Fix Insurance Seasonal Hiring

Learn how insurance call centers can hire, train, and retain seasonal agents before year-end demand surges, without sacrificing service quality.

Every fourth quarter, insurance call centers face the same pressure. Claims increase, open enrollment questions surge, and policy renewals flood the system. Inboxes overflow, phone lines jam, and customer wait times grow. Even with clear trends year after year, many teams still head into the year-end peak season unprepared.

This isn’t just a staffing problem; it’s a planning gap. When hiring starts late, training gets rushed. Agents struggle, service quality drops, and customers feel the impact. But it doesn’t have to be that way. A more strategic, proactive approach can help you build a reliable seasonal hiring system that improves service delivery, reduces turnover and protects performance through the year-end rush.

Why Seasonal Hiring is Challenging for Insurance Call Centers

Staffing for the year-end rush might seem simple: hire fast, train quickly, then reduce staff after peak season. However, in insurance, this approach is rarely effective. Training takes longer, systems are more challenging to learn, and mistakes can compromise compliance and customer trust.

Here are five key challenges that make seasonal hiring especially difficult for insurance call centers:

1. Licensing and Compliance Requirements

Many roles in insurance require agents to have a state-specific license, especially those involving policy guidance or customer sales. This limits how quickly you can hire and reduces the size of your talent pool.

Even for roles that don’t need a license, compliance still matters. Agents must follow scripts, give clear disclosures, and handle personal data correctly. When seasonal hires aren’t trained well, it can lead to fines, service errors, or legal issues. Hiring candidates who understand compliance from the start helps protect your business and maintain reliable service.

2. Short Training Windows for Complex Roles

Insurance roles require agents to learn detailed systems, products, and strict compliance rules. Trying to fit all of that into a short training window before peak season can overwhelm new hires and set them up to fail.

When training is rushed or too dense:

Errors increases
Calls take longer to handle
More issues are escalated
Customers get frustrated

These challenges create a ripple effect across the team and damage brand trust. However, with focused training, job aids, and support like mentoring, seasonal agents can gain confidence faster, work more efficiently, and stay through the busy season.

3. Tough Hiring Competition in Q4

During the fourth quarter, many industries like retail, shipping, and other call centers increase hiring to handle holiday demand. These jobs often offer faster hiring, simpler tasks, and shorter training, which can seem more attractive to job seekers.

Insurance call centers compete in the same tight labor market but with higher expectations and longer onboarding. If you don’t clearly show why your roles are worth it, you may lose strong candidates to jobs that feel easier or more immediate. Offering benefits such as paid licensing, flexible schedules, or end-of-season bonuses can help set your roles apart and attract the right talent.

4. High Turnover Among Temporary Workers

During the year-end rush, seasonal agents often see their roles as short-term. If they feel unsupported or overwhelmed, many leave before the season ends. This creates gaps in coverage right when call volumes are at their highest.

To avoid this, screen candidates carefully and provide steady support throughout the season. When temporary staff feel included and appreciated, they’re more likely to stay through year-end, reducing disruptions and the cost of rehiring.

5. Late or Reactive Hiring Cycles

Some insurance call centers delay hiring until the year-end surge has already started. By then, there’s not enough time to properly source, screen, license, or train new agents.

This last-minute approach weakens onboarding and affects long-term service quality. It can also cause you to lose strong candidates who accepted roles with other employers who planned ahead.

Practical Steps Insurance Teams Can Take to Improve Year-End Staffing

To reduce risk and maintain service quality, insurance call centers need a hiring strategy that starts early, targets the right talent, and supports agents throughout the season. Here’s how to achieve that:

1. Build a Clear Hiring Timeline Early

Begin by reviewing your Q4 service data. Track when call volumes rise, how long calls lasted, and how many agents were needed to meet response times.

Then, work backwards to build a realistic hiring schedule. For example:

Agents should be ready by mid-October
Training takes three weeks
Licensing and screening need two weeks
Hiring should start by early August

Starting early gives your team time to screen candidates, complete licensing, and provide proper onboarding. It also prepares you ahead of the spike in policy changes, travel-related claims, and inquiries that tend to follow holiday events like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and end-of-year promotions.

When agents are trained and ready before demand peaks, you protect service quality, reduce error rates, and avoid last-minute hiring pressure.

Early preparation also helps you:

Secure a staffing partner with insurance experience ahead of peak season
Bring back top-performing seasonal agents from previous years
Align HR, operations, and training teams around one timeline

It’s a simple shift: start early, stay ready, and deliver consistent service throughout the busiest part of the year.

2. Use Clear Job Campaigns to Attract Better Candidates

With your timeline in place, your next step is outreach. Many job seekers skip over insurance call center roles, assuming they require prior experience or lack flexibility. Clear, targeted messaging helps correct those assumptions and draws in qualified applicants.

Be clear about:

Licensing needs, or whether training will be provided
Available shifts (days, evenings, weekends)
The value of the role (supporting people with real insurance needs) Opp
ortunity for growth (possible extensions or future opportunities)

To reach more qualified candidates:

Post on job boards that specialize in insurance and customer service roles
Offer referral bonuses to current employees
Partner with local training programs or vocational schools

Clear, targeted recruitment campaigns help attract stronger applicants, reduce drop-off during onboarding, and keep your hiring process moving smoothly. That means less time spent rehiring and more focus on preparing agents for peak service periods.

3. Get New Hires Call-Ready

Hiring the right people is only half the job. To help new agents succeed, your training must be clear, practical, and focused on what they’ll face day to day. Strong onboarding gets agents up to speed quickly and improves how they manage calls.¹

To get new hires call-ready, start with the basics. Agents need to understand your products, policies, and call procedures, but they don’t need to learn everything at once. Focus on what they’ll use most during live calls.

