In the field of workforce management (WFM) the primary purpose is to place the appropriate number of people in the appropriate spots at the appropriate times performing the correct tasks. Efficiency in scheduling (sometimes known as the workload-fit) is an essential WFM measure of success since it determines the extent to which you’re doing it.
Planners with a reliable gauge of efficiency in scheduling are more likable to management. Efficiency metrics in scheduling can alter the way in which conversations are conducted in situations where service goals aren’t achieved They can also be used to demonstrate the effects of applying different constraints on scheduling to operate, e.g. consistent start times.
Despite the significance of measuring the effectiveness of schedules, planners are typically too busy to quickly fall off the priority list. Utilizing a simple approach of using the forecast to create schedules and graphing schedules against the requirements for staffing is tempting. If the lines appear to be like they’re close, then you’re done isn’t it? This approach could be equally damaging as not assessing the effectiveness of your schedule in any way.
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Improved Productivity |
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Here’s a five step method to calculate the efficiency of schedules within the Contact Center.
Step 1 – Shrinkage Adjustment: You must choose the shrinkage adjustment wisely. Bear in mind that shrinkage may or may not be a constant. It might vary over time.
For example, shrinkage is often higher during the summer holiday season. It can also vary by day and week. And make sure you use the correct calculation formula. If the shrinkage percentage is s%, you should inflate the number of scheduled staff by dividing by (1-s%), not multiplying by (1+s%).
Example: In an interval where 70 employees must be on duty in order that the Service Level goal is met, and shrinkage is 30%, you should schedule 70 / (1-0.3) = 100 people. If you add 30% to 70, the result is 91.
The shrinkage percentage assumption can be added in each interval to raise the bodies in chairs requirement to the number that is actually needed on the schedule so that absenteeism and other factors can occur without impacting the service delivery.
Step 2 – Total Required ‘Bums in Seats’: This is an estimation based on a forecast in section 1 above – which was inflated due to this shrinkage adjustment. When a skill-based routing system is in place, a complex algorithm must be employed to consider the efficiency of pooling offered by multi-skilled employees in calculating the required staffing.
In a typical single-skilled setting the basic Erlang C is acceptable for calls inbound – however, keep in mind that other channels, such as webchat, email, and social media will require an entirely different approach.
Step 3 – Total Scheduled Staff in Each Period: This is the schedule for staff which includes the shrinkage assumption, which isn’t covered by the scheduling elements. If you look at the next week’s schedule and the requirements of training and vacations may already be listed in the schedules, however the daily absences would need to be considered as a shrinkage assumption.
In a single-skilled setting, it is relatively simple to establish, however it becomes more complicated in situations in which a single agent could be able to take on multiple types or call point in time. (If you prefer to shrink, it can be subtracted from the staff that is scheduled, rather than adding it to the ‘bums on seats calculation).
Step 4 – Total Variation of Scheduled Staff Compared to Required Staff: This is a sign of the mismatch between demand and supply over a time. If the overs and under are added together to calculate the total for the duration is then divided by total needs for the period.
It is calculated as the percentage of variance in staffing v. needs. (A Standard deviation analysis of variances is possible when the over- or under-staffing figures are converted to percentages of variance over time.
When the requirements for staffing during a time vary dramatically by weekday or daytime of day the total number of staff variance will yield an inaccurate conclusion).
Step 5 – Analysis Period: It is best to analyze this on a day or week level, but analyzing how patterns emerge from intraday variation can help identify patterns of inconsistencies.
Scheduling efficiency is the measure of the efficiency with which a schedule can be designed to meet the needs of an organization or business by reducing downtime and improving resource allocation.
The efficiency of workforce management is about maximizing the productivity of employees by ensuring effective planning, scheduling and resource allocation, assuring that the appropriate employees are in the correct location at the right moment.
The efficiency of the schedule is the measure of how well scheduled hours are in line with the actual demand or workload and how effectively the resources are being utilized.
Effectiveness of scheduling can be assessed by comparing the effectiveness of scheduled versus actual performance metrics, like attendance, productivity, as well as the capacity to deliver the service requirements.
Inflexibility in scheduling refers to the inability of adjusting the schedule to meet changes in needs. It is calculated using a ratio of the amount of hours scheduled versus the amount of hours that can be adjusted or modified.
Adherence refers to the degree to which the team or employee follows their work schedule. It is calculated as follows:
Adherence (%) = (Actual hours worked / Scheduled hours) × 100
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