According to research, the contact centre industry is one of the hardest to recruit and retain. The average number of applications per job opening per day is just 0.01. The industry offers excellent job security and supportive environments, as well as the flexibility that is hard to match in other sectors. What’s going on and why do these employers struggle with the “weakest UK job market”?
The “emotional burden” is one of the major causes of this problem. Employees are forced to bear the brunt of interactions which often lead to frustration and dissatisfaction. Burnout, lack autonomy and career advancement are all well-known stress factors. It is no surprise that contact centres have high turnover and disengagement rates.
Recent research sheds light on these issues. As an example, 46% report that they have little control over their timetables. This limits their ability to take a break after difficult calls, or seek immediate coaching. Lack of structured social engagement for remote and hybrid agents is another major issue. Nearly 38% of employees say that their workplace does not offer any planned social activities. This is a crucial factor for fostering mental health and team bonding.
The most shocking statistic is that 62% of agents claim to have no career development plan. This reinforces the impression that employers don’t prioritize their long-term growth.
This is why it’s not surprising that 39% are unsure whether they will stay in the industry for a long time, despite job security, flexibility and support. This sentiment poses serious challenges for employers. Burnout and turnover are exacerbated by the replacement costs that can be up to 33 percent of an employee’s wage.
Technology and its role
In a broader business context, the quality of interactions in contact centres is crucial to customer satisfaction, brand perception, and loyalty. Many organisations have heavily invested in technology to improve agent performance.
We all know that adding layers of technology does not guarantee progress and can actually add friction to the process. Many contact centre agents are familiar with the necessity to navigate through multiple applications at once to resolve an issue. This can lead to a high level of complexity in the process. In extreme cases, an agent may use 15 different applications just to complete a payment.
AI-driven self service systems are now filtering out routine questions, leaving agents with the most complex, emotionally charged problems. Over half of contact centre agents (56%) say that AI doesn’t assist them with their daily tasks.
Organisations must rethink their use of technology to manage and support their agents in order to create a better work environment. To make an immediate difference, you can introduce greater flexibility to your scheduling. Smart workforce management software is a proven method to give agents greater control over their schedules and allow them to balance work with personal obligations. It not only increases wellbeing, but it also reduces frustrations over things like weekend work patterns.
The technology can also play a part in helping agents to feel supported. Performance management tools and AI-powered quality management tools, in particular, help agents at contact centres to access centralised conversations about performance and the type of workforce management data they need to be successful. Agents can better understand their career goals, receive consistent coaching, and take charge of their own development. They are then in a better position to deal with the feeling of powerlessness that can lead to stress at work.
Video conferencing platforms and collaboration tools can also help remote teams and hybrid teams to stay connected. This will foster a sense belonging, and allow managers and agents to check in regularly. Supervisors can offer real-time assistance to agents with better communication.
Long-term career advancement must be prioritized above daily operations. Contact centres who dedicate quieter periods to training and development are sending a strong message that they care about their employees’ careers. Agents can benefit from regular one-on-one sessions to improve their skills, gain more confidence, and understand the path for advancement within an organisation.
Burnout and morale improvement must receive the same attention as traditional KPIs such as call completion rates and customer satisfaction scores. Businesses risk losing highly skilled agents if they don’t take immediate action to reduce the emotional burden and retain them.
Contact Centre Retention Crisis: How can organisations address it? originally appeared on Human Resources News.
