In the dynamic world of customer experience (CX), keeping agents engaged, efficient, and effective is a constant challenge. This is where workforce engagement management (WEM) comes into play, providing a suite of tools designed to optimize everything from agent coaching to forecasting workforce demands and scheduling.
But how are companies truly using WEM, and what’s making a real difference in 2025? Metrigy’s newly released Workforce Engagement Management 2025-26 global research study of 316 companies dives deep into these and other questions, offering invaluable insights into the strategies and tools giving shape to the CX workforce.
Here’s a peek at some of the study’s most compelling findings.
The Core of WEM: WFM and Performance Management Lead the Way
In the study, Metrigy examined which core WEM applications are most in use and which are having the biggest affect. The applications are: workforce management (WFM), quality management (QM), performance management, interaction analytics, training and coaching, employee feedback/voice of the employee, and gamification.
It’s no surprise that WFM remains the backbone of WEM, with a striking 70.9% of companies relying on it. After all, getting the right people in the right place at the right time is fundamental.
However, performance management is the most-used WEM application among this study’s Research Success Group, comprising those companies that show average or better-than-average improvements in revenue, costs, and CSAT (those measuring success but falling below average on improvements go into the non-success group). Nearly 81% of companies in the success group use performance management, vs. 68.4% of all companies and 61.1% of the non-success group. At 80.8% to 61.1%, the gap between successful and not successful is substantial, more so than the success correlations we also see for the use of WFM (76.9% of the success group, vs. 68.1% of the non-success group) and QM (76.9% of the success group, vs. 69.4% of the non-success group).
While WFM and performance management rate as the most important of core WEM applications, the higher success correlation for performance management suggests that while efficient scheduling is vital, actively managing and developing agent performance is what truly propels companies forward.
Beyond the Basics: Bolstering WEM with Supporting Technologies
WEM isn’t just about core applications. Our research shows that over half of companies are bolstering their WEM functions with a range of supporting technologies, including:
- Workflow automation – Streamlining repetitive tasks for agents and supervisors
- Knowledge management – Providing quick access to information for consistent support
- Task management – Organizing agent workloads efficiently
- Customized reporting and dashboards – Offering tailored insights into operations
- Compliance management – Ensuring adherence to regulations
- Real-time adherence tracking – Monitoring schedules as they happen
This holistic approach indicates a mature understanding of how interconnected various tools are in optimizing the workforce.
The Voice of the Customer: Integrating Feedback for Agent Insight
A growing number of companies are wisely integrating customer feedback directly into their WEM tools. Currently, 41.9% are doing so, with another 32.3% planning to do so in 2025.
The immediate benefit? For most companies (58.6%), the biggest value of using customer feedback with WEM is in providing insight into agent performance. However, in the future, 47.1% of companies said the ability to compare the performance of live agents vs. virtual agents will be the biggest value. Being able to compare customer feedback in this way will provide a crucial benchmark for the evolving hybrid CX environment.
Real-Time Responsiveness: A Supervisor’s Dream
As supervisors manage the agent workforce, they need agility. Our study found that 41.1% of supervisors seek the ability to react to scheduling and forecasting insights in real-time. Interestingly, small companies (250 or fewer employees) feel this need more acutely than midsized (250 to 2,500 employees) or large (more than 250 employees) companies. Small companies expect this real-time capability 1.4 times more than their larger counterparts. The desire for real-time scheduling flexibility highlights a clear demand for dynamic WEM tools that allow supervisors to adapt rapidly.
What Does This Mean for Your Business?
Metrigy’s study makes it clear: WEM is no longer a luxury; it’s a strategic imperative. To truly succeed, businesses must:
- Move beyond basic WFM to embrace comprehensive performance management.
- Integrate a variety of supporting technologies to create a seamless WEM ecosystem.
- Prioritize customer feedback integration to gain actionable insights for both human and AI agent performance.
- Empower supervisors with real-time capabilities to react swiftly to changing needs.
By focusing on these areas, you can ensure your workforce is engaged, your operations are efficient, and your customers receive the exceptional experience they deserve.
