Articles - Shift Patterns

Choosing the right shift patterns can make all the difference in balancing customer service levels with employee wellbeing. This section features expert guidance, real examples, and scheduling strategies to help you plan shift patterns that work for both your operation and your people. Explore approaches like rotating rosters, flexible hours, and part-time structures, along with tips for managing fairness, fatigue, and work-life balance. With insights from experienced planners and contact centre leaders, these resources will help you build smarter, more sustainable schedules that keep performance and morale high.

Video Image: Why You Shouldn’t Make Assumptions About Unsociable Hours
Why You Shouldn’t Make Assumptions About Unsociable Hours
Person with a clock for a head holding a laptop on pink background
How to Bring Your A-Game to Intraday
Call centre worker on night shift
The Best Ways to Manage the Night Shift
Work Life Balance Conceptual Photo, Hand Holding Text of Work and Life
Smarter Ways to Give Agents Better Work/Life Balance
Video Image: 5 Ways Workforce Management Is Evolving
5 Ways Workforce Management Is Evolving
Video Image: How to Improve Agent Work-Life Balance
How to Improve Agent Work–Life Balance
Illustration of a computer with person on laptop and calendar and checklists
Top Tips for Digital Channels – Forecasting and Scheduling
Video Image: The Rise of Lifestyle-Centric Scheduling
The Rise of Lifestyle-Centric Scheduling
Video Image: The Benefits of Switching Up Your Agents’ Day
The Benefits of Switching Up Your Agents’ Day
Video Image: The Hidden Cost of Poor Scheduling
The Hidden Cost of Poor Scheduling
The words flexible working being shown as paper ripped away
Is Flexible Working a Dying Perk in the Contact Centre?
Shaping the Future: 2026 Priorities for WFM Professionals
Shaping the Future: 2026 Priorities for WFM Professionals
Video Image: 5 Features of Effective Self-Service Scheduling
5 Features of Effective Self-Service Scheduling
Scheduling concept with calendar
6 Proven Ways to Refine Your Scheduling
A group of people with lines leading outwards
Are Non-Scheduled Agents the Answer to Seasonal Peaks?
A colourful month of calendar dates with a few red pins stuck in various dates
How to Keep Agents on Side When You Change Their Shift Patterns
Video Image: The Evolution of WFM From Spreadsheets to Self-Service
The Evolution of WFM From Spreadsheets to Self-Service
Video Image: Features for Successful Self-Service Scheduling
Features for Successful Self-Service Scheduling
Video Image: The Rise of Agent-Led Scheduling
The Rise of Agent-Led Scheduling
Building Flexibility into the Schedule using Banked Hours
A picture of a clock, a pencil and calendar
Shift Planning – What You Need to Know to Best Engage Your Team
4 or 5 day work week blocks
Productivity Hack – A 4-Day Working Week
9 Lessons From the Connect Assist Contact Centre
Six Steps to Implement Annualised Hours in the Contact Centre