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When bringing on new hires, how do you find and assign the best schedules

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  • 1.  When bringing on new hires, how do you find and assign the best schedules

    Posted 11-15-2021 17:13
    No replies, thread closed.
    Hi Everyone, 

    When you have a new class of new hires, how you are picking the best schedules for the associates? 

    In our previous WFM tool, we had the ability to create "phantom" or "dummy" agents and the system would use those pick the best schedules for those phantom agents based on the forecast we input to help us make service level.  In Genesys Cloud, the idea of phantom or dummy accounts does not exist at this time so I am wondering what everyone else does to pick the best schedules for new hires? 

    I know there is an idea out there for this issue (WEM-I-177), but it was open in April of 2020 and it only has 6 votes so I am assuming people have other ways to get this information.  

    Thanks!
    #Genesys Cloud CX
    #ScheduleManagement
    #Workforce Management

    ------------------------------
    Jason Lorden
    Independent Health Association, Inc.
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: When bringing on new hires, how do you find and assign the best schedules

    Posted 11-16-2021 12:08
    No replies, thread closed.
    Hi Jason,

    We are currently hiring part time or auxiliary agents to help fill the gaps in our schedule. The method we us is to create flexible work plans based on the agents' availability. For example if an agent is available to work from 4pm - 10pm on weekdays to a maximum of 24 hours paid per week we can create a work plan with flex start times, flex shift lengths (or multiple shifts of different lengths for different break configurations). To add the agent to an existing schedule you can click reschedule which gives you the option of adding new agents to reschedule. For new schedule generation we keep the same configuration with the idea that the PT agents will fill gaps not covered by our full time agents.

    Thanks

    ------------------------------
    Paul Soulodre
    Alberta Motor Association
    ------------------------------



  • 3.  RE: When bringing on new hires, how do you find and assign the best schedules

    Posted 11-16-2021 18:18
    No replies, thread closed.
    Hi Paul, 

    Thanks for your response!  Unfortunately I have been unable to convince the powers that be that hiring PT employees to fill the gaps is the way to go.  The push back is always training.  Our FT agents go through at least 8 weeks of training before they are "signed off" and the thought is the PT training would just take that much longer to complete.  

    Another issue is that the company prefers to assign set shifts to the associates and not flexible ones.  So ultimately I still need the system to take my inputs and give me best recommendations to schedule the reps. 

    Thanks!

    ------------------------------
    Jason Lorden
    Independent Health Association, Inc.
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: When bringing on new hires, how do you find and assign the best schedules

    Posted 11-17-2021 11:27
    No replies, thread closed.
    Hi Jason,

    in that case what I would do is run a "Test Schedule" to see what shifts are generated. For example if you are open from 8am - 6pm M-F First of all generate a forecast with typical volume. Create a workplan with Flex start times from 8am - 10am with 15 minute increments. If the start times are to remain the same for the week set the maximum shift start time variance to zero in general constraints. Assign all of your agents to that work plan and generate a schedule. You can then export the shifts that are generated and submit them for shift bidding. Once the shifts have been assigned to agents you can create work plans with the different start times and assign the agents to them. If you need weekend coverage you can create work plan rotations which will have agents work every second weekend or whatever may be the case. This could also be done with a new hire class when adding them to an existing schedule.

    Thanks

    ------------------------------
    Paul Soulodre
    Alberta Motor Association
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: When bringing on new hires, how do you find and assign the best schedules

    Posted 11-18-2021 08:54
    No replies, thread closed.
    Hi Paul, 

    Thanks again for your response.  I was aware of this method, but I feel it does open the door to potential human error more than I like.  Basically we have to take our agents out of their existing work plans, put them in the variable start pattern, and then put them back into their original work plan until we are ready to roll out the new schedules.  I was hoping there was another way, but it does not sound like it.  

    I hope anyone reading this thread that has not yet voted on this idea will do so (WEM-I-177).  Having a way to forecast staffing needs without having to manually change employees work plans would be a huge benefit for customers.  

    Thanks! 

