Contact center agents work on the front lines of customer support and present the first touchpoint between customers and the company. They often feel overwhelmed and burned out because of playing a significant role in a companyβs success. Thus, various businesses practice employee engagement to give employees opportunities for growth and take care of their mental health. Are you interested in having motivated, self-driven employees? Then read our new blog post further, where we will show you core benefits of employee engagement and explain how to ensure it for contact center agents.
What you should know about employee engagement
What does employee engagement mean? Employee engagement is the employeesβ commitment to their work while understanding the companyβs mission and goals. Why is employee engagement important? Engaged workers are more interested in the result of their projects and believe their ideas are valued. Their communication with the company is transparent, as its environment is trust-based and respectful.
Core benefits employee engagement can bring to businesses:
1. Increased team performance and productivity. Employee engagement benefits not only the individuals but the whole team. When there is a group of motivated employees who are accountable for the results of their work, they form a hard-working team that performs at a higher level. Team members also can mirror the behavior patterns and actions of their colleagues. Thus, seeing their teammates working with pleasure for the companyβs good can motivate people for their achievements.
2. Higher commitment to the company. It is challenging for the company to maintain successful work when the employee turnover rates are high. When experienced workers leave the company, they take valuable knowledge with them. Hiring and training new experts is time-consuming and takes a lot of energy. Therefore, it is essential to have committed employees who feel valued and do not think of leaving the company.
3. Mental health improvement. Motivated and engaged employees know how to handle stress and that they are not alone in facing challenges. Stress has its benefits and can be helpful to work performance when it is pushing employees forward. Workers need to understand the cause of their stress and ways to manage it to avoid burnout.
Why contact centers should support employee engagement
Contact center agents are the main representatives of the entire company. Therefore, their attitude and willingness to help are the core of customer satisfaction. Contact center employee engagement allows maintaining the corporate image and presents the agents as ambassadors for the companyβs values.
How to ensure engagement of contact center agents
1. One of the tips for employee engagement is empowerment. Every worker likes to know that his opinion is heard and valued. Contact center agents can feel empowered by joining the executive meetings and sharing their points of view on essential matters. Inviting motivational speakers to train employees or organizing team retreats can also serve as a reward for the tiresome work of contact center agents.
2. Many contact center companies use gamification to engage the employees, trying to reach everyone with button click. Gamification is an example of how to drive employee engagement using digital ways. The employees usually improve their skills and work ethics or learn more about the companyβs goals while earning points and awards in the game. Gamification helps call center support agents to treat their work as a fun process full of interesting discoveries and possibilities to compete with their teammates.
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3. Workspace optimization is another essential strategy to ensure call center employee engagement as they have an intense work schedule. Employees can socialize, relax, and even take naps in a lounge. You can also provide them with standing desks, plants, and some natural lighting to boost productivity. There are many ways to care about employeesβ health by offering gym memberships, healthy snack options, and rewards for those who commute to work by bike or on foot.Β
4. The employees are more likely to stay loyal to the company and engaged with the work process when they have opportunities for professional development. These opportunities can come as tuition reimbursement for university courses or providing employees with leadership training, etc. Additional knowledge never goes in vain but equips agents with essential skills, improving employee engagement in a call center.Β
Afterwords
Employee engagement is an essential part of a companyβs success. Motivated and self-driven contact center agents take into account the corporate values and are great ambassadors of outsourced customer support. Contact center companies create a welcoming and flourishing atmosphere by considering employeesβ opinions, including gamification in the work process, optimizing the workspace, and giving the employees opportunities for professional development. Employee engagement certainly does not decrease the amount of work, but it makes the employees feel valuable and attentive to their responsibilities.Β
Looking for an efficient option for customer support? WOW 24-7 can provide your company with all the essential services and show a great example of employee engagement.
