Contact centers sometimes get a reputation as tough places to work, but they really don’t have to be. Any job can be stressful if you’re working in an environment that doesn’t encourage productivity and success. Maybe the culture at your contact center hasn’t been as strong as you would like lately, or maybe you’re just looking for ways to keep things running smoothly. Whatever the case, we’ve put together some tips for you so that you can end the year on the right foot, and begin the next year the same way.
Keeping the workplace transparent and freeing up lines of communication are two of the best ways to maintain a positive work environment. This means keeping employees updated on important decisions that affect them. Without transparency, you allow speculation to run rampant, and employee morale will suffer accordingly. Being up front and honest with your employees will make life easier for everyone. Understand that this goes both ways, though. You want to make sure that it’s easy for employees to provide feedback without negative consequences. Keep the lines of communication open and flowing, and you’ll see that your employees are much happier.
Nothing saps morale like a long meeting that doesn’t come to any definitive answers, or seem to provide any benefit. Keeping meetings short and to the point is a great way to keep your employees happy and productive. A meeting that drags on and on is going to tire out everyone, yourself included. You won’t be able to keep every meeting as short as you’d like, but making the effort will result in a better work environment.
If you want a positive and productive work environment, you should be making sure that your training is top notch. Training should be hands-on and give the employee everything they need to succeed on a daily basis. If you don’t have the time you’d like to individually train your new employees, try using videos in your training program. We’ve all seen terrible training videos before, but it’s easier than you’d think to find or create great training videos. Employees work better when they’re confident in their own abilities and knowledge. Adequately training all your contact center employees is key to keeping things running smoothly.
Remember, training should never stop completely. New products, software, and services all require more training if they are going to be implemented successfully. Employees may not always think they need it, but keeping a few days out of the year for retraining and refresher courses is a good idea. This also allows you to evaluate your employees and help maintain a high level of service and productivity.
At KOVA, we understand that the daily pressures on you and your staff can sometimes keep you from achieving the culture you want for your contact center. Contact us today to learn more about our Verint Media Recorder Workforce Optimization suite, and what it can do help your contact center succeed.
