Getting an entire team aligned with implementing a workforce management (WFM) solution can be a challenge. Some colleagues will understand the need for a WFM solution right away, while others may require a little convincing. Maybe they are reluctant to change or don’t want to disrupt the ways they currently work, or they might now see the value in a WFM solution at all.
Regardless of the scenario, one of the best ways to convince a colleague that a WFM software solution makes sense for your business is to show them that they already practice WFM tasks and the solution will only help to improve their efficiency. Here are six ways to convince colleagues they already have WFM practices in place so they will warm up to the idea of leveraging WFM software in the future.
1) They manually keep track of employee hours and project timeframes – Many companies keep track of how long it takes to complete a project. Why? It helps them when it comes to forecasting their next project. The historical data lets the team know how long a project of a certain scope takes and allows for more accurate pricing to make more money. WFM software is all about putting a company in a great position for the future by effectively leveraging information from the past in multiple ways.
2) They take inventory of employee skills for assigning projects – It only makes sense for a company to take on work if they have people with the right skills to complete the job. This is referred to as skill-based routing in the contact center world, and the same concept applies to many different types of businesses. WFM software enables a company to see quickly when employees with a specific skill set are currently working or are free to work elsewhere so they know when to green light a project.
3) They have difficulty finding the right people when an emergency happens – For example, when a Spanish speaking employee calls in sick, the first instinct may be to pick up the phone and find someone who can cover their shift. And it may be a good strategy when the first or second person they reach out to agrees to take their shift. But what about after a dozen calls with no luck? WFM software helps with intraday management and can send out real-time shift alerts via mobile app, text, and an online portal to all relevant employees at once. It’s a major time saver for businesses.
4) They strategically plan when employees can and can’t take time off – Simply put, most companies can’t function if everyone is out of the office at the same time, and many companies still track PTO requests manually or in an HR system. Having access to this data in a WFM software solution helps with scheduling for the next day, week, or month. No more sifting through notes or cross comparing systems to remember who will be out when there is a workforce scheduling software solution in place.
5) They are counting hours to ensure inflated fees or rates don’t happen – For businesses that work with hourly employees (including contractors, gig, and temp employees), keeping hours aligned with budgets is essential. That’s why more companies are turning to WFM software solutions to be the backbone of their overtime and wage management strategies. When shift work is needed because of a spike in volume, notifications can be pushed out via the software to select employees who haven’t reached their hours cap for the pay period.
6) They are incentivizing employees with scheduling perks – Depending on your industry, a $50 gift card to the top employee at the end of the month may not cut it. For employees that make good money already, working when they want to is often more important. That’s why workforce management software lets teams incentivize employees in other ways, such as shift bidding. The software will generate the shifts you need for the week and then the top employees can get the first chance to bid on the shifts. It’s a great way to reward high performers with the hours they want to work.
We hope these six ways to convince colleagues that they already have WFM practices in place was helpful. The overall key to persuading them is to evaluate their current work process and apply WFM principles on top what they are already doing. By leveraging this tactic, you’re showing colleagues the need for WFM solutions and how they can improve the way they currently work instead of telling them about hypothetical examples.
