Tips for Optimizing Breaks

Going from fixed breaks to flexible is often a difficult transition for agents. Here are some tips for setting up some rules around flexible breaks.

Determine a reasonable window of time in which the first break, lunch and second break can be scheduled. An option for a window for an 8-hour shift is as follows:

1st Break – Can be scheduled between 1 hour and 3 hours after the beginning of the shift.

Lunch – Can be scheduled between 3 hours and 5 hours after the beginning of the shift

2nd Break – Can be scheduled between 5 hours and 7 hours after the beginning of the shift.

Rules can be set up such as not having less than one hour between events (start of shift to 1st break or 1st break to lunch, etc…) nor more than 2 hours and 45 minutes between events.

This approach not only allows the associates to know what to expect but gives you more flexibility in scheduling lunches/breaks around call volume.

Another option is to flex breaks on Saturday/Sunday and Monday but leave them consistent Tuesday-Friday. You can do this if you have a wide fluctuation of call volume during the first period (low on weekends/high on Monday) while Tuesday through Friday remains fairly consistent.

Have a tip you’d like to share? Send it to: vicki.herrell@swpp.org.
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