Then, train them to navigate your tools. Give them time to practice with your CRM, phone system, and any compliance software. This helps them work faster and avoid early mistakes.

Soft skills matter too. Agents should learn how to listen well, show empathy, and handle upset callers calmly.

Make the training more effective with real-world call examples, shadowing opportunities, and clear guides they can reference during shifts. And instead of putting new hires on live calls right away, pair them with experienced staff or ease them in with supervised sessions. This builds confidence, lowers stress, and leads to better performance during the busy season.

4. Keep Seasonal Agents Engaged to Improve Retention

Seasonal agents may only be on for a short time, but they stay longer and perform better when they feel supported.²

To keep them engaged, provide regular check-ins and set clear goals. Timely feedback keeps agents aligned and helps them improve. Recognize strong performance, whether it’s low error rates or high customer satisfaction, and show how their work supports the bigger picture.

Even small perks like flexible shifts or public recognition can boost morale. When agents feel included, they’re more likely to stay through the season and return when you need them again.

Prepare Now for a Strong Year-End

Year-end doesn’t have to mean last-minute hiring, overwhelmed agents, and long customer wait times. With a structured seasonal staffing strategy, insurance call centers can move from reactive to ready, delivering consistent service even during the busiest weeks of the year.

The fourth quarter will be here before you know it. Plan now, and your team will be ready to handle the rush with confidence.

Ready to Build a Strong Seasonal Team? Partner with Salem Solutions.

At Salem Solutions, we specialize in placing licensed, experienced call center agents who are ready to step in, perform under pressure, and represent your brand well. From sourcing and screening to onboarding and performance support, we provide end-to-end support that helps you maintain service quality, protect compliance, and scale with confidence through the year-end surge.

Let’s build a workforce that strengthens your operations and safeguards your call center’s reputation. Contact Salem Solutions Today to get started.

Reference

(SHRM) Research Team, Alonso, A., & Nelson, K. (2024, January). 2023-24 SHRM State of the Workplace Report. Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). https://www.shrm.org/content/dam/en/shrm/research/2023-2024-State-of-the-Workplace-Report.pdf
Birocci, J. H. (2022, August). Call Center Retention: A Correlational Study of Work Attitudes and Satisfaction of Training and Development for Customer Service Agents. Abilene Christian University. https://digitalcommons.acu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1521&context=etd

Jule Doran
•
Posted on
July 9, 2025

Retain Healthcare Agents

Struggling with healthcare call center burnout? Learn what drives attrition and how to retain skilled agents with clear, proven solutions tailored to your team.

Healthcare call center agents face heavy pressure each day. They take urgent patient calls, work through complex insurance questions, and support callers in distress. This constant demand and emotional stress often lead to burnout, causing many skilled agents to leave their jobs. As a result, healthcare organizations face high turnover, rising costs, and lower quality of service.

To keep teams strong and effective, healthcare employers must understand what drives burnout. This article looks at the key causes of burnout in healthcare call centers and offers simple, practical steps to help retain experienced agents.

Understanding the Healthcare Call Center Burnout Crisis

Burnout happens when employees feel worn out, mentally and physically, from long-term stress. The World Health Organization calls it a work-related condition. In healthcare call centers, this issue is especially severe.

A survey found that 75 percent of call centers, especially in emergency and healthcare across North America, reported staff burnout.¹ Within healthcare, the impact is even more pronounced, with turnover rates often reaching between 30 and 40 percent.² That’s more than twice the national average across other industries. High turnover leads to more than just staffing gaps. It places added pressure on remaining agents, reduces service quality, and increases operational costs.

Research estimates report the cost of replacing a single call center agent at between $10,000 and $21,000.³ As more agents leave, the workload increases for those who remain, creating a cycle of stress and further burnout. If this cycle is not addressed, it harms both employees and the patient’s experience. Breaking it starts with identifying the causes and acting on them.

Causes of Burnout in Healthcare Call Centers

Several workplace conditions combine to make burnout a common problem in healthcare call centers. Identifying these core issues helps employers see where change is needed most. Each factor contributes to agents leaving, even when they are dedicated and skilled.

1. High Stress and Emotional Pressure

Healthcare call center agents often handle urgent, sensitive, or emotionally charged calls. They speak with anxious patients seeking medical help, family members worried about insurance, and providers needing quick answers. Yet, they must stay calm and helpful, even in high-pressure moments.

Over time, this emotional effort and constant exposure to stress, illness, and emotional distress become exhausting, leading many to feel overwhelmed and worn down. Even skilled team members can feel overwhelmed, especially when support is limited.

2. Low Pay and Benefits

Many healthcare call center agents earn wages that do not reflect the difficulty and importance of their work. They manage sensitive information, support patient needs, and handle complex decisions. Yet, their pay often falls short compared to similar roles in other fields.

When agents struggle financially, they are more likely to search for better-paying jobs. This gap between what they do and what they earn creates frustration, making it easier for them to accept better offers from other employers.

3. Limited Career Growth Opportunities

Agents often feel stuck in roles that offer no clear path for advancement. Many call centers have flat structures, with few options beyond team lead or supervisor positions.

Ambitious agents who want to grow find limited chances to develop their careers. When they realize they cannot move forward professionally, their motivation levels drop. As a result, they become disengaged and begin looking for employers who invest in employee growth.

4. Lack of Support and Recognition

Healthcare call center agents often do not receive the support or recognition they need to feel valued. They manage difficult calls every day but rarely get feedback about the good work they do.

Instead, management often focuses on negative metrics like call time, overlooking the care and patience agents show in high-stress situations. Without regular acknowledgment, agents start to feel invisible.

Over time, this lack of support leads them to question whether their work matters and pushes them to seek employers who will recognize their efforts.

