It is no secret that call centres may not be the most attractive places to work due to the nature of their high-pressure intensity and the stress of having to deal with an abundance of calls as well as tricky customers.
Call centre stress has been linked to poor morale and well-being, which in turn causes low productivity. This is why it’s important for call centre managers to monitor call centre stress levels of their agents and take necessary steps to improve morale, which can be done in the following way:
Methods to Monitor Stress
The call centre environment is constantly changing, so it’s important to regularly conduct call centre stress monitoring. Call centres are no different from any other office environment, so stress monitoring is not hard. Various methods can be used regularly:
Employee Surveys
Taking a survey is a simple way of measuring Call centre morale and well-being at the same time! Although these surveys will only give a general picture of how employees feel about their job, they’re more informative than anything.
Look at the Results
A great way to measure Call Centre stress levels is by looking at the productivity and results of your team. If they are not hitting their targets, there’s likely something wrong with morale or well-being, affecting their productivity.
One-to-One Meetings
Book a meeting with employees where you can have a chat. Ask them about their issues and what changes they would like to see in the call centre environment. Your team will be more than happy to tell you if there is something wrong!
14 Ways to Improve Morale and Wellbeing
After monitoring stress, it’s time for action! A healthy work environment leads to happier employees who are productive on the job; this means that your company will benefit too through improved efficiency levels. If low productivity or poor morale is an issue at your business, try taking one of these actions:
Employee Recognition
Pat your employees on the back for a job well done! Nothing is more rewarding for them than being appreciated for their hard work. You can find great gifts for men or women online easily, so start finding a perfect gift for your employees. Take them out to lunch or give them a gift voucher as a thank you, and they’ll love working at your company even more!
Work-Life Balance
Being able to carry out other activities during breaks away from the stress experienced at call centres will boost morale by letting employees know that management cares about things outside of work.
Better Workplace Environment
Call centres are tough places to work, so your employees must have a comfortable environment. Modernise the office space with new equipment and furniture if need be!
Train them Well
The best way to improve morale in Call centres is by providing the appropriate training for your employees. This will give them confidence when dealing with difficult customers, which leads to higher happiness levels.
Employee Benefits
Offering benefits may seem like an unnecessary expenditure for some businesses, but they can boost morale levels among staff members. Employees who are aware of the extras that their company offers tend to be happier!
The most important thing to remember is that your employees are the backbone of the company! If they suffer from stress, then it will hurt overall productivity levels. So reward those that are working hard. It’s a great thing if employees know that they will be rewarded for their efforts!
Get Rid of any Unnecessary Targets
Not all Call centre tasks are equal, and some may contribute nothing to overall targets. If you try taking away the pressure of these tasks, employees will enjoy working at the company more.
Provide them with better equipment
Unreliable equipment may cause stress or frustration among employees. So invest in the right tools to help them in their job, and they’ll be more than happy!
Avoid Unnecessary Checks on Employees
Unnecessary checks on employees can also cause stress. Avoid making your staff feel that they are constantly watched or monitored, and you’ll see a difference in their stress levels within weeks!
Constant reminders on how they are doing will only annoy the employees and make them feel like you don’t trust their abilities to carry out tasks appropriately!
Offer Promotions
Promotions are a great way of rewarding employees for their hard work, making them feel appreciated. You may even find that this raises morale levels among the entire team!
Provide your Employees with Flexible Hours
Flexible hours mean more flexibility in call centre stress management because it allows employees to do things outside working hours, like spending time with their families. A flexible work schedule will allow your employees to manage both their professional and personal lives better.
Include Enough Breaks
Employees cannot maintain a high level of productivity without breaks. Short, regular intervals throughout the day will improve morale and well-being levels because they’ll be able to keep their concentration up!
Offer Team Building Activities
Include team-building activities in your company’s agenda from time to time – it can help employees bond with each other better by providing them with a much-needed change of environment. It’ll reduce stress levels and improve overall productivity!
Laugh Therapy
The best way to improve morale levels at the workplace is through laughter. Allow your employees some time for humour, even if it’s just watching a few funny videos online!
Arrange Games & Entertainment Events
Games and entertainment events once a month will not only improve morale levels but also increase productivity because employees will be happier at work!
Conclusion
The welfare of call centre agents should not be neglected, as they will always be the most crucial part of any business. If you try taking these actions to improve their morale and well-being levels, productivity will also increase!
If there is a problem with stress levels at your business, take action before things get worse; monitor call centre stress levels regularly, and put these methods into practice to improve morale and well-being!
