3 Factors That Can Contribute to Burnout This Summer

Burnout occurs when emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a diminished sense of personal accomplishment combine. A burned-out employee typically feels cynical and depleted of energy. Nothing they contribute at work appears to make a difference to the organization. An employee experiencing burnout usually feels unmotivated, disengaged, and unproductive. This typically is a result of feeling chronic […]

An employee experiencing burnout usually feels unmotivated, disengaged, and unproductive. This typically is a result of feeling chronic stress over an extended period.

During the summer months, you may experience an increase in family commitments, spending on sports and vacations, or other situations that can increase your stress level. You might feel that you cannot manage your time well enough to fit in everything. Or, you could experience trouble balancing your personal and professional responsibilities. This can result in frequent absences from work, withdrawal from your team, and other adverse consequences.

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to decrease your odds of experiencing burnout. The following tips can help.

Discover three factors that can contribute to burnout and how you can alleviate them.

Juggling Work and Child Care

You may struggle to find reliable child care when schools are closed. This can interfere with your ability to work. You may find it difficult to remain engaged and productive.

You can resolve this issue by asking a family member or friend to watch your children while you work. Or, you may be able to find a summer camp or other day-long activities to drop your children off at during your work hours. There may be resources available to cover the costs if needed.

Increasing Workloads

When your colleagues take summer vacations, you likely have to fill in during their absence. Adding to your already-packed schedule can lead to feelings of overwhelm.

To combat this issue, make a list of everything you need to accomplish for the week. Then, break down your activities from most important to least important. Next, set a time to complete your most important tasks. Keep going until your least important tasks are scheduled. Be sure to include time for breaks and flexibility for interruptions.

Do your best to adhere to your schedule. Move any unfinished tasks to first thing the following day.

Feeling the Need to Always Work

You may have difficulty working only during your regular hours. This might be especially true if you are asked to cover your team members’ shifts. Although you need time for yourself, you likely want to help your employer as much as possible.

You can reduce the impact of this problem by setting clear boundaries for the hours you work. This may include adding no more than one or two shifts per week when requested. Or, it may involve saying “no” to completing additional tasks during your off-hours.

Is It Time to Find a New Job?

If finding a new job can reduce your odds of experiencing burnout, make Salem Solutions part of your search. Here is a link to our job board.

Are You Keeping Your Call Center Safe? 4 Tips for National Safety Month

As a supervisor in a call center, your agents’ safety is your top priority. Without your workforce, your call center cannot operate. Because a call center is a busy place to work, there may be significant safety risks in the environment. As a result, you must do what you can to keep your agents safe. […]

As a supervisor in a call center, your agents’ safety is your top priority. Without your workforce, your call center cannot operate.

Because a call center is a busy place to work, there may be significant safety risks in the environment. As a result, you must do what you can to keep your agents safe. The following suggestions can help.

Implement these four tips to increase safety in your call center.

Provide Mental Health Support

Call center agents typically work long hours in a fast-paced, results-driven environment. The agents often deal with frustrated customers who lack patience while having their issues resolved. These stressors can have a negative impact on the agents’ mental health.

Call center agents who experience chronic stress at work may feel overwhelmed and helpless. They might develop cynicism about their job and dread coming to work. This can lead to increased absences, lower engagement, and poorer performance. It also could result in anxiety, depression, and burnout.

You can provide support for your agents in the following ways:

Space out agent shifts to provide time to handle personal needs.
Provide realistic workloads and expectations.
Share constructive feedback that demonstrates value and respect.
Recognize your agents’ achievements every day.
Provide coaching to improve agents’ performance.
Allow personal days to handle mental health concerns.
Offer opportunities for bonuses, raises, and promotions.

Minimize Trips and Falls

Call centers tend to have loose cables connecting to phone lines and the internet. The centers also often have client paperwork stacked on the floor. These loose cables and piles of paper can lead to trips and falls. Falls are the most common and severe workplace injuries.