    ------------------------------
    Jason Lorden
    Independent Health Association, Inc.
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: When bringing on new hires, how do you find and assign the best schedules

    Posted 11-18-2021 12:02
    No replies, thread closed.
    Hi Jason,
    Once our New Hires go through training, I assign them to different shifts so they are with more experienced agents. Once I assign them, I run a test schedule to see how they fill the gaps where needed. I never assign all new hires to the same shift.

    ------------------------------
    Jeff Ragsdale
    Outdoor Network LLC
    ------------------------------



  • 7.  RE: When bringing on new hires, how do you find and assign the best schedules

    Posted 11-18-2021 12:27
    No replies, thread closed.
    Thanks for the response Jeff! 

    We try to do the same, but what I am looking for is the system to tell me what shifts I need to fill to help make service level.  With the turn over we are experiencing at this time, we are constantly understaffed and are always playing catch-up.  I need a way to find the best shifts to fill to help us make service level, or at least get as close as possible.  In addition, we also have existing reps that are requesting to move their shifts around as well which just adds to the number of shifts I need to fill.  There are so many moving pieces that I want to know what changes to make prior to assigning shifts to the associates.

    ------------------------------
    Jason Lorden
    Independent Health Association, Inc.
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: When bringing on new hires, how do you find and assign the best schedules

    Posted 11-19-2021 07:05
    No replies, thread closed.
    Hi Jason,

    Just so you know, there are features on the roadmap that will help in the future with your query.
    Unfortunately, I don't have any confirmed details that I can share at this stage, but please keep checking on the community in the future as we will update on here.


    ------------------------------
    Tracy
    Genesys
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: When bringing on new hires, how do you find and assign the best schedules
    Best Answer

    Posted 11-19-2021 08:15
    No replies, thread closed.
    Good Morning Jason

    As users are tied to users inside the overall platform there are possibilities to to create dummy users however may need to confirm how users are created today in your environment as this could be coming from another system. You can create multiple new overall users on the platform that could potentially be used for this process. Note these would be actual users (profile1, profile2 etc) in the system. 

    Depending on your overall onboarding process this might be effective as you would create the new employee with a profile prior to the actual name of the employee being known - and then update the name of the user with the employee name once hired. 

    From a billing standpoint there is no impact to doing this as we do not count the user until they physically login. This would effectively allow you to set the profile up like a new employee before you have actually hired them. 

    This would bring in the employees into the WFM ecosystem in which you could design and develop workplans, schedules and the like. 

    In a related topic, we are working on capacity planning and are interested in talking to customers as it relates to managing long term capacity. If you are interested please lets us know or register with the sponsor user program here: https://www.genesys.com/campaign/genesys-sponsor-user-program

    Cheers
    Cam



    ------------------------------
    Cameron Smith
    VP, Product Management - Workforce Engagement Management

    cameron.smith@genesys.com
    ------------------------------



  • 10.  RE: When bringing on new hires, how do you find and assign the best schedules

    Posted 11-29-2021 18:05
    Edited by Tracy Vickers 08-05-2025 10:55
    No replies, thread closed.
    Thanks for the response Cameron, (sorry for the delay, I was out of the office last week).  

    Can you elaborate on how this would work?  I understand that we can add users and assuming no one logs in with those ID's we wouldn't be billed for them which is good.  I am just trying to figure out a way to have the system schedule all the "phantom" users without having to change or impact schedules for any of the existing users.

    Also, I had previously signed up for the Sponsor Users program back in May.  

    Thanks again!

    ------------------------------
    Jason Lorden
    Independent Health Association, Inc.
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 11.  RE: When bringing on new hires, how do you find and assign the best schedules

    Posted 11-29-2021 18:16
    Edited by Tracy Vickers 08-05-2025 11:42
    No replies, thread closed.
    Hi Jason, hope you enjoyed the break ;)

    Once the users are configured (agent1, agent2, agent3 etc) and you have allocated them a workplan as you would a normal employee you then need to align up those new hire dates with the schedules. 