5. Poor Workforce Management Practices

Rigid scheduling and unrealistic expectations can increase burnout. Many call centers overlook agents’ personal needs, leading to long shifts, mandatory overtime, and too few breaks. Agents may also face pressure to meet targets that favor speed over quality, which adds to their stress.

Adding to this challenge, poor planning can leave agents undertrained for difficult calls, leaving them unprepared and stressed. These conditions build over time, creating an environment where burnout becomes unavoidable.

Strategies to Reduce Burnout and Improve Agent Retention

Addressing the causes of burnout and high turnover requires a clear and thoughtful plan. Healthcare organizations can improve agent retention by creating a supportive work environment where agents feel valued and empowered. Here’s how to retain skilled agents on your team.

1. Align Pay and Benefits with Market Expectations

Pay and benefits are major reasons agents stay or leave. To offer competitive compensation, review what other healthcare call centers and similar roles offer in your area. Look at wages, shift differentials, bonuses, and benefit packages. Conduct regular salary reviews, check job postings, and talk to industry contacts to stay informed.

Once you gather this data, compare it to your current offerings. Identify where your compensation falls short and close any gaps. Then, set up a review process at least twice a year with input from HR, finance, and operations.

Also, consider offering flexible benefits that matter to agents. These could include health insurance, paid time off, flexible schedules, and funds for professional development. Competitive, well-rounded compensation shows agents that their work is valued and encourages them to stay.

2. Provide Holistic Wellness Programs

Working in a call center can be mentally and physically draining. But providing wellness programs helps agents manage stress, stay healthy, and feel supported. A good program includes mental health tools like counseling, stress relief workshops, and peer support. It should also offer physical wellness options like gym memberships and flexible schedules that support work-life balance.

To begin, ask agents what they need in a survey. Use their feedback to build a tailored program with the help of local wellness providers in your area. Add simple things like quiet break spaces, healthy snacks, and tools for financial wellness. When agents feel cared for, they’re more likely to stay.

3. Invest in Employee Growth and Development

Agents want to know if they can grow their careers at your call center. Offer regular training, certifications, and chances to learn new skills. This shows you value their growth and gives them a reason to stay long term.

Set up a learning plan with clear goals. Work with local schools or online platforms for useful courses. Offer internal training and mentorship programs so experienced agents can help others grow. Use cross-training to help agents gain new skills. When learning becomes part of the job, agents feel more engaged and less likely to leave.

4. Build a Culture of Recognition

Recognition helps agents feel seen and valued. They deal with tough calls every day and need to know their efforts matter.

Use a mix of formal and informal ways to highlight achievements and build a culture of recognition. Set up employee awards, peer nominations, and public praise. Offer bonuses for great work and share positive feedback from patients and coworkers. Train managers to give regular encouragement, as even small gestures of appreciation can improve morale and retention.

5. Use Technology to Ease Agent Workloads

Modern call center technology can reduce workload, streamline operations, and improve the agent experience. But only when it’s used strategically. Tools like CRMs help track caller history, while knowledge bases make answers easy to find. And smart routing connects callers with the right agent faster.

Review the current systems you use and look for ways to improve them. Choose technology that is simple, helpful, and easy to learn. Offer hands-on training and create support materials. You can also use chatbots to handle simple requests, so agents can focus on complex needs. Better tools lead to better performance and stronger job satisfaction.

6. Close Skill Gaps with Expert Staffing Solutions

Burnout often increases when call centers are understaffed, or agents lack the skills to manage complex demands. That’s where we come in. At Salem Solutions, we connect healthcare organizations with experienced call center agents, management professionals, and other essential staff.

Our ability to quickly source and place qualified candidates ensures your team has the support it needs to reduce burnout and deliver high-quality service. With the right people in place, your call center becomes more resilient, efficient, and equipped to meet today’s healthcare challenges.

Turn Burnout into Stability with Salem Solutions

Burnout isn’t just a well-being problem; it directly impacts your call center’s performance and patient care. When skilled agents leave, service levels drop, costs climb, and patient trust is harder to maintain. But it doesn’t have to be a cycle. With the right solutions and staffing in place, your call center can become a reliable, high-performing part of your healthcare system.

Let’s solve burnout before it hits your bottom line.

Connect with Salem Solutions for healthcare-specific staffing strategies that help your call center perform better, consistently.

References

Carbyne & U.S Fire Administration. (2023, August 3). Pulse of 9-1-1 State of the Industry Survey. National Emergency Number Association (NENA). https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.nena.org/resource/resmgr/docs/2023_Carbyne_and_NENA_The_Pu.pdf
The State of Healthcare Call Centers 2023 Industry Report. (2023, September). Hyro. https://assets-002.noviams.com/novi-file-uploads/pac/PDFs-and-Documents/Industry_Partners/Hyro_-_The_State_of_Healthcare_Call_Centers_2023_Report-fa539649.pdf
Tatel, C., & Wigert, B. (2024, July 10). 42% of Employee Turnover Is Preventable but Often Ignored. GallUp Research. https://www.gallup.com/workplace/646538/employee-turnover-preventable-often-ignored.aspx

Jule Doran
•
Posted on
July 2, 2025

Prevent Call Center Disruptions

Discover how government call centers can prevent service disruptions, maintain staffing levels, and improve customer experience during seasonal demand spikes.

Government call centers play a vital role in delivering essential services like healthcare support, unemployment assistance, and emergency aid. These operations must run smoothly year-round, but seasonal spikes in demand can make that difficult.

During summer and holiday months, staffing becomes a real challenge as more agents take time off. The result is often longer wait times, higher call abandonment, and drops in service quality. To stay resilient and responsive, your government contact center needs a proactive plan to manage these seasonal disruptions head-on.