You can minimize the risks involved with loose cables and piles of paper by doing the following:

Make sure all cables are covered and visibly marked. This should draw your agents’ attention and signal them to walk over the cables.
Remind your agents to keep the walkways clear at all times. You may want to provide tables to hold client paperwork.

Protect Agents’ Heads and Ears

Call centers tend to be large, with agents sitting close together on one floor. While many agents talk on the phone with customers, other agents talk with each other. This creates a significant amount of noise.

The agents talking with customers need to listen closely to what the customers are saying. In order to accomplish this, many agents turn their headsets to full volume. As a result, the agents often get headaches and leave work exhausted.

You can reduce the amount of noise in the call center by doing any of the following:

Install white noise generators or other noise-canceling devices
Increase the space between your agents
Add sound-absorbing material to the desks, floors, or walls

A more economical option would be to provide quality headsets for your agents. Pay attention to the following factors when purchasing:

Work environment: If your call center is designed to minimize background noise, you may prioritize headset design, optimum audio clarity, or other features.
User experience: Less experienced agents may be more comfortable with headsets that are easy to use than ones with complicated features.
Agent role: Agents who need to move around to manage requests should have wireless headsets with a large range.
Comfort: Because agents typically spend 8 hours a day on the phone, they need adjustable headsets with lightweight frames and large leatherette ear cushions.

Enhance Agents’ Vocal Health

Call center agents depend on their voices to do their work. In many cases, the agents’ voices are the only tool they have to connect with customers.

A healthy, pleasing voice is required to build trust and credibility with customers. As a result, successful phone interactions depend on the clarity of the agent’s voice.

Call center agents typically talk on the phone for 40 hours per week. This means they risk damaging their voices and developing hoarseness. As a result, the agents may call in sick, answer fewer calls per hour, or need to repeat themselves to customers.

You can help your agents protect their voices by doing the following:

Schedule breaks between work days. Suggest your agents rest their voices as much as possible during this time.
Encourage regular breaks. This includes taking several phone calls, then switching to a work task that does not require talking.
Recommend your agents keep water or another non-caffeinated liquid at their workstations. Your agents should aim to drink 64 ounces during the day to keep their throats wet.

Need to Add Call Center Agents to Your Team?

Partner with Salem Solutions to hire qualified call center agents to reach business goals. Learn more today.

Salem Solutions
•
Posted on
May 18, 2022

Support Agent Mental Health

Working as a call center agent tends to be stressful. Agents tend to deal with high call volumes, frustrated customers, and constant pressure to meet quotas. Mental health often can suffer in high-stress conditions. Continuously working in a high-stress environment can adversely impact agents’ mental wellbeing. This is why call center managers and supervisors […]

Continuously working in a high-stress environment can adversely impact agents’ mental wellbeing. This is why call center managers and supervisors need to monitor agents’ work performance and look for signs of distress. If an indication of a problem becomes apparent, the manager or supervisor needs to take immediate action.

The following are four ways to provide support for call center agents’ mental health.

1. Promote Open Communication About Mental Health

Encourage agents to regularly talk about mental health topics. Emphasize the importance of getting help when needed.

Ask supervisors if they want to be mental health champions that promote well-being among the agents.
Communicate the fact that anyone can experience anxiety, depression, or other mental well-being issues.
Talk about the impact of stress on mental well-being.
Create a safe space to discuss mental health issues, questions, and concerns.
Encourage the sharing of personal mental health challenges.
Remind agents that seeking help is a sign of strength.
Regularly email company newsletters with videos, personal stories, articles, and resources to support mental wellness.
Remind agents of any counseling services or other sources for mental wellness support covered by the company.
Display in the break room mental health information with helplines and healthcare resources.

2. Encourage Self-Care

Point out specific actions that agents can take each day to promote mental wellness. This shows you care about their well-being.

