What Is a Workforce Manager and How to Become One

By ZipRecruiter Marketplace Research Team

A workforce manager oversees productivity at a company. Your duties are to assess, analyze, and report on employee productivity at the individual, departmental, and institutional levels. Your job is to determine how best to utilize the productivity and skills of each employee using the techniques and theories of workforce management (WFM). You track labor time using daily, weekly, and monthly measurements. The career requires keen attention to detail and communication and problem-solving skills. Other qualifications include at least a bachelor’s degree in business and experience in human resources, service provision, or production.

Many workforce managers have a bachelor's degree in business, finance, or an industry-related field, but some employers may consider candidates without a degree who have extensive experience in supervising staff and analyzing productivity. A background in human resources and several years in leadership roles is also desirable. You must be familiar with different kinds of workforce management and timekeeping programs, such as Workbrain, Workforce Software, and ADP eTime, and understand the full cycle of a workforce project. This includes analyzing productivity, determining the effectiveness of the company's current timekeeping system, and configuring and implementing new systems. Additional qualifications include proficiency with Mircosoft Office, excellent communication and organizational skills, and attention to detail.

Job Summary

Our company is seeking a Workforce Manager to assist in our customer contact center. In this role, it is essential to manage customer happiness and service levels while working to reduce business costs and boost the efficiency of our employees. One of the main functions of this position is forecasting our staffing needs, so you will need to consider the contact volume, headcount requirements, and time-off requests. Our ideal candidate is someone who can encourage a high standard of care to our customers, provide positive support and encouragement to our employees, and understand our financial needs. This often requires real-time monitoring and oversight of employees.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Use Workforce Optimization (WFO) software to improve efficiency
• Forecast staffing needs, taking into account contact volume and headcount requirements
• Assist with scheduling and process time-off requests
• Generate reports to show changes to productivity or performance
• Provide updates on efficiency to company leaders
• Uphold a high standard of customer service through real-time monitoring and other methods

Requirements and Qualifications

• A bachelor's degree in a business-related field or equivalent experience
• Human resources experience preferred
• Experience with Workforce Optimization software a plus
• Computer proficiency
• Organizational and communication skills