From Chaos to Control! Why Contact Centres Are Prioritizing WFM Solutions

Adoption rates for WFM systems have climbed significantly in recent years – from 31% to 55%, according to our What Contact Centres Are Doing Right Now? report. Not only that, but a further 25% have it on their wish list right now!

So, what’s driving this upward trend? We asked the experts to find out!

Why Contact Centres Are Prioritizing WFM Solutions

Offering Agents Work/Life Balance Is Critical in the Competition for Top Talent

The priority of work/life balance isn’t a fad. Some organizations are realizing they must compete for top talent, and one of the best ways to do that is through flexible schedules and improved work/life balance.

Smart organizations know they need to offer flexibility, but they can’t allow staff to simply come and go whenever they please.

This is where workforce management empowers an organization to offer flexibility while still ensuring there is proper control and guardrails around scheduling.

With solid forecasting and creative scheduling, you can have your cake (work/life balance) and eat it too (still being there for your customers).

Contributed by: Dan Smitley, Founder of 2:Three Consulting

Channels Have Multiplied and Put More Strain on the Manual Planning Process

The need for automated planning has increased thanks to growing complexity.

Channels have multiplied and multiple skills (media-blending) now need to be managed when planning.

Implementation Is No Longer Limited to Large Contact Centres

WFM solutions have become more accessible too!

Thanks to SaaS deployment, AI-driven assistance, and improved user experiences, implementation is now simpler and no longer limited to large contact centres.

Contributed by: Thibault Gilardoni, Principal Product Marketeer, Odigo

Organizations Are Increasingly Focused on Cost Control

WFM adoption is accelerating as organizations respond to shifting demands.

As human-first interactions decrease in frequency, customer expectations rise, making these moments of human connection even more critical for exceptional, effortless customer experiences.

To support this, flexible working strategies – such as allowing agents to design and control their schedules – are gaining importance, enabling agents to perform at their best.

Furthermore, organizations are increasingly focused on cost control. Those without WFM solutions now recognize the need for forecasting and productivity tools to drive cost savings.

WFM adoption is also expanding beyond contact centres into back-office operations, where visibility into demand and performance is essential for overall operational efficiency.

Contributed by: Graeme Gabriel, WFM Specialist, Engineering, NICE International

Contact Centre Leaders Are Under Pressure to Tackle Agent Burnout

In our demanding and high-pressure environments, burnout can be a real challenge. Workforce management helps by giving agents more control, flexibility, and support – leading to higher job satisfaction and better performance.

WFM ensures fair workload distribution, preventing overworked agents and keeping service levels steady, while real-time insights help managers spot potential burnout early, allowing them to adjust staffing before issues arise.

Contributed by: Mark Ligi, Director of Product Management, Enghouse Interactive

You Can’t Automate a Contact Centre With Excel

People are starting to think more about AI, automation, and simplification, but it’s really hard to automate with Excel.

That’s why, with an increased focus on efficiency and cost savings in the boardroom, it makes sense that we’re seeing more adoption of WFM systems right now.

Just thinking about the scaled-up benefit of automating holiday requests alone, our new WFM system has delivered lots of value for us – as this was previously a manual task completed in the thousands.

Contributed by: Danny Gunn, Head of Workforce Planning at bet365

Leaders Now Have to Manage Human and AI Workers to Service Their Customers

The workforce dynamic is changing! Traditionally, the workforce has just been made up of humans, but with technological advancements at the forefront, AI is now a part of our workforce too.

So, we now have this hybrid workforce, where leaders are trying to manage humans and technology side by side to service to their customers.

For contact centre leaders, they are under pressure to figure out how to bring this all together in the best possible way to remain operationally efficient AND deliver the very best customer service.

Quite simply, contact centres need everything the latest WFM systems can offer to manage this in the best possible way – and that’s what’s driving adoption rates!

Contributed by: Juanita Coley, CEO & Founder of Solid Rock Consulting

Customer Expectations Are Rising (and Happy, Well-Supported Agents Are Needed to Support Them)

As customer expectations continue to rise, businesses recognize that happy, well-supported agents lead to happier customers, driving the continued growth of WFM adoption across industries.

This is because a considered, well-adopted WFM strategy ensures that the right number of agents are available at the right times, across all channels and skills, minimizing wait times and improving service levels, bringing benefits to customers and agents alike.