Bring nutritious meals and snacks to eat during breaks.
Drink water throughout the day to stay energized.
Practice deep breathing to reduce stress.
Stretch and walk around during breaks.
Get at least 8 hours of sleep each night.

3. Reduce Work-Related Sources of Stress

Cut down on the amount of stress that agents face while working. Do what is possible to alter the problem areas.

Keep physical spaces as open and well-lit as possible to promote feelings of safety and comfort.
Train managers and supervisors to look for signs of anxiety, depression, stress, and other mental wellness issues among agents.
Signs of mental health concerns include regularly coming in late or missing work, struggling with job demands, and withdrawing from coworkers.
Encourage discussions about agent well-being at the end of each one-to-one or team meeting.
Empower managers and supervisors to privately talk with an agent who appears to be dealing with a mental health concern.

4. Monitor Workloads

Reduce agents’ workloads whenever possible. This can prevent agents from feeling overwhelmed by their already stressful jobs.

Encourage experienced agents to help out newer agents.
Remind managers to help agents who appear to be struggling.

Looking to Hire?

Advanced hiring can help support your call center agent’s mental wellbeing. Ready to find the right hires to add to your team? Click here.

Jule Doran
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Posted on
May 11, 2022

Why Call Center Jobs Provide Great Opportunities for Recent Graduates

New graduates often have difficulty finding jobs in their field. There typically is high competition for a limited number of jobs. In many cases, graduates look for jobs in fields that may not align with their degree paths. One of the best places to look for jobs is with a call center. Working in a […]

New graduates often have difficulty finding jobs in their field. There typically is high competition for a limited number of jobs.

In many cases, graduates look for jobs in fields that may not align with their degree paths. One of the best places to look for jobs is with a call center.

Working in a call center provides a variety of benefits for new graduates. Additionally, the growing industry offers competitive wages and opportunities to develop the skills needed for advancement. The experience gained can help the graduates start careers in other fields in the future.

Discover four reasons why new graduates should start their careers at a call center.

Growing Industry

As a new graduate, you likely want a career with stability and growth opportunities. A call center offers both.

While a significant number of employees in other industries lost their jobs when the coronavirus pandemic hit, call center employees were busier than ever.
Buying a home, saving for retirement, and other activities that require long-term planning are easier with a defined career path.

Competitive Wages

Internships and other entry-level opportunities typically pay no or low wages. Call centers offer competitive rates.

Get paid well to provide a valuable service.
Earn money to pay and save for the lifestyle you want.
Gain valuable skills and experience that can lead to bonuses, raises, and promotions.

Transferable Skills

Almost every career requires interpersonal skills. You can also develop these skills by working for a call center.

The majority of careers require excellent written and oral communication skills. These skills are developed by talking with customers, writing reports, and fulfilling other duties at a call center.
The ability to convey ideas through speech, emails, phone calls, and other methods is necessary for most career paths. These abilities are developed while working at a call center.
Most careers require timeliness, efficiency, and other skills. You will develop these skills through your call center job.
The ability to work directly with customers is required for many career paths. This ability is developed while working at a call center.

Opportunities for Advancement

Additionally, entry-level jobs tend to be the way to start a career path. There tend to be a significant number of entry-level jobs available in a call center.

There is increasing competition for entry-level jobs in most industries. This makes an entry-level call center job easier to secure.
Once you establish yourself in an entry-level job, you should be able to move up within the organization. When you work at a call center you can find this type of upward mobility.
Skilled call center employees tend to earn awards that distinguish them from other employees. This can lead to greater advancement opportunities.
A call center often works with a large corporate partner that aligns with the degree paths of college graduates. This also can lead to opportunities to work for the corporate partner.

Ready to Find a Call Center Job?

Partner with Salem Solutions to find your first call center job. Visit our job board today.

