancy. Is it due to marketing campaigns, changes in IVR or web pages, or other factors? Talking to frontline employees can provide valuable insights into the drivers behind the variance.
Side note: Check out our very own Nate chat about the importance of machine + human logic when it comes to forecasting in this quick video.
Understanding the Magic and Limitations
While forecasting is a powerful tool, it’s important to recognize its limitations. It’s not an exact science, and there will always be some degree of uncertainty. Contact centers should be aware of the assumptions and constraints of their forecasting models. Rather than seeking absolute predictions, forecasting is about making well-informed decisions based on available data.
Enroll with Call Design – Your Partner in Forecasting Excellence
Are you ready to ace the art of forecasting? As you embark on your journey to excellence, Call Design stands by your side as your partner in forecasting and Workforce Management (WFM) endeavors. Our team of seasoned experts is eager to guide you through the intricacies of forecasting, ensuring you are well-prepared for any challenges that lie ahead. As the back-to-school season commences, don’t miss the opportunity to elevate your contact center’s performance with stellar forecasting. Reach out to Call Design today, and let’s embark on a transformative journey together. With “Forecasting 101” under your belt, you’ll be well-prepared to navigate the path to success in your contact center’s future endeavors.
Recently Dan Smitley sat down with some of our Sr. Consultants and talked through their unique experiences and perspectives. Sometimes it’s easy to be a consultant that simply stays behind the scenes and helps our customers, but we think they are pretty amazing people and we wanted to spotlight them for all of you. So, without further ado, here’s Dan’s conversation with Mark Uren.
Dan: Mark, let’s first start with your experience. Where have you worked and what roles have you held?
Mark: I’ve had the privilege of working in various executive roles, professional services, technology, and management consulting for over thirty years. I’ve worked in Utilities, Media, Gaming, Local and State Government, Airlines and believe it or not I ran Australia’s largest specialist veterinary hospital. I’ve done strategy work including implementation; organizational development; operations; risk; process improvement you name it but my favorite work these days is strategy work.
Dan: You mentioned your experience management consulting but “consulting” means different things to different people. What do you mean by it?
Mark: I think there are two different types of consulting. Both are valuable and can help an organization and in fact, Call Design offers both types. The first is the type where the consultant comes in already knowing the answer. They are brought in for a very specific reason and a very specific problem. They have years of experience addressing that problem and already know how to solve it as soon as they land.
An example of this would be having a Call Design consultant come in and help a customer set up the Alvaria WFM platform for their business. The consultant would need to gain some knowledge from the business like the different queues, different groups of agents, etc., but for the most part, the consultant already knows how to properly set up the forecast groups and staff groups.
The second type of consulting is where you don’t already know the answer. You can still have years of experience and knowledge, but the customer has brought you in to address a unique challenge that they might not even be able to articulate. A great example is when I worked with a utility company in New Zealand. The CEO, who by the way was the best CEO I ever worked with (no offense to Michelle Gaffney), was explaining to myself and my counterpart what he needed help with. He went to the whiteboard and drew a circle, “This is what we are today”. He then drew a square over it “But maybe this is what we need to be tomorrow”. Then he erased the overlapping square and drew a couple of triangles off the core of the circle “Or maybe this is what we need to be.” He knew he needed help thinking through the strategic direction of the organization, but he couldn’t exactly articulate what he needed to help him get to the end, or even what the end looked like.
Dan: How do you even approach that? I mean, when a customer can’t articulate exactly how you’re supposed to help, how do you help them?
Mark: With curiosity. That really is the core of a good consultant, in my opinion. Sometimes a customer knows they aren’t heading in the right direction and simply need a new set of eyes. In those situations, the consultant needs to come in and ask as many questions as possible. They have to dig in to understand what’s working well, what needs some improvement, and what’s horribly off the rails.
Dan: That feels simple enough, but that also sounds huge. There are hundreds of things that could be horribly off the rails. How do you know where to focus?
Mark: It certainly can feel overwhelming but it really just comes down to balancing three priorities: the employees, the customer, and the finances. Some organizations do a great job of providing solid returns for their shareholders, but their customer loyalty is awful and their employee retention isn’t any better. Other organizations have great cultures and their employees feel engaged and taken care of at work, but the organization lacks structure and accountability and eventually has to shut down because they cannot turn a profit. Lastly, some organizations provide exceptional customer experience and have created great brand loyalty, but don’t take care of their employees and so their profit is minimized by the constant need to backfill staff.
Imagine a three-armed scale. One arm for customers, one for employees, and one for financial returns. When an organization is healthy and heading in the right direction all three are considered, taken care of, and intentionally looked after. But most of the time one, or multiple, of the arms are out of balance. The value of a consultant is that they can come in with fresh eyes and years of experience, look at the scales, and help an organization understand which arm they need to address in the right way. Not an overcorrection where the neglected arm is now because overly emphasized, but just enough of a focus to be in proper balance.
Dan: Mark, you have years of experience, natural curiosity, an ability to help organizations balance their priorities correctly, etc. and I guess my last question is simply, why work at Call Design? It seems like you could be working for one of the big consulting firms. So why work here?
Mark: Because Call Design North America truly believes in HEFA. At the core of this organization is a belief that employees have the right to be Happy, Engaged, Fulfilled, and Aligned at work. I get out of bed every morning knowing that I can help this organization spread that message and impact organizations. We might not be able to change the world, but we can help change contact centers. Those contact centers could help change organizations, and who knows maybe those organizations can help change whole industries. I work here because I believe in the mission that Michelle and the rest of the leadership team have set and I’m excited to help them improve the lives of their customers.