Now, by integrating WFM with AI-powered analytics and real-time insights, contact centres can proactively adjust schedules to meet demand, ensuring the best possible experience.

Contributed by: Tara Aldridge, Strategic Services Director, Vonage

Hybrid and Remote Working Models Have Become the Norm

Ultimately, WFM is getting more interest because of what AI and cloud capabilities are enabling it to do, and ultimately that is maximize efficiency and minimize cost.

For example, cloud-based WFM solutions have transformed workforce management by making it accessible from anywhere.

This is a winner because, due to hybrid and remote working models becoming the norm, organizations need flexible WFM systems that allow real-time access to scheduling, adherence tracking, and performance monitoring from any location.

Contributed by: Lisa Orford, Vice President for Contact Centre, 8×8

Maintaining Continuity of Service Is Vital in a Competitive Market

Reacting to volatility and changes in market conditions, and knowing what levers need to be adjusted to maximize productivity and financial results, doesn’t happen by accident!

That’s why regular forecasting and planning reviews that combine all areas of the business can make such a big difference to performance – particularly when supported by the use of scenario modelling and what-if statements, where the business analysts can put in place plans and test them at relative leisure, rather than attempt to react once it’s almost too late.

Integrating Sales & Marketing with Operations, Finance, HR and Comms seems logical, and an integrated business planning approach can reduce conflicts and prevent silo cultures springing up.

It may feel like a cost to invest in teams to implement this thorough a WFM system, but it pays for itself no end through improved collaboration, preparedness and flexibility.

Contributed by: Sven Hill, Workforce Management Effectiveness Manager at IVC Evidensia

Spreadsheets Are Collapsing Under the Complexity of Modern Contact Centre Operations

If you only read the headlines, you’d think every contact centre is running on AI-powered forecasting and fully automated scheduling.

Our survey data tells a different story! Nearly half of teams (47%) still rely on spreadsheets or manual methods for workforce management. And while that might work for quick fixes, it collapses under the complexity of modern contact centre operations.

Contact centre leaders know they need more. The same survey found that forecasting accuracy is the top WFM priority for 2025, as teams struggle to predict demand without real-time insights.

That’s why WFM adoption keeps rising – not because AI is a flashy trend, but because teams are desperate for tools that actually work.

AI-driven forecasting, flexible scheduling, and real-time analytics aren’t just buzzwords; they’re becoming essential to keeping operations efficient and customers happy.

Contributed by: Briana Tischner, Product Marketing Manager, Assembled

Automation Helps Contact Centre Leaders Make Real-Time Adjustments (for Challenges Like Staff Sickness)

Advanced scheduling capabilities allow working hours, breaks, and lunches to be tailored based on employee skills and customer demand, while automation streamlines processes and allows real-time adjustments for challenges like sickness.

With real-time visibility and self-service tools, WFM solutions reduce administrative burdens, improve resource allocation and drive better business outcomes. WFM adoption continues to grow across industries as companies seek efficiency and agility.

As Samantha Hernandez, Resource Planner at Hotel Chocolat – the luxury chocolatier which replaced manual scheduling with Peopleware’s automated, data-driven WFM solution – explains:

Contributed by: Isabel Lim, Product Marketing Manager, peopleware

For Many, Planning Is No Longer Seen as an Afterthought

There is so much more exposure to what WFM is and the impact of getting it right, thanks to an increase in the number of conferences, articles, and communities keeping the conversation going!

There’s also been a noticeable shift in user behaviour, as these people are starting to be much more vocal, posting on LinkedIn, sharing opinions, and more.

I believe this is what is driving the interest in WFM in general – as previously it just seemed like an afterthought.

Contributed by: Irina “Mateeva” Hollatz, WFM Transformation Consultant at RightWFM

WFM Is Critical for Any Organization That Cares About Employee, Customer, and Business Needs

Why is WFM adoption climbing? Quite simply, because it is critical for any organization that cares about the employee needs, the customer needs, or the business needs.

Have You Recently Implemented a WFM System in Your Contact Centre? What’s Driven Your Decision?

Join our LinkedIn community and let us know.

For more great insights and advice from our panel of experts, read these articles next:

• Can AI Really Handle Customer Complaints?
• Quick Wins to Improve Your C-Sat Scores
• 10 Questions to Ask When Buying Your Next CCaaS Solution
• Why Workforce Management Deserves a Seat at the Strategy Table

Author: Megan Jones
Reviewed by: Xander Freeman