Why Summer Disruptions Happen

It’s easy to blame time off for service issues, but the root causes are more layered. A few key factors often overlap during the summer months:

Stacked vacation windows. Many employees prefer summer for their time off, resulting in multiple agents being out during the same periods.
Rigid staffing models. Government centers often operate with fixed shift structures, which leave little flexibility to absorb sudden absences.
Slower hiring and onboarding. Security clearances and compliance checks, common in federal and state programs, can take weeks, making last-minute hires difficult.
Higher seasonal demand. Summer can bring spikes in call volume due to hurricane season, school breaks, or agencies prepping for fall initiatives like open enrollment.
Outdated systems. Without automation, overflow options, or smart call routing, even modest increases in volume can overwhelm teams.

Understanding these overlapping challenges is the first step. The next step is building a forward-looking staffing strategy that addresses them head-on.

Your Summer Staffing Game Plan: 6 Practical Ways to Stay on Track

Here are six strategies you can apply now to strengthen your center services before the season peaks. Together, they form a resilient staffing plan that prioritizes customer experience while protecting your team from burnout.

Anticipate Absences with Vacation Forecasting

When you forecast potential staffing gaps before they occur, you can keep your call center operating smoothly, even during the busiest weeks.

Start by combining two critical data sets: last year’s call volume by hour and your team’s approved PTO schedule. Then:

Plot call spikes alongside planned absences
Identify high-risk days and vulnerable shifts
Ensure key service lines are fully staffed

For example, if historical data shows July brings a 20 percent spike due to seasonal claims, and half your team is scheduled to be out that same month, you’ll know exactly where to allocate support in advance.

With this insight, you can proactively reassign internal staff or flag roles for temporary staffing. Staying ahead of demand keeps service delivery consistent and avoids reactive scrambles.

Cross-Train Agents to Boost Agility

Having versatile agents is crucial during the vacation season. When agents handle multiple call types, benefits claim one day, eligibility questions the next; you reduce risk and improve response times.

To build this flexibility:

Offer short, focused training sessions on related call types
Have agents shadow experienced colleagues to learn on the job.
Rotate assignments in quieter months to practice and strengthen new skills.

By summer, you’ll have a versatile team of multi-skilled agents ready to step in wherever they are needed.

This flexibility reduces disruptions, helps callers reach knowledgeable representatives faster, and contributes to improving overall customer experience.

Fill Staffing Gaps Quickly with Temporary Help

Even with cross-training, staffing gaps will arise. That’s where temporary staffing makes a real difference.

Partnering with Salem Solutions gives you quick access to skilled, pre-screened agents who understand government contact center protocols and compliance. This means no lengthy recruiting or extra training. Just dependable support exactly when and where you need it.

Using temporary staff helps you keep your main customer service team fully staffed and reduce wait times, all without increasing your permanent headcount. It also gives you the flexibility to adjust your team size based on immediate needs

Let Automation Handle Routine Tasks

During peak seasons, every minute matters. The more time agents spend on routine inquiries, the less capacity they have to handle urgent or complex issues that require their full attention.

Smart automation tools can reduce this pressure by handling low-complexity tasks such as:

AI-driven call routing that connects callers with the right skill set
Chatbots or SMS updates for appointment reminders and status checks
Self-service portals for frequently asked questions

By shifting routine work to automation, agents have more capacity to focus on escalations and sensitive issues.

This change can improve first-call resolution and reduce customer wait times. In fact, studies show that automation and artificial intelligence (AI) can increase customer satisfaction significantly.¹

Design Flexible Schedules That Work for Everyone

When employees have more control over their schedules, they are more likely to show up and stay engaged. They are also more willing to cover essential shifts. Whether your team supports remote work or operates on-site, it’s important to build flexibility into your scheduling approach.

For example, one agent might prefer shorter morning shifts to manage childcare. Another may trade weekends for weekdays off. These small changes reduce absences and help you retain staff.

It also helps to reward flexibility. Offering early PTO approvals or small bonuses for hard-to-fill shifts shows your team that their willingness to adapt is valued.

Without that recognition, employees may seek more accommodating opportunities elsewhere. In fact, 70 percent say they would leave a job for one that offers greater flexibility.²

Make Workforce Planning a Year-Round Habit

Think of summer not as a one-off challenge but as part of a bigger, continuous staffing strategy. Seasonal pressure points tend to repeat, so the best way to avoid last-minute stress is to make workforce planning a regular part of your operations.

After each peak season, take time to:

Review PTO patterns, call volume trends, and key performance metrics
Ask your team for feedback on workloads, scheduling, and what could be improved
Use what you learn to adjust your hiring timeline, training efforts, and technology tools

By planning throughout the year, you create a call center that adapts quickly and handles challenges smoothly. Your team won’t just react to busy seasons; they’ll be ready and ahead of the competition.

You Can’t Stop Time Off, But You Can Prevent Service Disruption

Time off is important, and your agents have earned it. But in a government call center, where every call can impact someone’s access to healthcare, benefits, or emergency support, maintaining service quality is non-negotiable.

With smart planning that includes forecasting, cross-training, temporary staffing, automation, and flexible scheduling, you can protect both service levels and team well-being.

When workforce planning becomes a consistent, year-round effort, seasonal surges become manageable. Citizens get the timely help they need. Agents stay engaged and supported, and your agency can continue delivering on its mission without disruption.

Ready to Strengthen Your Summer Staffing Strategy? Salem Solutions Has You Covered

Salem Solutions connects government contact centers with cleared, qualified agents who are trained, compliant, and ready to step in immediately.

No lengthy onboarding. No compliance worries. Just skilled professionals when and where you need them. Let’s help you keep customer service levels high all summer long.

Contact Salem Solutions Today to secure the talent you need.

