Burnout can happen to even your best call center employees. It comes as no surprise that call centers are inherently vulnerable to burnout. Your agents have to juggle high call volumes and angry customers. Let’s face it; consumers do not call to talk about how good the product or service is. This combination makes for a very stressful environment. Exhausted agents who do not quickly find relief will find new jobs. Follow these tips to combat call center burnout and help your employees stay longer.
4 Ways to Reduce Employee Burnout
Reduce Stress on Employees
Worrying about answering every call in a timely manner, finding resolutions to each customer complaint, working overtime, and knowing your performance is under scrutiny is highly stressful. Fortunately, you can do your part to reduce the amount of stress employees are under.
First, make sure agents are receiving adequate time off. No one can withstand working around the clock. Secondly, avoid setting unattainable performance goals. Be realistic. The performance goals you set shouldn’t be near impossible for agents who are giving it their all. Lastly, make sure agents have the support and resources they need when dealing with complex customer complaints.
Avoid Micromanaging
Supervisors who micromanage often do so with the best of intentions. You want your call center to be as efficient as it can be. However, to agents, it comes across as a lack of appreciation and trust for their skills. Allow employees to do as much as they can without hovering over their shoulders. This sends a message of trust and builds confidence. Confident employees are happy and tend to stay longer.
On the flip side, make sure agents know that you are always available and willing to help if need be.
Little Perks Go A Long Way
Sometimes it’s the little things that mean the most. Create a culture in which everyone feels recognized and appreciated. Hold friendly competitions in which the winner gets recognition and a reward such as paid time off or a gift card. Change up the goals of the competition so that everyone can let their strengths shine.
Shift Rotation
Not every agent is going to love the shift they are on. Some shifts are better than others, but they all must be adequately covered. Burnout can happen very quickly if an employee finds themselves on a shift they absolutely hate. Instead, consider implementing shift rotations every three months or so if the majority of your team is in favor.
Begin with a Great Hire!
Avoiding employee burnout and decreasing turnover rate begins with finding an employee who is well-suited for the call center environment. Salem Solutions specializes in call center staffing, with a unique people-first approach that sets us apart from other agencies. Whether you are looking for temporary staffing, temp-to-hire, or direct-hire, we’ve got you covered. Request an employee today and let the staffing specialists at the nation’s leading call center staffing firm take care of the rest!
