Today, labor shortages are dramatically impacting recruitment and hiring, limiting call centers’ access to talent. Plus, existing beliefs about the industry make the landscape even more challenging. Often, call centers need to work diligently to show candidates that they’re different, and the simplest way to do that is typically by developing a positive, enticing company culture.
Having a supportive company culture is functionally a difference maker, and it could mean the difference between reaching your hiring goals and missing them. If you’re wondering why culture is so crucial for call centers and how you can improve your call center company culture, here’s what you need to know.
Why Company Culture Matters in a Call Center
Technically, a company’s culture matters regardless of its industry. However, it’s particularly critical in call centers, as the industry and job category don’t have the best overall reputation.
Many people are wary of exploring call center opportunities. Typically, that’s because call centers aren’t broadly viewed as supportive environments. Plus, the work itself is known to come with challenges that can lead to mental and emotional exhaustion.
Essentially, call centers have an uphill battle when it comes to attracting candidates and retaining employees. As a result, a call center needs to make sure that its culture meets the needs of its workforce, preferably to the point where word-of-mouth spreads and makes it clear that the environment isn’t what people assume. By doing so, it’s far easier to attract and retain top talent, leading to greater success for the company and improved job satisfaction for its employees.
How to Improve Your Call Center Company Culture
Speak to Your Existing Employees
Every call center is unique, so the culture challenges at your company may differ from those experienced by another. Often, the best way to get a clear picture of what is and isn’t working from a cultural perspective is to speak with your existing employees.
Invite workers at every level to speak candidly about their experience and the company’s culture. Make it a judgment-free zone and ensure that anything said won’t lead to any negative repercussions. Then, identify commonalities in what’s shared, as those usually represent the most pervasive issues. Once you do, your company has clear targets for improvements that will likely have the broadest impact, making them excellent places to start.
Embrace Recognition and Open Appreciation
If you want to boost your call center company culture, appreciation is a critical component. Employees need to feel seen and valued if you want them to stay engaged and motivated. Plus, a lack of recognition often breeds frustration and resentment, typically to the point where a call center gets a negative reputation among its team and beyond.
Ideally, managers should openly express their appreciation whenever they see behaviors they’d like workers to adopt or maintain. Additionally, it’s wise to outwardly reward achievements. Whether it’s providing a financial incentive for achieving a high customer satisfaction rate, providing a bonus for reaching longevity milestones, or anything similar, those help employees see that acting in desirable ways gives them something in return.
Focus on Quality Over Quantity
When a call center employee’s performance is based primarily on metrics relating to speed, the call center’s culture will suffer. Time-based key performance indicators (KPIs) don’t allow call center employees to give each call the time it may take to reach a mutually acceptable conclusion. Instead, it can prompt them to take shortcuts or leave them fearing that doing the right thing by the customer will lead to a reprimand for them.
While monitoring call resolution times and similar metrics is wise, as it does allow call centers to determine if their staffing levels are appropriate, it’s usually better to judge call center employee performance based on quality-related metrics. Along with eliminating many time-based pressures, it rewards workers who are supporting your customers in the best way possible. In turn, it can not only improve your company’s culture, but it can also increase customer satisfaction. That improves the company’s reputation on two levels, making it functionally a win-win.
Offer Comprehensive Onboarding and Training
In many ways, a company’s onboarding process is a new hire’s first real experience with the organization. If the onboarding program is lackluster, scattered, or light on details, it may leave incoming employees feeling ill-prepared for the position. Additionally, it leaves the onus of achieving full productivity on their shoulders, making their transition into the role stressful, if not outright daunting.
Instead, work to develop a comprehensive, staged onboarding program. The idea is to introduce an employee to the environment, ensuring they gain their initial footing. Then, ramp up their duties over several weeks or months, setting modest expectations for them to meet along the way. That approach increases their confidence and creates opportunities for a series of quick wins, allowing them to acclimate and grow while ensuring they remain comfortable.
Additionally, develop clear pathways for advancement and help employees move down them. By offering training that elevates their skills and makes them eligible for promotions, you’re ensuring that your workforce can meet its long-term career goals. Plus, it shows that the company is willing to invest in its success, and that can breed loyalty and increase job satisfaction.
Are You Looking for Capable Call Center Talent? Burnett Specialists Is Here to Help!
Today, filling vacant call center positions often feel challenging, but it’s possible to make the process simpler. By partnering with a recruitment agency, your call center can gain access to capable, reliable call center talent, all while shortening your time-to-hire and reducing your recruitment costs.
At Burnett Specialists, we know how to connect top talent with the skills that call centers need, ensuring they can provide exceptional value. If you’re working to fill vacant call center jobs, the experienced recruitment team at Burnett Specialists can make finding the right-fit candidates both quick and efficiently simple. Request more information to see how the team at Burnett Specialists can assist your call center with achieving its hiring goals today.
