2026

State of WFM Report

ebook-landing-page-mockup

Peopleware's latest benchmark report, developed in partnership with Call Centre Helper, explores the current state and the future direction of workforce management.

Download the full report to discover:

  • The biggest challenges faced by WFM professionals 
  • Emerging trends and expert advice from industry leaders
  • Benchmarks to see how your organization compares to peers

Data-driven insights

As workforce management evolves in 2026, three key themes stand out: Balancing operational efficiency with flexibility, navigating the complexity of intraday management, and the awareness gap between what organizations perceive as AI in WFM vs. how it’s already being used in WFM tools.

5%

of organizations say they're embracing flexible scheduling in response to rising employee demands for better work-life balance

36%

of organizations say they're still struggling to effectively handle unexpected demand spikes

60%

of organizations say they're not using AI in their WFM operations, while still using WFM tools like forecasting software

Insights from industry experts

phil-anderson
Phil Anderson
CEO, The Forum

“Mixing full- and part-time patterns can often help improve the scheduling fit.”

Dan Smitley
Dan Smitely
Founder, 2:Three Consulting

“Contact centers are actually well-positioned to use varying start/stop times and schedule lengths, but not enough companies lean into that.”

Juanita-Coley
Juanita Coley
Founder, Solid Rock Consulting

“Intraday leaders have to stay sharp, watching queues in real time and making adjustments on the fly.”

A look into the increasing adoption of WFM technology in contact centers