Two fifths of call centre workers (40 percent) expect to quit their job due to disengagement, research with the industry has revealed.
However, the data from Analytics 365, a workplace analytics suite for Microsoft Teams, also showed 69 percent of call centre workers are engaged with their work, although 97 percent highlight at least one issue that undermines this engagement.
With 1.3 million call centre employees across the UK, this means that around 400,000 people do not feel completely engaged at work, suggesting improvements need to be made to retain people.
The data shows that work-life balance is the biggest factor affecting engagement in call centres. Just over 33 percent highlighted this as an issue from entry level all the way up to c-suite and business owners. This rises to two thirds among workers aged 16-24.
Pay was also found to be a factor that can hit engagement scores. This affects 32 percent of workers, rising to around 45 percent among employees aged 45 to 54.
Bonuses and rewards, regular catch-ups with managers and access to training are all improving the engagement for more than a quarter of workers. The data shows communication is key, with almost 30 percent of workers stating that better internal communication would boost their engagement.
C-level executives report that a lack of support is a common problem, while for entry level employees challenging customers are the biggest issue. The key concern for call centre business owners is technology.
In addition to improvements in internal communication, technology and flexible working are also supporting positive engagement among employees, according to the data.
When employees have the ability to take calls remotely it improves engagement among 35 percent of workers. For example, 50 percent of business owners are more engaged due to the ability to take calls remotely, while call analytics have improved the engagement of over 40 percent of c-level execs, senior manager and middle managers. Omni-channel integration, where customers can contact the business via various methods and still expect a joined up response, has helped boost engagement among c-level executives.
Ian Bevington, product marketing Manager at Tollring, Analytics 365’s parent company, said: “Call analytics and recording have become essential business tools for customer facing teams of all sizes, helping organisations to understand their customers, drive productivity and manage service levels.
“By providing tools to empower front line staff, stress can be reduced, engagement levels raised and most importantly, customer experience improved across the board.”
The full results are available in The Call Centre Engagement Report.
