3: Scheduling & Staffing

1. Tutorial: Turning Forecasts into Schedules

Once you’ve forecasted call volumes, the next step is to translate workload into agent schedules. The goal is to ensure the right number of agents are available at the right times while balancing fairness and efficiency.

Key Concepts

  • Staffing Requirement: Number of agent hours needed to meet forecasted workload.
  • Shrinkage: Time lost to breaks, absenteeism, meetings, and training (often 25–35%).
  • Shift Design: Full-time, part-time, split shifts, or flexible schedules.
  • Adherence: How closely agents follow their assigned schedules.

Best Practices

  • Build schedules around peak demand hours.
  • Use staggered shifts to cover overlapping peaks.
  • Factor in shrinkage when calculating staffing needs.
  • Balance agent preferences with business requirements.

2. Scenario: Monday Scheduling Dilemma

Your forecast shows 2,200 calls on Monday with an AHT of 6 minutes.

  • Workload = 220 hours (from Blog Post 2).
  • Shrinkage = 30%.
  • Adjusted staffing requirement = 220 ÷ (1 – 0.30) ≈ 314 hours.

You have 40 agents available:

  • 20 full-time (8 hours each).
  • 20 part-time (4 hours each).

👉 Challenge: How do you schedule them?

  • Full-time agents = 160 hours.
  • Part-time agents = 80 hours.
  • Total = 240 hours (shortfall of 74 hours).

Options:

  • Add overtime shifts.
  • Reassign back-office staff temporarily.
  • Use split shifts to cover peak hours.

This scenario shows how forecasting accuracy + shrinkage planning directly impacts scheduling decisions.

Test:

  1. What is shrinkage in workforce management?

    • a) The reduction in call volume

    • b) Time lost due to breaks, training, and absenteeism

    • c) Decrease in agent productivity

    • d) Reduction in schedule hours

  2. How does shrinkage affect staffing requirements?

    • a) Staffing needs decrease

    • b) Staffing needs increase

    • c) Staffing needs remain the same

    • d) Staffing needs are unpredictable

  3. If the forecasted workload is 500 hours and shrinkage is 20%, what is the required staffing hours?

    • a) 400 hours

    • b) 600 hours

    • c) 500 hours

    • d) 550 hours

  4. Why is adherence important in scheduling?

    • a) To ensure agents follow their schedules closely

    • b) To reduce call volume

    • c) To increase average handling time

    • d) To improve forecasting accuracy

  • Answers:

    1. b) Time lost due to breaks, training, and absenteeism

    2. b) Staffing needs increase

    3. b) 600 hours (500 / (1 - 0.20))

    4. a) To ensure agents follow their schedules closely

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