References

Elevating Experiences: The AI Revolution in Customer Engagement. (2023, August 21). Gartner Peer Community. https://www.gartner.com/peer-community/oneminuteinsights/omi-ai-driven-customer-engagement-pfr
Survey: Flexible work rises as top perk. (2023, February 21). Zoom. https://www.zoom.com/en/resources/survey-workers-want-flexible-work/

Jule Doran
•
Posted on
June 18, 2025

Stand Out for Promotion

Discover proven career advancement strategies that create growth opportunities and help you stand out at work after earning your degree.

Your degree represents a significant achievement that opened doors to your first professional role. It demonstrates your dedication to learning and equips you with essential knowledge that employers value. However, the professional landscape is constantly evolving beyond what any degree program can fully prepare you for.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) highlighted that nearly 70 percent of employers now prioritize practical skills and workplace impact over academic credentials when considering promotions.¹ This reality makes continuous learning beneficial and essential for anyone looking to advance their career.

Let’s explore the strategies that will help you stand out from other degree holders and position yourself for faster advancement.

Why Continuous Learning is Key to a Successful Career

Here’s why ongoing professional development delivers significant advantages:

Adaptability to Industry Changes

Professionals who continuously update their skills remain relevant despite technological advancements and shifting market demands. This adaptability makes you valuable as industries transform and new challenges emerge.

Enhanced Problem-Solving Capabilities

Regular learning exposes you to diverse approaches and solutions. This expanded toolkit helps you address complex workplace challenges with creativity and confidence that degree-only professionals often lack.

Increased Visibility to Leadership

Demonstrating a commitment to growth signals ambition and potential to decision-makers. Managers notice employees who actively pursue knowledge beyond their formal education, marking them as candidates for additional responsibilities and advancement.

Specialized Expertise Development

Continuous learning allows you to develop niche skills highly valued in your industry. This specialization distinguishes you from your peers and creates advancement opportunities that might otherwise remain closed.

How to Stand Out and Get Promoted After Landing Your First Job

Here are a few tips to help you stand out, climb the ladder faster, and carve out a rewarding career path:

Strengthen Your Soft Skills Early

Technical knowledge can get your tasks done, but soft skills make you the person others want to work with — and promote. Communication, teamwork, emotional intelligence, and adaptability aren’t extras anymore; they’re critical components of effective career development.

For example, someone with high emotional intelligence is better equipped to manage workplace stress, handle constructive criticism, and build meaningful professional relationships. Similarly, effective communication —both verbal and written— is a skill that carries significant weight.

The ability to express ideas clearly and listen actively is critical in every industry, from customer service to technical roles. Whether you’re giving a presentation, sending an email, or participating in a meeting, your communication skills will determine how well your message is received and how effectively you can influence others.

These skills are often the ones that elevate employees into leadership positions, making them key for anyone looking to stand out. You don’t have to master every interaction. But consistently showing respect, professionalism, and flexibility sets you apart in ways your résumé never will.

Build Strong Relationships That Open Doors

Strong working relationships are the secret weapon of career growth. Your ability to build trust with supervisors, teammates, and clients directly impacts your future opportunities. Building these relationships increases your visibility in the company and shows you’re committed to contributing to a positive work environment.

It also opens the door for you to take on projects and roles that involve working with cross-functional teams, making you more valuable to the company.

The foundation of strong relationships begins with being approachable and respectful toward colleagues. Take time to engage with others, showing genuine interest in their work and offering support when needed even on small tasks.

These connections become your most powerful advocates when new roles or special projects arise, as promotions often go to those who are trusted, not just those who are technically capable.

Exceed Expectations Consistently

Meeting basic requirements keeps you employed, but exceeding expectations accelerates advancement. Deliver work before deadlines, include additional insights beyond what was requested, and proactively identify problems before they escalate.

Set personal standards above what’s formally required. Double-check your work for errors, offer solutions when presenting problems, and take ownership of mistakes with immediate corrective action. Employees who take initiative and go beyond basic job requirements are 2.7 times more likely to be considered for leadership tracks.² These habits create a reputation for exceptional reliability.

Take On New Challenges That Stretch Your Skills

If you want to stand out, you need to get comfortable stepping out of your comfort zone. Volunteer for new assignments, cross-train with other departments, or tackle small leadership opportunities even if they feel intimidating at first.

Request assignments that develop new skills relevant to your desired career path. This calculated risk-taking shows management your willingness to grow and adapt—qualities essential for leadership roles.

Seek Out Mentorship and Career Guidance

You don’t have to navigate the early stages of your career alone. A recent study by Forbes found that professionals with mentors are five times more likely to be promoted than those without.³ So, mentorship can dramatically speed up your professional growth and career progression.

Mentors can offer insights that no course, seminar, or self-help book ever could — because they’ve walked the path you’re trying to travel. Identify someone whose career path you admire and request a monthly conversation to discuss your career development. Come prepared with specific questions to respect their time.

Invest in Continuous Learning

The job market doesn’t stand still, and neither should you. Commit to continuous learning to keep your skills sharp and relevant. Whether it’s new technology, customer service techniques, or leadership training, staying ahead gives you a powerful edge.

Some smart ways to prioritize learning include:

Take short, targeted online courses
Attend workshops relevant to your role
Pursue certifications that align with your career paths
Ask your manager about company-sponsored learning programs

Investing in yourself signals to leadership that you take professional development seriously and that you’re prepared for bigger challenges.

Master the Art of Strategic Networking

Having a strong professional network opens you up to new opportunities and helps you stay informed about trends, best practices, and potential job openings. Attend industry events, join relevant online communities, and maintain relationships with former colleagues and classmates. These connections provide valuable perspective and often lead to unexpected opportunities.