Jule Doran
•
Posted on
May 4, 2022

DEI Tips for Government Call Centers: How to Create a More Inclusive Work Environment

A significant number of businesses are focusing on increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion in their workplace. Government call centers are among these businesses. Many members of the workforce continue to be marginalized because of race, gender, socioeconomic status, disabilities, or lifestyle. These concerns have become even more visible during the coronavirus pandemic. Diversity, […]

A significant number of businesses are focusing on increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion in their workplace. Government call centers are among these businesses.

Many members of the workforce continue to be marginalized because of race, gender, socioeconomic status, disabilities, or lifestyle. These concerns have become even more visible during the coronavirus pandemic.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion challenges in the workplace typically begin with a lack of diversity at the executive level. White male company leaders tend to underestimate the biases and obstacles to inclusion that diverse employees face on a daily basis. These obstacles include lack of opportunities for growth, development, and promotions.

The lack of diversity in leadership typically results in little emphasis on the implementation of diversity and inclusion initiatives in the workplace. This often leads to a substantial gap in views between how well company leaders believe their diversity and inclusion efforts are going and what the employees believe.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion depend on more than just race. Age, culture, gender, religion, physical abilities, learning styles, personality blend, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, and life experiences matter as well.

Fortunately, steps can be taken to prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in your government call center. The following tips can help.

Follow these guidelines to begin working toward a diverse, equitable, and inclusive government call center.

Minimize Bias in Recruitment

Find ways to reduce the unconscious bias present in your recruitment practices.

Source diverse candidates by connecting with cultural and ethnic groups, sexual orientation groups, and physical ability groups at local colleges.
Partner with professional multicultural groups to source diverse candidates.
Use inclusive language in job descriptions.
Focus on hiring candidates who are open to learning the skills needed to be successful in a role.
Look for candidate dedication and the desire for coaching to improve performance when making hiring decisions.
Have a diverse hiring team compare and evaluate candidates during the final stage of the process.

Train Managers on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Frontline managers set the tone for the work environment, including diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.

Provide unconscious bias and diversity training to increase awareness of these issues in the workplace.
Help managers uncover their own unconscious biases and take action to work toward a more cohesive work environment.
Provide managers with personality assessments to identify the communication preferences of their employees.
Encourage managers to use their employees’ preferred communication methods to more effectively connect.

Create a Frontline Diversity and Inclusion Team

Involve employees in building diversity and inclusion awareness within the call center.

Feedback about diversity and inclusion challenges needs to come from employees who experience the challenges on a day-to-day basis.
Ask the frontline team to review the call center policies for biases.
Request that the frontline team regularly survey employees to identify gaps between the company mission and diversity and inclusion initiatives and the employees’ workplace experiences.
Request that the frontline team members reach out to employees who may be feeling excluded or experiencing bias in the workplace.
Partner the frontline team with HR and management to drive diversity and inclusion efforts throughout the call center.
Have the frontline team and executives participate in diversity and inclusion awareness and feedback sessions.
Continuously talk with the frontline team about areas of misalignment and how the gaps can be closed.

Acknowledge and Celebrate Differences

Plan educational celebrations for each employee’s heritage.

Organize Lunch and Learn events to build awareness of the holidays that matter most to your employees.
Include cultural awareness months such as Black History, Women’s History, Asian/Pacific American History, Jewish American History, Pride, Native American Heritage, National Hispanic Heritage, and National Disability Employment Awareness.

Treat Employees as Individuals

Get to know employees on a personal level.

Find out what employees’ career goals are.
Talk about employees’ unique perspectives and life experiences.
Learn what motivates each employee to perform their best.
Discover employee preferences for language, communications, coaching sessions, performance reviews, growth opportunities, and workplace activities.

Focus on Employees’ Strengths

Each employee has different talents that benefit the call center.

Almost all employees have creative thinking skills.
Creative thinking provides fresh approaches to problem-solving.

Continue with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Efforts

Creation of a diverse, equitable, inclusive work environment is an ongoing process.

