If you think Workforce Management (WFM) is just about implementing a system and moving on, think again. The truth is, WFM is a living, breathing part of your organization that’s constantly evolving. Labor laws change, company policies shift, and let’s not forget the never-ending advances in technology. So, how do you keep up with all of this and make sure your WFM system doesn’t just survive but thrives? The answer is simple: you need a Workforce Management Center of Excellence (CoE).
Let’s dive into why building a CoE is not just a nice-to-have but a must if you want to get the most out of your WFM investment.
Why a WFM Center of Excellence?
A WFM system isn’t just a plug-and-play tool that magically handles all your workforce problems. It needs to be nurtured and continually improved. That’s where a CoE comes in. Think of it as your WFM dream team—the group responsible for making sure your system stays compliant, efficient, and adaptable. They’re the behind-the-scenes heroes who ensure your WFM solution evolves with your business.
A CoE is the key to navigating:
- Changing Labor Laws: We all know compliance can be a nightmare, especially when regulations seem to change every year. A CoE ensures your WFM system stays up to date with these changes, so you don’t end up with fines or lawsuits.
- Company Policy Updates: Your business isn’t static, so why should your WFM system be? Whether you’re shifting toward a new employee engagement strategy or revamping your scheduling rules, the CoE ensures these changes are reflected in your system.
- Technological Innovation: AI-driven forecasting, real-time analytics—these aren’t just buzzwords; they’re the future. Your CoE helps you adopt and integrate new technologies, so you stay ahead of the curve.
- Phased Rollouts: If your organization is rolling out a WFM system in phases—starting with one region or country first—the CoE plays a critical role in ensuring consistency in deployment across all locations. By capturing and applying lessons learned from earlier rollouts, the CoE helps streamline future deployments and maintains alignment with your overall WFM strategy.
Measuring Success with a Balanced Scorecard
So, how do you know if your WFM system is actually delivering value? This is where the Balanced Scorecard comes in. It’s a tool that helps you measure whether your WFM initiatives are aligned with your business goals, using metrics that go beyond the financial bottom line.
Here’s how it works: the Balanced Scorecard looks at four key perspectives:
- Financial: Are you saving money by improving workforce management?
- Customer (Employee): Are your employees more satisfied and engaged with the system?
- Internal Processes: Are your WFM processes more efficient? Is scheduling smoother? Are compliance issues down?
- Learning and Growth: Is your team continuously learning and improving in their use of the system?
Let’s say one of your goals is to boost employee engagement. You’ve rolled out a fancy Employee Self-Service (ESS) platform where people can trade shifts, request time off, and communicate directly with their managers. Great, right? But the real test is: are employees actually using it?
Here’s where the Balanced Scorecard helps. You’d measure how many employees are regularly using ESS features like shift trading, time-off requests, and communication tools. Ideally, you want this number to increase over time. If it’s going down, that’s a big red flag. Maybe employees don’t know how to use the tools, or maybe the system isn’t as user-friendly as it could be.
The CoE steps in, digs into the data, and finds the root cause. Maybe it’s time for some refresher training or even tweaking the system to make it easier to use. The CoE’s job is to make sure that employee engagement is trending in the right direction and, if not, they jump in to fix the issue.
The Core Functions of a WFM CoE
Now that we’ve covered why you need a CoE, let’s talk about what it actually does. Here are the core functions of a WFM CoE:
- Governance and Compliance: Keeping your WFM system compliant with changing laws and regulations.
- Data-Driven Decisions: Using tools like the Balanced Scorecard to track performance and adjust strategies as needed.
- Training and Adoption: Ensuring your employees and managers are using the system effectively through ongoing training.
- Continuous Improvement: Identifying areas for optimization and benchmarking against industry best practices.
- Tech and Innovation: Keeping up with technological advances and ensuring your WFM system remains cutting-edge.
- Deployment Consistency: Ensuring consistency in the deployment process during phased rollouts across multiple regions, applying lessons learned to streamline the rollout process and avoid common issues.
Building Your CoE: A Roadmap
Ready to build your CoE? Here’s how to get started:
- Assemble a Dream Team: You need people from HR, IT, Finance, and Operations—the more perspectives, the better.
- Set Clear Goals: Use the Balanced Scorecard to define what success looks like for your WFM initiatives. What are your key success factors? More engaged employees? Better scheduling efficiency?
- Create a Governance Framework: Establish decision-making processes, so everyone knows who’s responsible for what.
- Foster Collaboration: Encourage knowledge sharing across teams and make continuous learning part of your culture.
Stay Ahead, Stay Engaged
In the fast-moving world of WFM, you can’t afford to stand still. Whether it’s changing labor laws or new company policies, a Workforce Management Center of Excellence ensures your system keeps pace and delivers the results you need. And with tools like the Balanced Scorecard, you can measure your progress, adjust your strategies, and ensure that you’re not just surviving but thriving.
Whether you’re rolling out your WFM system across regions or aiming to boost employee engagement, the CoE ensures that your deployment is consistent, and your workforce remains engaged, happy, and productive.