<strong>Orientation:</strong> Currently no integrative model exists that can explain the phenomena contributing to agent performance in the South African contact centre industry.<p><strong>Research purpose:</strong> The primary focus of this article was to develop a theoretically derived human capital predictive model for agent performance in contact centres and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) based on a review of current empirical research literature.</p><p><strong>Motivation for the study:</strong> The study was motivated by the need for a human capital predictive model that can predict agent and overall business performance.</p><p><strong>Research design:</strong> A nonempirical (theoretical) research paradigm was adopted for this study and more specifically a theory or model-building approach was followed. A systematic review of published empirical research articles (for the period 2000–2009) in scholarly search portals was performed.</p><p><strong>Main findings:</strong> Eight building blocks of the human capital predictive model for agent performance in contact centres were identified. Forty-two of the human capital contact centre related articles are detailed in this study. Key empirical findings suggest that person– environment fit, job demands-resources, human resources management practices, engagement, agent well-being, agent competence; turnover intention; and agent performance are related to contact centre performance.</p><p><strong>Practical/managerial implications:</strong> The human capital predictive model serves as an operational management model that has performance implications for agents and ultimately influences the contact centre’s overall business performance.</p><p><strong>Contribution/value-add:</strong> This research can contribute to the fields of human resource management (HRM), human capital and performance management within the contact centre and BPO environment.</p><p><strong>How to cite this article:</strong><br /> Jacobs, C., & Roodt, G. (2011). A human capital predictive model for agent performance in contact centres. <em>SA Journal of Industrial Psychology/SA Tydskrif vir Bedryfsielkunde, 37</em>(1), Art. #940, 19 pages. doi:10.4102/sajip.v37i1.940</p>