Employee turnover is a fact of life in the contact center. The better armed you are with strategies the more effective you’ll be at managing it. The strategies can help you reduce employee turnover. Brainstorm with your leadership team to whittle down this long list into a short, prioritized, “right for me” list:
Include the appropriate skills and competencies in the job description
Use behavioral-based interviews to ensure candidates possess the attitudes, personality traits, and behaviors that ensure fit and promote commitment
Create a compensation policy (including pay tied to performance and variable pay) that supports the mission and culture of the organization
Market the call center internally to the rest of the organization
Implement career planning and development efforts that are tied to the organization’s business objectives
Base promotions on performance
Demonstrate commitment to the employee’s long-term development (job skills training and retraining – learning new skills for the present job and for redeployment); help employees take advantage of learning opportunities
Ensure that managers are skilled and effective coaches and facilitators
Offer flexible schedule adjustments showing respect for an employee trying to balance work, career, education, and community (job sharing, flex time, telecommuting, full time to part time and back again) and do it all without jeopardizing advancement opportunities Conduct confidential exit interviews, and analyze and use the data collected in the interviews
Provide a work environment that is productive and respectful, with a feeling of inclusiveness; offer a friendly, appealing, welcoming setting
Continually communicate the company mission, vision, and brand to employees; demonstrate how they contribute to each
Enhance employee engagement through team cohesion activities
Update your employee orientation to accurately reflect your expectations
Ensure that comprehensive change management is in place; include employees in change; eliminate abrupt changes
Provide tuition reimbursement, competitive vacation, competitive pay and holiday pay and / or bonuses
Improve your employee selection process
Customize an innovative reward program for functions and individuals
Build increased commitment through fairness, care, and concern for employees
Evaluate the companies designated as “Great Places to Work.” These companies consistently experience a turnover rate that is half the national average. You may be able to steal some ideas from these leaders that will help you become an employer of choice.
Kathryn Jackson is founder is Ocean City, NJ-based Response Design Corp., a call center consultancy