Start small with manageable networking goals. Connect with one new professional monthly, participate in industry discussions online, or attend quarterly events in your field. Quality connections matter more than quantity.

Balance Ambition with Work-Life Harmony

Ambition is essential, but pushing yourself too hard too soon can lead to burnout. While many talk about achieving work-life balance, work-life harmony is what truly sets you apart. Balance can often feel like an unattainable goal, as it’s not always possible to give equal attention to both personal and work responsibilities.

Instead, focus on creating a work-life routine that keeps you energized, focused, and sustainable in the long run. Prioritizing your tasks and understanding when it’s time to shift focus lets you maintain a healthy rhythm that supports both your career goals, job satisfaction, and personal well-being.

Discuss Advancement With Supervisors

When the time comes for a promotion or job opening within your organization, you shouldn’t hope someone notices your hard work, you should be ready to make your case confidently. Prepare by documenting specific accomplishments that demonstrate your readiness for greater responsibility.

If immediate promotion isn’t possible, request feedback on what skills or experiences would strengthen your candidacy. This proactive approach demonstrates your commitment to growth within the organization and ensures you’re developing in alignment with the company’s needs.

Ready to advance Your career?

At Salem Solutions, we’re here to help you grow in your new role and achieve lasting success. Whether it’s refining skills or navigating your career path, we’ve got the support you need. Contact us today and let’s work together to reach your goals!

References

Hopson, A., & Torpey, E. (2025, March 6). People and management skills: Career options projected to have fast growth and many openings. U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2025/article/people-and-management-skills.htm
Harter, J. (2024, September 6). World’s Largest Ongoing Study of the Employee Experience. GallUp. https://www.gallup.com/workplace/649487/world-largest-ongoing-study-employee-experience.aspx
Reeves, M. (2023, October 6). 6 Benefits Of Mentoring In The 2023 Workplace. Forbes Human Resources Council. https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbeshumanresourcescouncil/2023/10/06/6-benefits-of-mentoring-in-the-2023-workplace/

Jule Doran
•
Posted on
June 11, 2025

High-Performing Service Team

Discover strategies for building high-performing customer service teams. Learn how to attract, train, and retain top talent for long-term success.

High turnover is a constant challenge in customer support-heavy industries. The fast pace, high stress, and emotional demands of the job often lead to burnout, making it hard to keep teams fully staffed, let alone engaged and high-performing.

But filling roles isn’t the same as building a team. You can have every seat filled and still struggle with missed KPIs, inconsistent service, and low morale. A truly strong, performance-driven team needs more than just warm bodies; it needs the right people, the right support, and the right environment to thrive.

That’s why it’s essential to look beyond hiring alone. We’ll dive into four key areas that help reduce churn and elevate team performance: attracting the right talent, delivering impactful training, retaining top performers, and building a culture that fuels long-term success.

Why High Turnover Hurts Customer Service Quality

Turnover in customer support roles impacts everything from team morale to customer satisfaction. Here’s how:

1. Time and Money Drain

Hiring new team members isn’t cheap or quick. Companies invest in job ads, interviews, background checks, and training, only to repeat the process when someone else leaves. According to Gallup, the cost of replacing an employee can range from half to twice their annual salary.¹ This constant cycle strains budgets and pulls managers away from higher-value tasks.

2. Decreased Team Morale

When people constantly come and go, team morale suffers. Experienced employees often pick up the slack, train new hires, and deal with inconsistent workflows. Over time, this added pressure can lead to burnout and disengagement, fueling even more turnover.

3. Inconsistent Customer Experience

Frequent staff changes disrupt the customer journey. New hires may not be fully up to speed on systems, procedures, and company policies. This affects their ability to solve issues quickly or deliver service that meets established standards. Customers notice these inconsistencies, which can damage satisfaction and loyalty over time.

4. Loss of Product Knowledge and Rapport

Seasoned representatives carry valuable institutional knowledge that’s difficult to replace. When they leave, your team loses expertise in handling complex inquiries, awareness of recurring issues, and established relationships with long-term customers.

This institutional memory gap leads to longer resolution times, increased escalations, and frustrated customers who have to repeatedly explain their history with your company.

How to Attract and Retain Top Customer Service Talent

Solving turnover requires more than quick hires or temporary fixes. To build a strong, stable customer service team, you need long-term strategies that start with smart hiring and continue through development and retention. Here are a few ways to bring in and keep the right people.:

1. Invest in a People-First Hiring Strategy

If you want to reduce churn and build a high-performing customer service team, start with how you hire. A people-first hiring strategy goes beyond filling roles; it’s about finding the right fit, setting them up for success, and showing them why they should stay. Here’s how:

1.Build a strategic hiring process.

Top-tier customer service reps bring more than just experience, they bring empathy, resilience, and a solutions-first mindset. Use behavior-based interviews, job simulations, and emotional intelligence assessments to uncover candidates who can handle tough conversations and still leave customers feeling heard.

2. Hire for attitude, train for skill.

You can teach someone how to use your CRM or follow a script. What you can’t teach is the willingness to help, the curiosity to solve problems, or the grit to stay positive during back-to-back calls. Look for those traits in your candidates, they’re harder to develop than technical skills.

3. Make your job posting count.

A generic job ad won’t attract standout talent. Speak directly to the kind of person you want on your team. Showcase your company culture, development opportunities, and support systems. When people see a future, not just a job, they’re more likely to stick around.

2. Offer More Than a Paycheck

You might wonder, “How do I stand out when everyone’s hiring for the same customer service roles?” In fast-moving industries, great talent doesn’t just want a job, they want to feel valued, supported, and excited to show up. And that starts with offering more than just a paycheck.

Yes, competitive wages matter. But today’s top candidates are paying attention to the full package. Wellness stipends, flexible schedules, and performance-based bonuses signal that you’re invested in their well-being, not just their productivity.