Employees need to feel safe, supported, and respected on a daily basis.
The process takes time, effort, and resources.
Regular training on diversity, equity, and inclusion and communication about current events for employees at all levels is required.

Want Help with Your Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Efforts?

Salem Solutions has the diverse call center candidates you need to continue your work toward equity and inclusion. Find out more today.

Jule Doran
•
Posted on
April 20, 2022

Is a Remote Call Center Job Right for You? The Pros and Cons of Working from Home

Read about the pros and cons of remote call center jobs and decide if they're right for you. Learn more.

Working as a contact center agent offers more flexibility than many customer service jobs since you can do it remotely. After all, this role mainly utilizes your voice and a computer. While the ability to work from home provides some excellent advantages, it’s not all smooth sailing. There are also potential downsides to consider.

Understanding some of the main benefits and drawbacks of working from home can help you decide whether a remote job is right for you.

Advantages of Working a Remote Call Center Job

Almost everyone wants a flexible schedule and the ability to work from home.

1. Flexible Schedule

Studies reveal a strong preference for flexible work arrangements, with 40 percent of individuals indicating they wouldn’t consider a job lacking flexible hours. Moreover, 16 percent of employees are willing to accept a 20 percent pay cut for this flexibility, while 17 percent would do the same to work remotely.¹ These statistics underscore the widespread desire for flexibility in work schedules.

With a flexible schedule, you can address personal needs without relying on weekends or paid time off (PTO). Whether you’re a parent managing childcare, a caregiver assisting family members, or need to attend appointments and run errands, you can organize your day around these responsibilities.

For example, a working parent could start their shift early, take a mid-day break to spend time with their kids after school, and then log back on to wrap up their hours in the evening. The freedom to construct your schedule is a massive perk.

No more stressing about rushing across town for a doctor’s visit or rearranging your day for a repairman’s appointment window. This lifestyle benefit is a game-changer for anyone needing more control over their time.

2. Work-Life Balance

With no commute to contend with, you regain significant chunks of time in your day. Use those extra hours for whatever brings you more balance – prepare homemade meals instead of rushed takeout, get in a workout during a break, or dedicate time to hobbies and interests.

The lack of an on-site workplace removes many disruptions and workplace politics that can blur the boundaries between work and personal life. You gain more autonomy over structuring your day and allocating time for work and personal pursuits.

3. Increased Productivity

Studies say working from home helps some employees to be more productive. Here’s how working from home can help you be productive:

Reduced distractions: A dedicated workspace at home can reduce distractions compared to a busy office setup. This could lead to improved focus and a higher call volume.
Comfort and control: Working in a familiar and comfortable environment can enhance personal well-being and increase productivity.
Meeting performance goals: Increased productivity translates to more efficiently achieving key performance indicators (KPIs) and quotas. Ultimately, this can lead to recognition and career advancement.

4. Expanded Job Opportunities

Working remotely expands your career opportunities by removing geographic constraints. You can pursue roles with companies located anywhere without the need to relocate. As long as you have a reliable internet connection, your physical location becomes irrelevant.

This flexibility removes the hassles of commuting to a physical workplace. No more wasting time stuck in traffic or on public transit – you can sleep in later since travel time is no longer a concern. Plus, when you finish work for the day, you can transition immediately to personal time without the need for a commute.

A remote customer service representative job also means you gain access to vacant positions across state lines or even nationwide. This is particularly advantageous if local job options are limited.

5. Save on Costs

Working customer service jobs remotely translates to significant cost savings for customer service representatives. Financial security is a major motivator for many workers; remote jobs can help you achieve that goal. Here’s how:

Reduced commuting costs: Studies show many employees struggle with gas prices.² Not having to commute means you’ll save on fuel, car maintenance, and potentially public transportation costs.
Work-from-home expenses: While your workspace may require some initial setup costs, you’ll likely save on professional attire, lunch outings, and childcare expenses.

