Anybody within the planning group can have heard the phrases workforce administration (WFM) and workforce optimization (WFO).
However what’s the distinction between WFO and WFM?
On this article we’ll outline workforce administration and workforce optimization, define the important thing variations, and even take a fast take a look at workforce engagement administration (WEM).
What Is Workforce Administration (WFM)?
The time period workforce administration, or WFM, encompasses all of the methods, processes, and programs utilized by contact centres to handle their workforce.
The primary purpose of workforce administration is to guarantee that the best persons are in the best place on the proper time so the contact centre can meet buyer demand and operational targets.
WFM processes embrace every of the next:
- Forecasting contact volumes
- Scheduling workers round your forecast contact volumes
- Managing on a day-to-day foundation (intraday administration), in case of sudden rises involved volumes or absenteeism
- Making a Enterprise Continuity Plan (BCP)
If you wish to know extra, watch this nice video the place Alex O’Donovan at Enterprise Techniques, Paul Turner at Genesys, and Nikki Quinn at Playvox clarify what workforce administration (WFM) is within the contact centre.
To grasp extra concerning the fundamental WFM parts, learn our article: What Is Workforce Administration (WFM)?
What Is Workforce Optimization (WFO)?
Workforce optimization, or WFO, is a time period that encompasses all of the methods, processes, and programs utilized by contact centres to enhance effectivity, prices, buyer satisfaction, and efficiency.
The primary targets of workforce optimization prolong past merely optimizing workforce administration and scheduling. In essence, WFO seeks to reinforce the worker life cycle, by specializing in each worker growth and operational effectivity.
WFO processes embrace every of the next:
- Workforce administration (WFM)
- High quality administration
- Buyer interplay metrics
- Gamification
- Efficiency administration
- Coaching and growth
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Key Variations: Workforce Administration (WFM) vs Workforce Optimization (WFO)
Workforce administration (WFM) and workforce optimization (WFO) are two associated however distinct ideas. Though they each embody workforce effectivity and productiveness, the important thing distinction between WFO and WFM is their scope and aims.
Day-to-day useful resource administration and workforce scheduling is primarily handled by workforce administration (WFM).
WFO, nonetheless, takes a broader method because it encompasses a large number of methods and instruments geared toward optimizing workforce efficiency, enhancing CX, and driving total enterprise success.
To take a look at it in additional element, WFM and WFO differ within the following areas:
1. Scope and Focus
WFM primarily seems to be on the operational elements of managing a workforce, and includes duties resembling forecasting volumes, scheduling, attendance monitoring, and workers ranges.
WFO takes a broader view, and though it covers the operational elements of WFM, it’s extra strategic, encompassing areas of worker efficiency, worker engagement, CX, and compliance.
2. Areas Lined
WFM sometimes encompasses the day-to-day administration of the workforce to fulfill contact centre targets. Usually it covers areas resembling scheduling, forecasting, adherence, real-time monitoring, and workers ranges.
WFO encompasses WFM, but in addition expands this to cowl areas resembling high quality, compliance, efficiency administration, coaching and training, and CX.
3. Function and Targets
The purpose of WFM is to optimize staffing ranges, scale back prices, enhance customer support, and improve total operational effectivity.
The purpose of WFO will not be solely to make sure operational effectivity but in addition to enhance productiveness, buyer satisfaction, and compliance with laws. It goals to create a extra holistic and efficient workforce by specializing in coaching, suggestions, and steady enchancment.
You too can watch this video the place Paul Turner at Genesys, Nikki Quinn at Playvox, and Alex O’Donovan at Enterprise Techniques talk about the distinction between Workforce Administration (WFM) and Workforce Optimization (WFO).
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You might also have heard the time period workforce engagement administration, or WEM, thrown round when discussing WFM and WFO.
What Is Workforce Engagement Administration (WEM)?
Workforce engagement administration, or WEM, is a step up from workforce optimization and encompasses the methods, processes, and programs utilized by contact centres to have interaction and empower their staff with a purpose to meet enterprise aims.
Going past conventional WFM practices, the primary purpose of WEM is to create an setting the place staff are productive, motivated, engaged and aligned with the targets of the contact centre.
WEM processes embrace every of the next:
- Hiring
- Onboarding
- Assigning KPIs
- Managing
- Motivating
- Rewarding
- Name recording
- Optimization
Key Variations: Workforce Administration (WFM) vs Workforce Optimization (WFO) vs Workforce Engagement Administration (WEM)
Workforce engagement administration, workforce administration (WFM) and workforce optimization (WFO) are associated however distinct ideas.
All of them embody comparable components however construct upon then by way of scope and aims.
An effective way to consider it was steered by Dave Hoekstra at Calabrio, who stated:
“WFM is part of the entire. Consider WFM as one course of a meal, and WFO is the entire meal.
“Properly, we’ve now even moved to the brand new realm of WEM, the place we’d even be speaking about your entire feast, versus simply the meal, the place every thing comes collectively.”
For extra data on the distinction between WFM, WFO and WEM, it is best to watch this video with Dave Hoekstra at Calabrio and Paul Turner at Genesys.
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