Are You Taking Advantage of All the Benefits of SWPP Membership?

Being a member of the Society of Workforce Planning Professionals (SWPP) includes a wide range of benefits that can make your job easier and enhance your career.  There are some that might be useful on a regular basis, while others might only be accessed when needed.  Perhaps one of the most important is the connection to hundreds of people who do what you do!  Ask a question, share an idea, explore new ways of doing things — all included as part of this organization dedicated to the folks in the WFM profession.

A comprehensive review of all the options follows:

Membership Benefits

Whether you are relatively new to WFM or a seasoned professional, there is always something new to learn in this fast-changing field.  Sometimes just a review of basics is helpful, or a deep dive into a specific topic might be better.  Here are some options SWPP provides:

• Tip of the Week — Each week, a short tip is offered via email.  Many of these are provided by members based on their experiences.  Others may come from SWPP’s sponsoring vendors.  There are some provided by consultants and other professionals in the field.  While part of these will address normal operational issues, others focus on emerging technologies or techniques that might apply to your operation.
• Quarterly Newsletter — SWPP publishes a quarterly newsletter, On Target.  It is available electronically but it is printed and mailed to SWPP members.  The newsletter contains timely articles on a variety of WFM topics as well as the results of the quarterly survey on a topic of interest.  These surveys can provide useful insights from a cross-section of members in varying sizes and from a wide array of industries.
• Fundamentals of WFM Web Seminars — SWPP provides web seminars that are free to all members (and available to non-members for a fee).  The Fundamentals of Workforce Management is a series of 90-minute web seminars, delivered one topic each month. The popular series covers everything from data gathering, forecasting, staffing calculations, scheduling, daily management, adherence, measures of success and strategic planning for WFM.  These interactive sessions are taught live each year by industry experts, Maggie Klenke and Penny Reynolds.  The series is particularly useful for staff new to the WFM processes or someone who needs a refresher on one or more topics.  While each session stands alone on a specific topic, the series starts at the beginning with gathering useful data for forecasting and goes all the way through the step-by-step processes in the WFM function.  Supporting materials are also provided with each webinar.
• Other Web Seminars — On a regular basis, members or sponsors offer special web seminars on current topics.  Some may be particularly popular topics offered at the annual conference, while others focus on industry trends and new ideas.  These are provided free to the membership.
• On-Demand Learning — The same content that is offered via live web seminars in the Fundamentals of WFM series is available in pre-recorded programs.  These are free for members and can be accessed as needed.  Perhaps one of the team has a new assignment in a different area of WFM and needs an update.  A new hire might want to join the monthly live web seminars but has missed the first two.  Catching up with the on-demand seminars will ensure that the entire series can be accessed at any time of the year.  These programs include the same reference material as the live sessions, as well as a brief quiz to ensure full understanding of the material.

Other web seminars are recorded and available on the website as well.

• Library — All of the previously published newsletters, on-demand courses, surveys, and weekly tips are available in the members-only library.  Search functions can help to locate a topic of specific interest.
• Bookstore — SWPP has published several books that address WFM topics.  These can be useful for the WFM team but also can help to educate others in the contact center such as supervisors and team leaders.
• Job Board — Finding qualified candidates for an open WFM position can be challenging.  SWPP offers a job posting board where open positions can be listed.  The board is utilized by both SWPP and QATC, our sister association, to cover not only WFM but also training and quality assurance positions.
• Certification — SWPP offers a certification option for WFM professionals to demonstrate their knowledge and qualifications.  The process includes three 50-question exams focusing on the primary areas of knowledge.  A member can take all three exams or only the one(s) most relevant to their current position.  For example, a real-time analyst can take only the exam addressing that area and receive certification in that topic.  In addition to the exams, each candidate must complete a relevant project and present it to the Board of Advisors of SWPP.   Members receive a substantial registration fee discount for certification.  
• Regional Networking Meetings — SWPP offers in-person meetings around the country, generally at member contact center sites.  These meetings give members and sponsors an opportunity to get together in person and discuss topics of interest to the group.  There is no charge for members to attend.
• Annual Conference — Each spring, SWPP’s annual conference takes place in Nashville, TN.  Over three days, a range of presentations are provided by members, sponsors, and industry experts.  Each time segment provides presentations on several different topics to choose from.  A sponsor showcase provides an opportunity to see the latest offerings and have demonstrations as well as comprehensive discussions with specific vendors in closed-door sessions.  Meet-and-greet sessions and fun evening events provide an opportunity to meet other attendees in an enjoyable environment.  It is also a great way for remote teams to get together.  Members receive a substantial registration fee discount for this event.  

If you are a member, hopefully this is a good overview of the benefits of membership.  If you aren’t a member yet, we would love to have you join us!  Check out all the membership details on our website at https://swpp.org/member-benefits/.