What is the Meaning of Shift Inflex?

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Understanding what “shift inflex” means can be confusing, especially when trying to navigate workforce scheduling and operational needs.

A member of our community asked for clarification: “Can someone explain what shift inflex is?”

Our network of industry experts helped to break it down and provide practical insights on the meaning of shift inflex, why it is used and some best practices.

What is Shift Inflex

Shift inflex, also called schedule inflex, stands for shift inflexibility. It’s an extra percentage added to contact centre staffing numbers to account for factors like staff availability issues, adherence, and shrinkage (such as breaks, training, or unexpected absences).

Since schedules can’t always be easily changed in real time, this “buffer” helps make sure there are enough staff to handle customer demand even when things don’t go exactly as planned.

Why Use Shift Inflexibility?

Shift inflexibility is helpful in workforce planning to make sure your staffing can still meet service levels.

By adding a small percentage, usually around 5-10%, to your forecasted staff requirements, you create a safety net to cover situations where agents aren’t available as scheduled or when call volumes are higher than expected.

This percentage helps avoid staff shortages and supports smooth operation, especially during busy times.

How to Calculate Shift Inflex

There’s no fixed formula for shift inflexibility; instead, it’s an adjustable value that helps make staffing estimates more accurate.

Start with a 10% Buffer: Many contact centres start by adding a 10% shift inflex factor to their forecasted staffing needs. This is a practical baseline.
Adjust Based on Results: Keep an eye on how well the 10% factor works. If you’re still struggling to meet demand, consider increasing it to 12% or more.
Fine-Tune Over Time: Regularly review your data and adjust the shift inflex percentage to fit your contact centre’s needs and patterns.

Example Calculation

Let’s say your forecast shows you need 100 agents to meet demand. With a 10% shift inflex factor, you’d add 10 more agents, making it a total of 110 to cover any gaps from inflexibility or adherence issues.

Shift Inflexibility and Shrinkage

Shift inflexibility often works alongside shrinkage, which accounts for planned and unplanned time away from work, like breaks or training sessions.

However, while shrinkage is for known factors, shift inflexibility is specifically for covering the limitations of fixed schedules and unexpected variations.

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Author
Jonty Pearce

Jonty Pearce walked into his first call centre in 1989 and has been hooked ever since. He founded Call Centre Helper in 1989.

He is an Engineering Graduate with a background in marketing and publishing. In 2020 he won the AOP Digital Publishing Award for The Best Use of Data.

He writes and speaks on a wide variety of subjects - particularly around forecasting and scheduling. His in depth knowledge of forecasting algorithms has earned him the nickname "Mr Erlang."

Connect with Jonty on LinkedIn