Agent/Supervisor Ratio

What is the agent-to-supervisor ratio?

For a service desk, the agent-to-supervisor ratio is essentially the number of front-line agents separated by supervisors. It is a measurement of managerial control period and performance. The number of workers in desktop support calculated by supervisors’ total in desktop support is a similar metric.

When the ratio drops, agent work satisfaction increases, probably because proper supervision improves the employee’s morale and well-being. There are at least three methods that are widely used to assess the appropriate ratio of agents to supervisors.

• Bottom-up modeling approach. It lists all of a supervisor’s roles and obligations and then assigns a time value to each of them.
• Benchmarks in the industry. This approach provides advice on the proper agent-to-supervisor ratio.
• Consider confirming metrics. The third and final approach is to assess agent work satisfaction.

Why is the agent-to-supervisor ratio important?

The agent-to-supervisor ratio is particularly significant in call centers. The duties, expectations, and roles of both agents and supervisors influence effective ratios. Many call centers now have between 8 and 12 employees per supervisor.

A low agent-to-supervisor ratio indicates that a service desk is heavy, meaning that there are too many supervisors for the number of agents. As a result, costs rise, and the price of a single ticket.