About ServiceNow Workforce Optimization for ITSM on Manager Workspace and Service Operations Workspace
What is ServiceNow's Workforce Optimization for ITSM Application?
Workforce Optimization for ITSM is an application that allows IT Team Managers to automate the management, monitoring, and mentoring of their IT team members to increase CSAT (Customer Satisfaction), ESAT (Employee Satisfaction). Workforce Optimization for ITSM also enables IT Team Members, e.g. agents, analysts, specialists, to manage their skills, view performance targets and learning objectives set by their manager.
IT managers can manage, monitor, and mentor their team using the Manager Workspace, that is included in the Workforce Optimization for ITSM application.
IT team members can manage skills, view performance targets, and learning using the Service Operations Workspace. Service Operations Workspace is a free application, but the ability to manage skills, view performance targets, and learning is included Workforce Optimization for ITSM application.
Benefits of Workforce Optimization for ITSM on ServiceNow:
For IT Managers
- Eliminate work siloes and manage all of your team's work, e.g. incidents, change requests, catalog tasks, in one, consolidated location
- Automatically route the right work to the right person with the right skills
- Manage and forecast work demand to ensure you're properly staffed for today and for the future
- Manage quality of interactions between your IT team members and the requestor to drive a higher CSAT
- ML-powered skills management so that you can upskill or reskill your team to resolve work items effectively
- Gain visibility into your team's performance and set performance targets to increase productivity
For IT Team Members, e.g. agents, analysts, specialists, etc.
- View their calendar and the team's calendar
- Manage time off and shift swap requests
- Own your growth trajectory by proposing to be reskilled or upskilled
- View performance targets set by your manager to grow professionally
- Take learning objectives set by your manager to obtain the skills you need to succeed
How can I get started with Workforce Optimization for ITSM?
An ITSM Enterprise license is required. You can install Workforce Optimization for ITSM via the AppStore here.
What training material is available?
Workforce Optimization for ITSM Essentials course is available the NowLearning site
How can I help educate others in my organization about the value Workforce Optimization for ITSM offers?
- "What is Workforce Optimization for ITSM" podcast
- Workforce Optimization for ITSM - Schedule Work and Reskill Your Team - Tokyo feature overview
- Workforce Optimization Mobile Agent app
- Managing Team Performance
- Demand Forecast
- Managing Team Schedules
- Coaching Teams
- Managing all Work Items
- Managing Service Channels
Additional FAQs
When would I use the Channels module vs the Work Scheduler module?
Use the Channels module when....you have high volume incidents and interactions (unplanned work items) that need to be analyzed on a FIFO basis and where you want the decision assignment be automated by the Advanced Work Assignment engine based on skills, capacity, availability.
Use the Work Scheduler module when...you have teams that are working on unplanned AND planned tasks, such as change tasks, requests, that can be scheduled around unplanned tasks. In addition, you use Work Scheduler also when the assignment decision shouldn't be made by our Advanced Work Assignment engine, but requires analysis from a person around on the complexity, availability, capacity.
Do I need to implement Advanced Work Assignment in order to use Work Scheduler?
No.
How can managers generate skill review requests to develop their teams and improve performance?
Managers can now generate skill review requests for their teams or individual team members. IT team members can self-assess their skill set, provide updates and comments which, upon approval, automatically update their skills making maintenance and skill assignment a more efficient team effort. By expanding workforce capabilities, customers can gain insights into and create data-based improvement plans to increase team performance.
What is Work Scheduler?
Work Scheduler enables managers to use the team calendar to assign agents, analysts, engineers, etc to work on specific channels, or tasks based on availability, skills, capacity, or region. Coordinators, dispatchers, and managers will have lists of open work items to assign to teams and individuals viewed in a calendar timeline. These tasks may be assigned based on availability, skills, region, etc. and can include both short duration work items (including incidents or interactions) and long duration work items (for example multi days - tasks, requests, changes, problems), etc.
How does workforce optimization and engagement help me train my team?
In the Tokyo release, learning paths were developed as a rapid, efficient way to reskill and upskill the workforce, increase employee engagement, and better meet evolving customer needs. Leveraging the Coaching data model for learning, managers can now create or designate learning path courses to help teams and agents develop new skills. Through a seamless end user experience, including Service Operations Workspace integration, learning paths can include course items, certifications, classroom instruction, targets, or simple URLs, etc. From their manager workspace, managers can assign individually, or to a group, newly created learning path tasks and activities, pre-requisites and completion timelines.
Is there a limit on the number of KPIs in a KPI group?
You can have a max of 5 KPIs for each KPI group so that it remains manageable for the customer
Can Notify be used with Workforce Optimization, specifically to report on Escalation Time and Response Time?
Any KPI with an assignment group and assign to breakdown can be shown in the Team performance module of WFO
Can an Assignment Group be in more than one KPI Group?
Each assignment group can only be assigned to one KPI group, however, each KPI group can be used to monitor performance for as many assignment groups as needed.
Can an agent manually specify a break time instead of following the time documented in the Shift? How would that work?
Yes, both the agent and manager can edit the break for an agent.
Is WFO integrated with on-call scheduling?
Yes. Managers can create normal and on-call shifts from Manager workspace. Agents can now create/update/view and order on-call time off requests & display shift plans in calendar view along with other shifts.
Can I manually adjust demand forecasting?
Yes. The “Demand Forecast” tab added to “Schedule” allows managers to adjust schedule details including manual adjustments to enable hourly forecast visualization. Managers can now make sure service desk is properly staffed for known peak periods incorporated into the calculated forecast
Can managers set performance targets for Team KPIs in the manager workspace?
Yes. Managers can set performance targets for their team and individuals on the team. Individuals can view these goals and KPI performance overtime for transparency. A sidebar for managers to set KPI targets for assignment groups or users from Team Performance. Managers can select the KPI from a list that they want to create a target for and the start / end date. Agents can view targets selected by managers in their User Profile. This helps teams transparently set team and individual KPI targets that align with group / role goals for performance.
How can a manager connect training and skill growth to agent performance in the manager workspace?
WFO is using HR’s “learning post” data model that tracks learning content from internal and third-party systems. This expands the list of available course items that can be assigned to agents including: 1) Internal courses for managers to create new course items using a URL, KB, or freeform text and add skills; and 2) External courses which integrate with a 3rd party learning provider. Currently the integrations and content out of the box from: Pluralsight, Udemy, Cornerstone. Now managers are able to pull thousands (vs. previous limited) of course items from external 3rd parties for learning as well as create internal courses.
Hi @nikipatel ,
I'm currently exploring Coaching module. I installed in PDI. But under manager workspace -> coaching -> overview, Nothing is displayed other than "No groups configured." Any leads for this issue? Is there anything needs to be configured?
