What is Workforce Optimization Software?
Workforce optimization software consists of tools that help manage the workforce, especially in key areas involving scheduling, timekeeping, and day-to-day management. The goal of workforce optimization software is to help the company increase employee productivity and control labor costs; it does so by gathering and interpreting data for the decision-makers.
This tool was developed primarily for contact centers, helping HR and top management handle hundreds of employees under their purview. Workforce optimization does this by getting data from the contact center, the back office, and the enterprise in order to create meaningful information that helps companies make informed decisions and optimizations quicker.
Historical data is used by workforce optimization software to create a mesh of information for human decision-making to be able to forecast transaction volumes; another purpose is to churn out proper schedules that put agents with appropriate skills on the job at the right time. Because of this, employees on the floor have increased productivity, can forecast workloads, and can perform better with the help of targeted coaching.
The technology is able to do this because of its features. Skills and certification tracking help companies figure out who has the right ability for the job required, as well as knowing who needs further development and coaching. Shift/vacation bidding, workload planning, absence management, and scheduling help managers optimize the number of employees on the floor at any given time for maximum productivity without exceeding costs. Customer wait-time forecasts can help leaders figure out where they need to improve and how.
Without workforce optimization software, data would be incomplete to create an accurate picture of what is going on in the company; this can cost the company resources and valuable missed opportunities. Moreover, without automation, manual inputs would also result in expensive overtime, non-productive idle times, high fluctuation rates, poor customer service, and opportunity costs being incurred. More importantly, workforce optimization software also reduces the workload of HR by helping them comply with all relevant legislation, local agreements, and the contracts of individual employees.
Having all this information at your fingertips will help companies and departments create better sets of teams that run like well-oiled machines day by day.
And while workforce optimization software was created primarily with call center companies in mind, it is good to note that other industries can also benefit from the use of the technology. Manufacturing can reap a lot of benefits from workforce optimization software: it can help manage the number of shop floor workers and deploy them when and where they’re needed and see where they can be trained and improved. This is especially helpful with seasonal demand spikes so companies won’t be pressed against the wall.
Workforce optimization software also ensures that the core staff is solid and dependable. Daily staffing and crisis management are handled well, preventing labor costs for the organization from going through the roof.
Workforce optimization is designed to maximize the potential of the workplace as well as the workforce in a cost-efficient manner. It helps the business owner add more value to his organization, which in turn enables it to make a more lasting positive impact on the market.
