6 simple steps to keep your team engaged.

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27/06/2023


6 simple steps to keep your team engaged.

Engaged employees are invaluable for your call centre’s bottom line - but we know you already knew that. What’s not always as easy to know, remember, and maintain though, is how to keep your agents engaged.

So, here are some simple steps that are low in investment and high in return.

Make sure your incentives actually incentivise

Rewarding and recognising hard work is a must, but your endeavours are only effective if they’re what people actually want. If you’re sick of sticking your finger in the air and hoping for the best, why not send a quick survey around and get some pointers from the frontline?

In the meantime, some popular incentives include preferential scheduling, early finishes, monetary rewards, raffles, and performance-related awards.

Value them

Every single employee wants - and has the right - to feel valued for what they do, and value can stem from the simplest of actions, like:

  • Saying ‘thank you’ or ‘well done’ when someone’s done a good job
  • Being open and transparent about the bigger picture
  • Taking a genuine interest in employees’ lives
  • Organising socials and/or team building events.

And remember, all the little things add up.

Invest in their career future

Did you know, according to research*, two in three employees have quit a job because of the lack of learning and development opportunities it presented?

Look at your employees’ progression path, ask them where they want to be in six months, one or two years’ time, and then put a personal development plan together to help them achieve their career targets.

Create a healthy workspace

Call centres can be intense environments. They’re noisey. They’re competitive. And they’re stressful. So, counteract that atmosphere by giving your agents a place to grab some downtime.

Try and make sure it’s a nice place to hang out too; think about the décor, facilities (i.e. the ability to make a decent brew!), and activities to help them switch off – like a table tennis table or mini arcade machine, for example.

Keep them in the loop

Don’t isolate your agents from other areas of your business. We’re not suggesting you have to inform them about everything that’s going on business-wide, but keep them up-to-date with key changes, targets and goals, and let them know how their work is helping you hit them.

Proactively promoting regular, open lines of communication will ensure employees don’t hear bits of news that’ll impact their job through the grapevine – which is one sure way to get disgruntled and disengaged employees on your hands.

Ask for their input

Look past the telephone and give your agents a voice. Ask them for feedback, involve them in decisions, and include them in process changes.

This’ll not only engage them by giving them a sense of purpose, but it’ll benefit you too, by bringing a whole new mix of ideas to the table.

So, there are our six simple steps to keep your team engaged. If you need a hand mastering the stage before this: recruiting outstanding candidates, then get in touch with our recruitment experts on GreatPeople@cactussearch.co.uk or 01905 330 790.

*Conducted by totaljobs in February 2018.