In contact centers, workload management is the process of allocating, monitoring and reporting on inbound and outbound customer contacts (phone calls, emails, etc.) and any peripheral work done in support of those contacts.
Workload management is closely related to workforce management. In fact, workforce management teams typically forecast expected workloads, also known as contact volumes, and calculate overall staffing needs and agent schedules to handle the workloads effectively.
Beyond forecasting and scheduling, workload management also involves making sure the right contacts are going to the right agents, and that individual agent teams aren't being overwhelmed. Techniques like skills-based routing can be used for the former. And when agent teams have too much work in the pipeline, additional agents can be temporarily assigned to help them out.
Workload management in the contact center requires close monitoring and creative, proactive solutions. Contact centers that don't manage their workloads effectively risk inefficient labor use, agent burnout, and degradation of the customer experience.
