Finding the Sweet Spot: Balancing Occupancy in Contact Centers
Striking the ideal occupancy rate—around 85%—is essential for contact centers to maximize efficiency while avoiding agent burnout, turnover, and quality issues, ensuring a productive yet sustainable work environment.
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A key measure of efficiency in contact centers is occupancy, or the percentage of time agents are busy (% busy). This is calculated by dividing the total productive time by the sum of productive time and available time, where productive time includes the time spent handling and working on customer interactions.
While high occupancy may be appealing as a cost-saving strategy, it can lead to burnout, increased turnover, and negatively impact quality and resolution rates. In such a high-pressure environment, often referred to as a “sweatshop,” questionable behaviors may also arise.
Conversely, low occupancy is inefficient, costly, and can result in boredom for frontline representatives. Excessive idle time may also cause agents to lose proficiency.
As with many metrics, the goal is to consistently hit a balanced “sweet spot.” An occupancy rate of around 85% is generally ideal. However, some contact centers may need to accept lower occupancy due to factors such as their size, high service level requirements, or limited scheduling flexibility.