In the coming weeks we’ll share more about our consultants and their unique perspectives. To check out more information head on over to https://calldesignna.com/consulting to see some additional ways we’d love to help you organization. Feel free to reach out to us today and let us know if you need some fresh eyes to ensure your business properly balanced!
In the previous blog, I talked about the importance of self-care and why WFM leaders should care about it, but I didn’t give you any tips on how to execute self-care. Well in this article, we will explore practical ways to enhance your self-care practices, from confidently saying “no” and setting boundaries, to caring for your physical, mental, and emotional needs. By incorporating these strategies into your work routine, you can cultivate assertiveness, focus, and emotional resilience, enabling you to excel in your professional journey. So what are some ways you can practice self-care?
Start by getting comfortable with saying no at work.
You can always start with “yes, if” instead of “no”. When someone comes to you with a request that you can’t accomplish tell them “Yes, I can do this if you…”. So instead of saying “No, we don’t have the resources to complete this project” you can say “Yes, we can take this on if you can get me more resources for my team.” It’s a step in the right direction and might be easier for people that feel “no” is too confrontational.
Being able to say “no” at work helps you build your assertiveness. This ability is necessary for you to be able to stand up for yourself and negotiate, which will be critical for your ability to grab that next promotion or pay increase.
Being able to say “no” is also going to require you to get closer to your boss. If you’re going to start pushing back on people and saying that something can’t be done, then you need to make sure you’re aligned with your boss. The last thing your boss wants is people coming to them saying that you’re telling them “no” for something your boss wants done. Your ability to say “no” and be right about it is dependent upon how well you understand your boss’s direction and priorities.
Get comfortable setting boundaries at work.
Setting boundaries at work helps you build your self-advocating muscle. When you don’t value your time, ability, or effort, then no one will. Setting boundaries helps you speak to the value of your time and ability. This skill is imperative to any professional growth and development.
Setting boundaries allows you to focus on the most important project. Without boundaries we’re often lost in the latest craze or trying to put out the most recent fire. Contact centers will always have chaos and fires, so you’ve got to rein in your focus on what’s the most important thing. Without boundaries, you’re likely to try and fix everything and quickly burn yourself out.
Self-care looks like taking care of your physical needs
Stretch and walk during breaks. This means that you actually have to take breaks from work. This could easily look like only scheduling meetings for 45-55 minutes, making sure you always have a few minutes to move between meetings.
Multi-task work and your physical activity. Take some meetings on your phone while you walk around your neighborhood. Sign up for a webinar and listen to it while you go on a run. Find a way to care for your body even as you continue to work hard.
You can care for your body at work by getting a comfortable working environment. This means finding the right chair, getting a desk that works for you, and making sure you have sunlight available. One of the worst things you can do to your body is sit in an uncomfortable chair, staring at a poorly positioned monitor, in a dark room, for hours on end. Self-care can be as simple as a standing desk and an open window.
Drink water! Make it a goal to finish a cup or two of water every hour. Not only is your body going to thank you for keeping it hydrated, but it will also give you a reason to get up from your desk more often for bio breaks.
Self-care looks like taking care of your mental needs
An important part of your mental needs is understanding where you get energy from, especially around people. If people can drain you of energy then make sure that you have time in your day to decompress and process the events. If people lift you up then make sure you have moments between projects to connect and build relationships.
Completing tasks can give you a hit of dopamine, so create to-do lists and make them simple. Instead of saying “Complete Project X” put it on your list to do 30 or 60 minutes of work. Instead of saying “Finish the blog” just put “Start writing the outline for the blog”. These smaller tasks, while not necessarily changing the work you have to get done, will mentally provide you with hits to keep going. A pro tip is to make a list of things that you’ve already done today. This is an easy way to remind yourself of how productive you’ve been. Get out of bed. Check! Brush teeth. Check! Put on clean clothes. Check! See how productive you’ve been?!
An important part of mentally caring for yourself at work is not working. Your brain needs breaks and often works better when given breaks. So, when you’re feeling exhausted or that you don’t have any more to give to a project, step away (ideally before exhaustion). Do anything other than work. Go on a walk. Eat some food. Mindless scroll on the internet. Self-care can sometimes look like just not working while you’re at work.
Self-care looks like caring care of your emotional needs
Practicing gratitude and tracking what we’re grateful for will position us emotionally better in the workplace. It’s easy to find the negative things in our environment, especially with the amount of chaos we have in the contact center. But practicing gratefulness will reorient our mindset and emotional state and allow us to be even more productive while at work.
Practicing kind self-talk is an easy one to roll our eyes at, but it also positions us to be more effective at work. When we are kind to ourselves we are more confident, assertive, and productive. Our emotional state improves and that allows us to lead and impact our workplace in more effective ways.
Prioritizing self-care as a WFM leader is not only essential for your personal well-being, but it also has a profound impact on your professional success and the overall culture of your organization. By implementing the practical self-care strategies we’ve explored, you can cultivate assertiveness, focus, and emotional resilience, positioning yourself as a confident and effective leader. Remember, self-care is an ongoing journey, and it requires continuous attention and commitment. If you’re seeking further guidance, tips, and ideas on self-care, WFM best practices, or fostering a human-centric company culture, don’t hesitate to reach out to Call Design. Our team of experts is here to support you in your quest for personal and professional growth. Together, let’s create a workplace where self-care and employee well-being are at the heart of success.
