Case Study Turning Workforce Visibility into Sustainable Productivity Gains
How we helped a leading retail organization strengthen workforce visibility, improve employee accountability, and build a sustainable performance management framework that increased active time and improved workforce stability.
72%–73%
Average active time achieved, up from 40%–50%
0%
Current average unusual activity rate among recurring offenders
11% YTD
Employee attrition, down from 46% YTD (Year to date)
The Client
A large-scale operation where productivity needed a clearer line of sight.
A leading retail organization supporting large-scale financial and back-office operations, where consistent workforce performance plays a direct role in service delivery and overall business outcomes.
The client needed greater visibility into how teams were spending their working time, where productivity gaps were emerging, and which operational behaviours required intervention. Without a structured view of employee activity and performance trends, maintaining consistency across the account had become increasingly difficult.
The challenge was not simply measuring productivity.
It was creating the visibility, accountability, and management discipline required to improve it sustainably.
The Challenge
When limited visibility starts affecting operational performance.
The account was operating with a significant productivity gap. Average active time ranged between 40% and 50%, leaving considerable room for improvement against operational expectations.
Leadership also had limited visibility into daily employee activity and broader performance trends. This made it harder to identify recurring issues early, distinguish isolated incidents from systemic patterns, and intervene with the right employees at the right time.
Compounding the challenge were concerns around system misuse and activity manipulation. A high volume of unusual activity incidents was creating additional operational risk, while elevated attrition levels were affecting workforce stability and service continuity.
The underlying issue was accountability. Without a structured framework connecting visibility, coaching, and performance management, operational problems could be identified but were not always addressed through a consistent process.
40%–50%
Average active time before intervention
10–15
Employees identified as unusual activity offenders
46% YTD
Employee attrition before improvement
What our audit found
What the data revealed about the performance gap.
The first priority was establishing a clearer view of workforce activity and utilization. The available data showed that productivity challenges were not limited to a single metric or team. They were connected to gaps in visibility, follow-through, and structured accountability.
Employee activity needed to be monitored consistently, with performance trends reviewed at both the individual and account levels. Unusual activity required more than detection. Recurring patterns needed targeted intervention and a clear improvement path.
The findings also reinforced the importance of manager involvement. Performance data creates visibility, but improvement depends on what leaders do with that visibility. Coaching conversations, corrective action, and clearly communicated expectations needed to become part of the account's regular operating rhythm.
Low average active time affecting overall workforce productivity
Limited visibility into daily employee activity and utilization trends
Unusual activity incidents creating operational and compliance concerns
Recurring performance issues requiring more targeted intervention
Lack of a structured framework for performance management and accountability
The Solution
How we turned it around.
Create one clear view of workforce performance.
We partnered with the client to implement and maximize the use of Horizon, the workforce productivity monitoring platform, to create greater visibility into employee activity, utilization, and operational productivity.
Weekly productivity tracking and performance reporting established a consistent view of performance trends, while regular leadership reviews created a forum to identify gaps and take timely action. Account-level reporting brought agent activity, utilization, and compliance metrics into clearer focus.
The result was a stronger governance layer around day-to-day operations. Leaders no longer had to rely on fragmented observations to understand workforce performance. They had a more structured view of where attention was needed.
What we shipped
- Improved use of the Horizon workforce productivity monitoring platform
- Weekly productivity tracking and performance reporting
- Regular leadership reviews to identify gaps and trends
- Account-level visibility into agent activity and utilization
- Greater visibility into compliance-related performance metrics
Turn performance data into targeted coaching.
Visibility alone does not change performance. The next step was ensuring that the data led to meaningful conversations and targeted intervention.
Individualized coaching sessions focused on the performance indicators that mattered most, including Active Time, Unusual Activity Rate (UAR), and Horizon utilization. Employees with recurring performance concerns were supported through structured performance improvement plans.
Managers were also brought closer to the process through data-driven coaching discussions. This created a more consistent connection between what the data showed and how performance was managed on the ground.
What we shipped
- Individualized coaching based on key performance indicators
- Focus on Active Time, UAR, and Horizon utilization
- Performance improvement plans for recurring offenders
- Increased manager engagement through data-driven discussions
- More targeted intervention for persistent performance gaps
Make accountability part of the operating model.
For the improvements to last, accountability needed to move beyond individual interventions and become part of the account's operating framework.
We introduced structured corrective action processes aligned with operational goals and reinforced clear expectations around productivity, compliance, and system integrity. Employees were also educated on performance standards and the business impact associated with them.
The focus was on building governance mechanisms that could support long-term consistency. Performance expectations became clearer, interventions became more structured, and accountability was reinforced as an ongoing management discipline.
What we shipped
- Structured corrective action processes
- Clearer expectations around productivity and compliance
- Reinforced focus on system integrity
- Employee education around performance standards and business impact
- Sustainable governance mechanisms for long-term accountability
The Numbers
Outcomes we can talk about.
Outcomes that made workforce performance more visible, measurable, and sustainable.
The engagement delivered measurable improvement across the operational metrics that mattered most.
Average Active Time increased from 40%–50% to 72%–73%, representing an improvement of up to 33 percentage points and consistently exceeding the account's 70% target.
Unusual activity, which had previously involved 10–15 employees, was significantly reduced through targeted coaching and performance intervention, with the current average reported at 0%.
Workforce stability also improved. Employee attrition reduced from 46% YTD to 11% YTD, a reduction of 20–25 percentage points, strengthening service continuity and reducing pressure on the account.
Beyond the numbers, the engagement created a more transparent operating environment. Leadership gained clearer visibility into productivity and utilization, employees had better-defined performance expectations, and the account established a structured framework for managing performance over the long term.
72%–73%
Average active time achieved, up from 40%–50%
0%
Current average unusual activity rate among recurring offenders
11% YTD
Employee attrition, down from 46% YTD (Year to date)
What We Built
What's Next
From performance improvement to sustained operational discipline.
The immediate productivity and compliance improvements have created a stronger foundation for the account. With clearer visibility and structured accountability mechanisms now in place, the focus can remain on sustaining performance as operational needs evolve.
The governance framework established through the engagement provides a repeatable model for identifying performance gaps, coaching employees, and maintaining expectations around productivity and compliance.
The objective is no longer simply to correct underperformance.
It is to make consistent performance management part of how the operation runs every day.
Frequently Asked Questions
About This Project
The questions teams usually ask when they want to run a similar engagement.
Workforce visibility helps leaders understand employee activity, utilization, and performance trends more clearly. When supported by regular reporting and reviews, it enables teams to identify gaps early and take targeted action.
The Real Numbers
Need real numbers? Let's talk.
We kept the names off the page. The story is real, the outcomes are real, and we're always happy to walk a serious team through the rest of it.
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