For contact centres, retaining top talent is the key to hitting performance targets. It’s no secret that high turnover rates can lead to poor efficiency, customer complaints and increased operational costs.
So, how can you combat this challenge? Well, staff retention can be tricky but there are some effective strategies you can implement to encourage a positive and supportive work environment.
What is the state of play in contact centres?
According to our latest Benchmarking Report, the average turnover in call centres is 30.2%. But before we dive straight into retention strategies, let’s take a moment to understand the factors that contribute to high turnover in contact centres.
- Increased Workloads: 42.0% of call centres are experiencing a surge in agent workloads, which will eventually lead to burnout and job dissatisfaction.
- Lack of Reward: Despite higher workloads and the cost of living crisis, 56% of agents have not received a salary increase. Underpaid staff negatively impacts job satisfaction and motivation.
- Lack of Career Growth: Feedback and training are essential for performance growth and provide agents with opportunities for advancement. However, 22% of contact leaders share coaching tips just once a month.
Without the right call centre staff retention strategies in place, call agent turnover will increase. So what strategies should call centre managers implement?
It starts with onboarding
Onboarding really does matter when it comes to reducing staff churn. Failing to welcome staff effectively and prepare them for their first weeks on the job is hugely costly.
Have a structured onboarding plan
Make sure you have an onboarding plan that makes full use of their time. Leaving new starters twiddling their thumbs or unsure of what they should be doing next is not a good first impression. It smacks of a lack of organisation.
- Share essential company information
Before you get to the role-specific stuff, give them the essential business information they need. Show them where to get a cup of coffee, and where to turn for help when they’re locked out of the company intranet. Let them know of any perks the company offers, and how to claim them.
Help new-starters to network
Introduce new starters to key contacts and consider assigning a mentor for support. Make sure you give new starters the opportunity to get to know the people they’ll be working with.
Provide them with the right equipment
Make sure new employees have the right equipment and set up. Don’t forget to consider their needs based on their working agreement – are they office based, hybrid or fully remote?
Have a role-specific training plan
An onboarding programme should prepare new call agents for their specific role. It needs to be thorough, with time for questions and feedback. It’s important for new contact centre staff to feel confident about handling live interactions with customers, so incorporate mock calls and role plays.
Provide training on contact centre features
The best contact centre software is intuitive to use. But ongoing training is essential as new features are introduced. Start with basic functions and progress through more advanced features. At Maxcontact, we offer full training for our clients and their teams, for free, forever.
Create a positive work environment to reduce staff churn in your call centre
Even if you nail the onboarding process, there are still plenty of strategies you can put in place to make sure your workforce stays motivated and your call centre is a happy environment.
Prioritise the well-being of your staff
Investing in employee well-being is essential for a thriving contact centre. Here are some processes you can put in place to prioritise employee engagement and reduce burnout.
- Organise regular one-to-one chats and make yourself available for impromptu meetings.
- Measure satisfaction and engagement levels with surveys and questionnaires.
- Organise team social events to blow off steam.
- Train mental health champions and give employees access to wellbeing resources.
- Encourage a switch-off culture: employees should disconnect from work at the end of every shift.
NOTE: Even with all this in place it’s important to spot signs of staff disengagement and intervene early.
Pay attention to your recruitment strategy
It’s inevitable that employees will eventually move on. But it’s important to have a recruitment process in place so you can keep staffing levels up. If you’re understaffed, workloads increase and this leads to burnout.
But recruitment strategy doesn’t just apply to replacing staff – it’s much broader than that.
- Attract top talent through effective recruitment channels, including social media, job boards and employee referrals.
- Invest in talent development programs to identify and nurture high-potential employees within your organisation.
- Create clear career paths and progression opportunities to motivate agents and retain them long-term.
Prioritise continual learning
Agents are less likely to burn out if they’re confident in what they do. Well trained staff are less likely to feel overwhelmed. So provide your team with specific training and schedule regular feedback sessions.
Invest in the right technology
Investing in the right contact centre software and technology can ease workloads and increase job satisfaction. Software such as intelligent diallers can reduce manual labour, while self-serve IVR payments can reduce customer contact and free up staff time for more complex calls. Meanwhile, good scripting and on-call coaching can help agents deal with difficult situations.
Offer them a career path
Make sure every agent knows how far ahead the next step on the career ladder might be, and what they need to do to reach it.
It might be achieving better monthly figures, taking extra training or just making gradual improvements over time. If an agent can see a route to greater responsibility and better rewards, they’ll be more likely to stay with your company. If they feel trapped at their current level, they’ll be more likely to leave.
Some agents may show little interest in promotion; the job is a stopgap. That’s fine, as long as they do the job satisfactorily. But focus more time and resources on those agents that clearly see a future with your business.
By implementing these processes, contact centres can significantly reduce staff turnover rates and create a positive work environment. By prioritising employee retention and keeping their staff motivated, call centres can improve customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.
