What is Agent Self-Scheduling and Why is it Important?

Give your agents that degree of flexibility and freedom

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What is Agent Self-Scheduling and Why is it Important
WFOInsights

Published: February 16, 2021

Anwesha Roy - UC Today

Anwesha Roy

Self-scheduling gives contact centre agents a degree of flexibility and freedom that is often missing in high-pressure, high call volume scenarios. In 2020, amid the pandemic, self-scheduling was extremely popular as agents tried to meet home obligations, keep up productivity, and offset any impacts of the economic downswing. Contact centre leader NICE reports that self-service scheduling use in their contact centre solution jumped a whopping 193% during the shift to WFH!

What is Agent Self-Scheduling?

You can define agent scheduling in a contact centre as a flexible scheduling solution that allows managers to set specific schedule traits like shift duration, tasks list, skill requirements, compensation, expected volumes, etc. and allows agents to choose specific shifts based on these factors or swap shifts with others if necessary.

It is a more employee-centric alternative to traditional scheduling where a manager would analyse call traffic patterns using WFO/WFM tools, predict demand, assess available skills, and set schedules accordingly.

How Does Self-Scheduling Work?

Initially, self-scheduling works like traditional contact centre scheduling systems. The shift manager or team leader defines shift requirements for the day/week/month based on historical data. Each shift has its own attributes, requiring a specific set of agent qualifications. Shift compensations are also defined by the manager or leader.

But instead of the manager assigning agents to the shifts they have created, only the number of agents and their requirements are mentioned.

These appear as available schedule slots to the workforce.

Here on, it is the agent who is in control. They can log-in to the system and select the slots that they want. They can even chat with each other from within the system and trade shifts if they want.

Finally, the manager takes stock of empty slots if any. These might be assigned in a traditional format (i.e., without involving the agent), or, more commonly, the incentivisation might be increased to motivate the team to take up extra shifts.

Self-scheduling also comes with built-in thresholds so that agents cannot put in too much overtime, beyond regulatory mandates or advisable work-life balance standards.

The benefits of Agent Self-Scheduling:

  • Agents can plan shifts around their lifestyle and personal obligations
  • There is a lower chance of missed shifts or late attendance
  • Agents can earn more by taking on extra shifts if they so choose
  • It attracts new candidates as their work-life balance will be in their control
  • Productivity increases as agents can choose to work in their most productive hours
  • It adds to your business resilience as shifts aren’t set in stone
  • Employees are more motivated as the work is not imposed on them

So, why has self-scheduling not become the industry default as yet?

The Challenges of Agent Self-Scheduling

The most obvious challenge with self-scheduling is that your shifts could go empty. Research by the Kellogg School of Management indicates that there could be added operational costs and the risk of low service levels during peak periods if self-scheduling is followed.

Keeping these challenges in mind, it is best to use agent self-scheduling judiciously to balance employee empowerment with business productivity.

 

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