How to Calculate Adherence Rate
Adherence rate is a critical metric in workforce management (WFM), particularly in call centers and support environments. It measures how effectively an agent follows their assigned schedule. Unlike "conformance," which simply checks if the total hours worked match the scheduled hours, adherence checks if the agent was working at the correct times.
Adherence % = ((Scheduled Minutes – Non-Adherent Minutes) / Scheduled Minutes) × 100
Understanding the Components
To accurately calculate adherence, you need to understand the two main variables:
- Scheduled Time: The total duration an employee is expected to be available for work. This typically excludes unpaid lunches but includes paid breaks, depending on your organization's settings.
- Non-Adherent Time: Any duration where the employee's status does not match the schedule. This includes:
- Arriving late (Late login)
- Logging out early
- Taking breaks longer than scheduled
- Being in "Not Ready" status during scheduled production time
Step-by-Step Calculation Example
Let's calculate the adherence rate for an agent with an 8-hour shift who had a few schedule exceptions.
Step 1: Convert Schedule to Minutes
First, convert the total scheduled shift time into minutes to make the math easier.
- Scheduled Shift: 8 hours
- Calculation: 8 × 60 = 480 scheduled minutes.
Step 2: Sum Non-Adherent Minutes
Identify all times the agent was not adhering to the schedule:
- Late login: 5 minutes
- Extended lunch: 3 minutes
- Unscheduled break: 10 minutes
- Total Non-Adherent Time: 18 minutes.
Step 3: Apply the Formula
Subtract the non-adherent time from the scheduled time to find the "Adherent Time," then divide by the total scheduled time.
- Adherent Time = 480 – 18 = 462 minutes
- Calculation: (462 / 480) = 0.9625
- Convert to Percentage: 0.9625 × 100 = 96.25%
Why is Adherence Important?
High adherence ensures that staffing levels match the forecasted volume of work. When adherence drops:
- Wait times increase: Customers stay on hold longer because fewer agents are available than planned.
- Service Level drops: Key KPIs are missed.
- Employee burnout: Agents who are adhering to the schedule have to work harder to pick up the slack for those who are not.
Industry Benchmarks
While every organization is different, a standard adherence goal for call centers is typically around 95%. Trying to achieve 100% is often unrealistic and can lead to micromanagement, as agents need flexibility for finishing calls that run into break times or bathroom emergencies.