Category: FAQ
Excerpt: Modern WFM solutions combine hybrid and traditional working models, reduce complexity in planning and support companies in terms of productivity and employee retention.
Presence, remote and hybrid in transition
Service and dialog centers are at a turning point. While some are struggling with cost pressure, increasing staff turnover and high service level expectations, working models have also changed fundamentally. The coronavirus pandemic has acted as a catalyst here: what was once almost exclusively conceived as face-to-face work is now being practised in many companies in the form of remote or hybrid work.
Current market research suggests that differences in work organization will develop less along generational lines in the future and more along the lines of individual life situations (read also “Workforce management in a generational comparison”). The report “People at Work 2024: A Global Workforce View” by ADP Research shows that almost two thirds of employees worldwide expect more flexibility in the organization of working hours and assignments, with factors such as parenthood, caring responsibilities or part-time work being particularly decisive for the trend.
At the same time, the Deloitte “Global Human Capital Trends Report 2024”, that companies that systematically support hybrid working models achieve up to 35% lower turnover rates and significantly higher satisfaction in frontline teams.
This makes it clear that it is not only the year of birth, but also the reality of life that shapes the requirements of modern planning cultures and makes individualized workforce management approaches a key competitive factor.
Presence work: stability and controllability
Despite all the trends towards flexibilization, face-to-face work remains the foundation of many service and dialogue centers. The direct exchange between team leaders and employees, the direct learning curve for new colleagues through side-by-side coaching and the ability to escalate complex customer issues immediately are advantages that are difficult to replicate digitally.
At the same time, the model brings challenges: commuting times, less flexibility with private commitments and, in many regions, a shortage of skilled workers because recruitment can only take place locally. Studies such as the “Hybrid Ways of Working Global Report 2023” by Jabra show that employees without flexible working options are significantly more likely to look for new employers – even in industries that traditionally demand presence.
Remote work: flexibility and reach
Remote working has become increasingly important in recent years. For many service centers, it means an expanded talent pool, as employees no longer necessarily have to live in close proximity to the site. This enables smaller or regional service providers in particular to recruit specialists who would otherwise not be available.
Employees benefit from greater autonomy, less commuting stress and a better work-life balance. The downside: less commitment to the team, more difficult knowledge transfer and new management challenges. Risks arise, particularly in shift work, if the technical infrastructure is not stable enough or communication between distributed teams loses quality.
Hybrid work: An attempt at balance
Hybrid work, i.e. a combination of office and remote days, has established itself between these poles. This model combines the advantages of presence (team culture, learning curve, direct control) with the strengths of remote working (flexibility, expanded talent pool).
According to PwC “Global Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey 2024” around two-thirds of the employees surveyed see hybrid models as the best way to ensure productivity and satisfaction in equal measure. For service centers, however, the question arises as to how hybrid work can be implemented in a tightly scheduled shift model. The challenge lies in designing forecasting, staffing logic and technology in such a way that both remote and onsite employees can be reliably integrated.
One example: While fixed workstations and coaching services are available in the office at one location, remote employees take over defined channels, such as chat or email. Forward-looking duty scheduling must take these differentiations into account, from channel allocation to the skills matrix and break logic.
The future of working models in service centers
The trend shows that rigid models are increasingly being replaced by flexible variants. This is less about a ” either-or“, but rather a mixture that varies depending on the company, location and area of responsibility. Three developments are clearly emerging:
- Personalized working models: Employees expect more influence over where and when they work. Self-service functions in WFM systems are becoming standard.
- Skills-based planning: working models are more closely linked to skills. Remote employees are scheduled for writing-based channels, for example, while complex escalations remain in the office.
- Data-driven fairness: Companies rely on KPIs to create transparency in the workload of remote vs. onsite employees.
Without systemic support, service centers quickly reach their limits in the variety of working models. It is not enough to record working times in Excel or to publish shift schedules statically. Instead, integrated systems are needed that seamlessly combine forecasting, shift planning, time management and payroll, taking into account individual preferences, legal requirements and corporate goals.
This is precisely where opcycWFM comes in by integrating the diversity of modern working models:
- Skill and channel control that sensibly combines remote and on-site work.
- Self-service functions that employees can use to enter their availability, swap shifts or request leave. Mobile and transparent.
- Automated compliance checks to ensure that working time laws are also complied with in hybrid models.
- Dashboards and KPI evaluations that show how working models affect productivity, satisfaction and service quality.
This will workforce management from an administrative instrument to a strategic enabler of a new world of work.
Conclusion: Using hybrid working models as an opportunity
The future of work in the Service and Dialogue Center will be more pluralistic, flexible and data-driven. Face-to-face work remains important, remote work opens up new opportunities and hybrid work attempts to strike a balance. However, it is crucial that companies are able to manage this diversity systematically.
opcycWFM achieves this balancing act: our system creates transparency, fairness and flexibility without losing sight of operational controllability. This makes planning not only more efficient, but also a lever for employee retention, employer attractiveness and sustainable service quality.
Book a non-binding, flexible appointment with one of our WFM experts now and experience live in an online demo how opcycWFM supports hybrid working models in your service or dialog center. Our on-demand demo is also available at any time for an initial compact overview.