    • If the schedule already exists and is in place you can add the new hires through this process (step 2) https://help.mypurecloud.com/articles/add-new-agents-to-the-schedule/ 
      • In this case those new employees fill in 'gaps in coverage' as you would normally when rescheduling. In this instance obviously we are building full shifts not simply reorganizing activities. 
      • This should not interrupt other agents (they can not be chosen in that rebuild)
    • If the schedule has not been built for any of the employees yet then these new employees should be included in the schedule build and then published. 

    Once the employee name is known, then agent1 becomes "Mary Poppins" and you should be right to proceed as normal. 

    Cheers

    Cam



    ------------------------------
    Cameron Smith
    VP, Product Management - Workforce Engagement Management

    cameron.smith@genesys.com
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 12.  RE: When bringing on new hires, how do you find and assign the best schedules

    Posted 11-30-2021 08:31
    No replies, thread closed.
    Thanks Cameron!  I feel like this gets me 1/2 way to what I need.  This will help me schedule any new hires alongside my existing employees and figure out which shifts to put the new hires in. 

    We have a lot of seasonality when it comes to call volume in our centers.  My ultimate goal is to ensure that the reps that I have already built in the system are in the right schedules and find the best schedules for the new hires to meet the current call arrival patterns.  The shifts that were assigned 3-6 months ago might not be the shifts that need to be filled now.  I cannot think of a way to asses the current shifts that wouldn't involve changing the workplans of the existing users to a variable plan.  Do you have any thoughts on that?  

    Thanks again!

    ------------------------------
    Jason Lorden
    Independent Health Association, Inc.
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 13.  RE: When bringing on new hires, how do you find and assign the best schedules

    Posted 11-30-2021 10:06
    No replies, thread closed.
    Jason,

    I have had the same questions, in past WFM systems I have been able to create new schedules based on current arrival patterns to show me if I have the best schedules for current forecasts.  In this WFM system, I have not been able to find a way to do this without assigning agents to the schedule.  I don't want the work of assigning schedules to a test run to have to go back and reassign to current schedules.  We really need the ability to test the schedules to forecast prior to having to assign a name.

    Very interested to see if anyone has been able to do this.

    ------------------------------
    Lisa Cummings
    AdaptHealth LLC
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 14.  RE: When bringing on new hires, how do you find and assign the best schedules

    Posted 12-01-2021 09:42
    No replies, thread closed.
    Hi Cameron, 

    I was reviewing the release notes for today and I see there is a change to the Workforce Engagement Management subscription.  If I am reading it correctly, it sounds like the approach of using generic accounts and not being billed for them will no longer work.  Please let me know if I am not interpreting the release notes correctly. 

    The release notes state: 

    • Agent use – All users who are the subject of WEM related capabilities will be billed for the WEM add on. The following is a list of some of the features that will be billed when used.

      • When a schedule is created for the agent using the WFM Scheduler.



    ------------------------------
    Jason Lorden
    Independent Health Association, Inc.
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 15.  RE: When bringing on new hires, how do you find and assign the best schedules

    Posted 12-01-2021 11:33
    Edited by Tracy Vickers 08-05-2025 11:36
    No replies, thread closed.
    Hi Jason, 

    The change relates to our WEM Addon Subscription which is leveraged by customers who are consuming the Genesys Cloud 1 or 2 licensing however need a subset of employees who need further WEM capabilities which sit within the Genesys Cloud 3 license. 

    • If you are using Genesys Cloud 3 this does not impact you. 
    • If you are using the WEM Addon then the way this has been billed was improved to give customers considerable more flexibility without having to raise licensing requests (simply start using). 

    Cheers


    ------------------------------
    Cameron Smith
    VP, Product Management - Workforce Engagement Management

    cameron.smith@genesys.com
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 16.  RE: When bringing on new hires, how do you find and assign the best schedules

    Posted 12-01-2021 11:51
    No replies, thread closed.
    Thank you for the clarification!

    ------------------------------
    Jason Lorden
    Independent Health Association, Inc.
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


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