IAG, owner of NRMA and CGU Insurance, has rolled out a new app across the group to address the flexibility challenges of the contact-centre environment.

IAG’s new workplace flexibility app, called Switch, uses a pricing algorithm and digital marketplace that manages supply and demand for different work shifts, to enable contact-centre employees to make changes to their rosters and work hours online without seeking manager approval.

“Contact centres have historically been very structured and inflexible when it comes to people’s time,” said Amanda Whiting, IAG executive general manager. “The benefit of Switch is that it gives our employees more control over their time and work-life balance, while allowing us to manage our business needs.”

By using the patent-pending app, employees who opt to move to a shift that the business needs to be filled can earn “Flexicoins”. Once they have enough coins in their wallet, the coins can then be used to make shift changes, which are automatically and instantly approved.

“The process of changing shifts has previously been quite manual and often involved several conversations between the employee, their manager, and colleagues,” Whiting said. “Not only is this time-consuming for the individual, but labour-intensive for the business. The Switch app has automated that process and works in a way that no one needs to justify why they need to make changes and instead can change shifts on their own terms. We recognise that flexibility is different for everyone, which is how Switch really starts to add value.”