In fact, 53 percent of employees say better personal wellness is very important when choosing a workplace.² These extras may seem small, but they make a big difference in who applies and who sticks around.

And here’s where many companies miss out: they wait too long to mention the perks. Don’t make that mistake. Highlight your benefits during the hiring process, on job listings, and across your careers page. The more you communicate what makes your workplace better, the more likely you are to attract (and keep) people who want to do great work for you.

3. Offer Clear Career Paths and Promote from Within

People tend to stay where they see growth. When you give your customer service team a clear roadmap from day one for how they can advance into leadership, quality assurance, or training roles, it changes the game. Instead of viewing their job as a temporary stepping stone, they start seeing a future with your company.

Internal promotions do more than boost morale; they also help you retain hard-earned knowledge and reduce turnover. Team members who rise through the ranks already understand your systems, customers, and work environment, which means they can lead with confidence and consistency.

Just make sure you’re communicating these opportunities clearly and consistently across onboarding, check-ins, and performance reviews. That way, your team knows you’re serious about investing in their growth

4. Create A Workplace Culture People Want to Be Part Of

Your team is more likely to stay when they feel supported, valued, and respected at work. That starts with building a workplace culture where recognition and balance are baked into the everyday experience, not just perks offered during tough times.

Recognition programs can go a long way. A quick shout-out in a team meeting or a small reward for a job well done shows people their work matters. But you also need to make it easier for your team to manage the job’s demands. Think flexible scheduling, mental health support, and breathing room during busy seasons.

When people feel seen and supported, they perform better, and they’re also more likely to stay, grow, and become advocates for your company. That’s the kind of culture that fuels long-term success.

Training for Excellence: Building High-Performing Teams

Hiring the right people is just the beginning. How you train and support them makes all the difference. Here are some key strategies to consider when building a high-performance team.

Comprehensive Onboarding

Don’t just walk new hires through your systems and policies; help them understand your company’s values, your service standards, and what success really looks like. This builds a stronger sense of purpose from day one.

Want to accelerate learning and boost confidence? Use hands-on training. Role-playing real customer scenarios, shadowing top performers, and pairing new hires with seasoned “buddies” help bring theory into practice. This practical approach gets your team up to speed faster and helps them stay longer.

Invest in Continuous Skill Development

Show your team members you value their growth by committing to training that goes far beyond the basics. Make regular training a part of your culture. Focusing on communication, mastering new tech tools, and building resilience for high-pressure situations can go a long way.

Since tasks are interconnected, you can cross-train agents to build agility to handle different types of inquiries. That kind of flexibility helps reduce burnout and creates smoother experiences for your customers.

Turn Feedback into Fuel for Growth

Employees tend to stick with companies that do right by their people by making them feel heard, supported, and encouraged to grow. By offering consistent coaching and feedback, you can help create a workplace culture that builds confidence and drives long-term performance.

One way to make this real is by integrating performance coaching into everyday routines. Use tools like call recordings, peer reviews, and scorecards to provide relevant, real-time feedback that feels like support, not surveillance. But you want to ensure you’re going about it in the right way that’ll actually help them urn feedback into a habit that fuels improvement.

Measure What Matters and Reward Progress

Before you can build a high-performing team, you need to know what’s working and recognize the people moving the needle. That means tracking the impact of your training programs through meaningful metrics like customer satisfaction (CSAT), first contact resolution (FCR), and time to resolution.

From there, focus on progress over perfection. Celebrate team members who show improvement, not just those who hit every target. Whether it’s a boost in customer service skills or quicker resolution times, rewarding development helps reinforce the behaviors that drive long-term success.

Let Salem Solutions help you build stronger service teams today

Looking to attract and retain top-tier customer service talent? Salem Solutions specializes in helping businesses like yours find service-minded professionals who not only meet performance goals but elevate the entire customer experience.

Whether you’re scaling fast or optimizing for retention, we connect you with the people who make every customer interaction count. Contact us, and let’s work together to build a high-performing team that sticks around and stands out.

Reference

Wigert, By Ben. “The Top 6 Things Employees Want in Their Next Job.” Gallup.com, 27 Mar. 2025, www.gallup.com/workplace/389807/top-things-employees-next-job.aspx.
Wigert, By Shane McFeely and Ben. “This Fixable Problem Costs U.S. Businesses $1 Trillion.” Gallup.com, 25 Mar. 2025, www.gallup.com/workplace/247391/fixable-problem-costs-businesses-trillion.aspx.

Jule Doran
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Posted on
June 4, 2025

Temp-to-Hire Staffing

Discover why employers prefer temp-to-hire staffing over traditional hiring methods and how it reduces risk while improving hiring decisions.

Traditional hiring comes with big risks. Companies must commit to new employees without really knowing if they’ll succeed in the role. This uncertainty leaves many employers looking for safer options that still help them build strong teams.

Temp-to-hire staffing offers a practical solution. It lets employers see how candidates perform in real work situations before making a permanent hire. This approach reduces expensive turnover and works well across many industries, from call centers to financial services. But what makes temp-to-hire so effective, and how can your company use this strategy to make better hiring decisions?

What are the best practices for structuring temp-to-hire contracts, setting clear expectations, and ensuring smooth transitions for your company and your employees? Let’s get your questions answered.

Understanding the Shift: Why Employers Are Moving Toward Temp-to-Hire Staffing

Traditional hiring can feel like a leap of faith—often leading to unexpected challenges. Hiring someone for a full-time position requires a significant commitment, and if the hire doesn’t work out, it can lead to expensive turnover costs and disruptions in your workplace.

According to a report by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), a staggering 50 percent of companies reported having to replace an employee within the first year.¹ This high turnover rate is not just a headache—it’s a major drain on company resources.

