BUSINESS INSIGHTS
MANAGING YOUR REMOTE OR HYBRID WORKFORCE IN SEVEN EASY STEPS
Managing customer interactions across many channels is an essential part of today ’ s businesses . But how can companies manage their own employees in contact centres when they work from home and in the office ? Nathan Stearns , Vice President , Product Management , WEM , NICE , outlines the seven best practices to help contact centres drive engagement .
One of the longest lasting impacts of the pandemic is the popularity of remote and hybrid models of work . In fact , half of US employees now work in ‘ remote-capable jobs ’ that can be done from home , at least part of the time . However , while these models offer a wide range of benefits to both employers and employees , they also create some challenges for workforce management ( WFM ).
Here are seven best practices that can help contact centres drive engagement and more effectively forecast and schedule when employees aren ’ t working on-site full time .
Best practice # 1 : Consistency is key
One of the keys to success in a remote or hybrid contact centre is consistency , i . e ., processes should remain the same as if employees were working in a brick-andmortar contact centre . What this means is that teams are still able to leverage critical business solutions , such as Workforce Management ( WFM ), as well as tools from the planning team to plan , schedule and monitor the business .
In addition , employees should have a clear idea of business priorities , and companies should continue tracking employees ’ progress against goals . It should be noted , however , that contact centres ’ KPIs might change with remote working becoming the norm .
Best practice # 2 : Lines of communication should stay open
Communication is always crucial , but it ’ s even more so when staff aren ’ t working face-to-face . Since employees can no longer ask for advice from their team mates or managers on a coffee break , organisations need to ensure that teams can communicate in the same ways they would if they were working together
Nathan Stearns , Vice President , Product Management , WEM , NICE
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