Disadvantages of Working a Remote Call Center Job

Some disadvantages of working remote call center jobs include:

1. Lack of Technical Setup and Training

Setting up and learning to use the hardware, software, and technology for your remote role can be difficult. You also don’t have the same level of tech support as you would in the office. Especially with the following:

Equipment: You may need to purchase the hardware before getting reimbursed.
Software: Installation of the call center software can be complicated, especially without on-site IT support.
Training: Typically conducted through live or prerecorded video and text, which can limit interaction with center specialists and other customer service agents.
Limited Technical Support: Getting immediate assistance with technical issues can take time when working remotely.

Additionally, IT usually fixes these problems in on-premises settings when power outages or broken technology occur. Unless your employer provides support for these challenges, this can affect your productivity and the number of center sales.

2. Workplace Loneliness and Disconnect with Company Culture

Working from home means a lack of in-person interactions to immerse yourself in the company’s mission, vision, and values. Studies have found that 20 percent of remote workers say isolation is their biggest problem.³ Other top issues were communication and teamwork.

This confirms how working remotely can sometimes lead to loneliness and a disconnect between you and other center agents.

While video calls and virtual chats exist, they don’t fully replicate an in-person environment’s camaraderie and team spirit. Limited face-to-face interaction can affect team building, career growth opportunities, and networking with colleagues.

3. Lack of Support

In a fully remote customer support setting, center representatives often lack immediate access to supervisors for assistance. Imagine encountering a technical issue during a customer call – without a supervisor nearby, resolving the issue promptly becomes challenging.

This delay in receiving assistance can impact call resolution times and customer care experience, potentially adding stress to your day.

4. Poor Work-Life Balance

While working from home offers flexibility, it can often blur the lines between work and personal life. Here’s how it might affect you:

Easy Accessibility: Working from home removes the physical separation between work and personal life. This makes it easy to continue working beyond regular hours.
No Distinct Work Environment: The trouble with remote jobs is a lack of a separate workspace. This makes it harder to mentally switch off from work. People may find themselves constantly engaged in work-related tasks.
Increased Expectations: Remote work can sometimes create the perception that employees are always available. It can lead to heightened expectations for responsiveness and productivity. This pressure to be constantly accessible can compel individuals to work longer hours to meet these expectations, even during personal time.
Difficulty in Setting Boundaries: Without the natural cues of leaving the workplace, individuals may struggle to disengage from work-related tasks. This could result in prolonged working hours and decreased separation between professional and personal life.

Remote or Not Remote: Which Should You Take As a Center Rep?

Call centers based remotely can offer flexibility, a good work-life balance, and the chance to be more productive. However, consider how comfortable you are with technology, potential isolation, and the need for immediate support. By weighing these factors, your work style and personal preferences will help you decide if a remote call center job is a good fit for you.

LOOKING FOR A REMOTE CALL CENTER JOB?

Working as a remote contact center representative has its positives and negatives. The right choice depends on your situation. Whether you prefer working remotely or the structure of working face-to-face, Salem Solutions can help you out.

We specialize in matching candidates with remote call center jobs that prioritize customer experience and align with their preferences and skills. Our extensive job board features many opportunities from reputable companies seeking professionals like you. Contact us today to take the next step in your career

References

“Remote Work Statistics 2024: Crucial Factors and Trends.” PumbleHUB, 2024, pumble.com/learn/collaboration/remote-work-statistics/#:~:text=Over%2090%25%20of%20employees%20believe,connect%20with%20colleagues%20for%20work
“The Costs and Benefits of Hybrid Workplace.” Global Workplace Analytics, 2023, globalworkplaceanalytics.com/resources/costs-benefits.
“World Employment and Social Outlook Trends 2022.” International Labour Organization, 17 Jan. 2022, www.ilo.org/global/research/global-reports/weso/trends2022/WCMS_834081/lang–en/index.htm.

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The Bilingual Staffing Gap in Federal Programs (And What It’s Costing You)