In contrast, temp-to-hire staffing allows you to “test out” candidates before making a permanent commitment. This model provides an opportunity to assess a candidate’s skills, work ethic, and cultural fit, which significantly reduces the risks associated with traditional hiring. If a candidate doesn’t work out, you can end the contract without the long-term consequences of a permanent hire.

This approach has proven particularly valuable in industries with high turnover rates, such as call centers, customer service, and retail. It’s also a great option for employers in sectors like real estate, financial services, and professional services, where specific skills and experience are often required for success but the hiring market can be volatile.

The Key Benefits: How Temp-to-Hire Staffing Drives Success

Temp-to-hire staffing isn’t just about flexibility—it’s about enhancing the quality of your hiring decisions. Here are some of the biggest benefits of this model:

1. Lower Turnover and Recruitment Costs

The same report from SHRM found that 60 percent of employers who used temp-to-hire arrangements reported a decrease in turnover.² This reduction isn’t just a statistic—it’s a direct impact on your bottom line. By lowering turnover, you save on recruitment, training, and lost productivity, giving your company the stability it needs to grow without the constant cycle of rehiring.

In addition, hiring costs can be high, especially when considering the time spent on recruitment processes like background checks, interviews, and training. Temp-to-hire staffing allows you to bypass much of this cost, especially since many staffing agencies handle initial screening and placement.

2. Better Cultural Fit

In any industry, a candidate’s ability to align with the workplace culture is a critical factor in their success. Many employees who fit well within a company’s culture are more engaged, productive, and less likely to leave.³ Temp-to-hire staffing provides a trial period to ensure that employees are not just qualified for the job but also fit within the existing team dynamics.

By observing the candidate’s work style, interactions with coworkers, and overall behavior during the temp period, you can make a more informed decision about their long-term potential. This reduces the risk of hiring someone who might disrupt the team or fail to adapt to the company’s core values.

3. More Informed Hiring Decisions

Temp-to-hire staffing gives you a unique advantage when it comes to evaluating candidates. During the temp period, you can assess a candidate’s skills in real-time, ensuring they meet the job requirements and can handle the demands of the role. This reduces the chances of making a hasty decision based on resumes alone, which can sometimes be misleading.

By the end of the temp period, you’ll have a solid understanding of the candidate’s capabilities, work ethic, and reliability—key factors in ensuring a long-term, successful hire.

How to Implement Temp-to-Hire Staffing: Best Practices for Employers

Implementing a successful temp-to-hire program requires careful planning and clear communication. Here are some best practices to ensure that your temp-to-hire arrangement works for both you and your new hires:

1. Set Clear Expectations from the Start

Transparency about the terms of the temp-to-hire arrangement matters from day one. Ensure candidates understand that while the job is initially temporary, permanent employment is possible if both parties are satisfied. Many candidates feel uncertain about their future with the company during temp arrangements, which can lead to reduced engagement or continued job searching.

Establish clear timelines, performance benchmarks, and transition criteria upfront to create a structure. This clarity helps temporary workers envision their potential future with your organization. It not only reduces anxiety but also helps maintain motivation throughout the temporary period.

2. Structure Contracts Wisely

Well-structured contracts should outline the duration of the temporary period, job responsibilities, and criteria for transition to permanent employment. Many employers worry about the legal complexity of these arrangements, particularly regarding benefits, overtime eligibility, and potential co-employment issues.

A specialized staffing partner like Salem Solutions helps navigate these complexities effectively. Our contracts protect both employers and employees, ensuring smooth transitions to full-time roles while maintaining compliance with labor regulations. This approach reduces your administrative burden and legal exposure while providing a clear framework for the working relationship.

3. Monitor Performance and Provide Feedback

Regular feedback proves crucial during the temp period. Some employers fail to provide temporary workers with the same level of coaching as permanent staff, which often leads to performance issues. Schedule regular time to review employee performance and provide constructive feedback.

These check-ins help build relationships based on trust and transparency, which supports long-term success. When you establish the same performance management processes for temp workers as permanent staff, you improve current performance and ease their eventual transition to your full-time team.

4. Integrate Temporary Workers into Your Culture

The “temporary mindset” represents a significant challenge in temp-to-hire arrangements. Temporary workers often feel disconnected from company culture, resulting in lower engagement and reduced productivity compared to permanent employees.

Include temp workers in team meetings, company events, and appropriate training opportunities to address this issue. Temporary staff who feel like valued team members perform better and develop stronger commitment to your organization. This integration approach also gives you clearer insight into how well they truly fit with your team dynamics.

5. Plan for Continuity During Transitions

Maintaining productivity during the transition from temporary to permanent status concerns many employers. This period typically involves paperwork, benefit enrollments, and administrative tasks that can disrupt workflow.

A streamlined transition process helps minimize disruptions. Work with your staffing partner to create an efficient transition plan that maintains operational continuity. A clear onboarding approach for converting temporary workers to permanent status ensures your operations continue smoothly while new employees settle into their permanent roles.

The Future of Staffing is Flexible

Temp-to-hire staffing offers a flexible, low-risk solution for companies looking to improve their hiring processes. By allowing you to “test drive” candidates, you gain the opportunity to ensure they meet your company’s needs both in terms of skills and culture before committing to a full-time hire.

With benefits like reduced turnover, more informed hiring decisions, and a better cultural fit, temp-to-hire staffing is quickly becoming the go-to model for companies seeking to build stable, high-performing teams.

Ready to embrace flexibility for long-term success?

At Salem Solutions, our staffing solutions can be tailored to your unique needs, ensuring that you find the best talent without the risks of traditional hiring. Reach out today to learn how we can help you hire with confidence.

Get started today!