The X and Y Generation Variables that Affect Agent Turnover

Report courtesy of Witness Systems - see more

Is your contact centre plagued by agent turnover? Maybe it's time to rethink how you motivate and manage your employees.

A good way to start is by looking at your contact centre from the perspective of your agents. Unfortunately, this perspective varies widely, since many contact centres have agents from the baby boom era interspersed with Generation X and Y agents. These groups have very different attitudes toward employment. Baby boomers grew up in an era in which loyalty to an employer usually translated into having a job for life, or at least for an extended period of time, and incentives tied to extended employment and the attainment of long-term goals can be powerful motivators for them.

In contrast, Generation X and Y agents have no expectation of long-term employment; consequently, the traditional motivators, such as the opportunity to earn extra pay or vacation time after reaching some milestone in tenure, tend to fall short.

Still, there are ways to keep all three groups of agents in your centre engaged. Here are some tips from Eric Chester, an author and speaker who coined the term "Generation Why":

1. Let them know that what they do matters. Do this publicly, privately, and frequently. Don't wait until a formal review cycle or a company event to pass on positive feedback. Performance management tools can help by providing agents with regular feedback and an objective scoring system that links good performance to meaningful incentives. What's a "meaningful incentive?" Ask your agents!

2. Explain why you are asking them to perform a particular task or follow a specific process. Yes, this will take time, but explaining your rationale puts the task or process into context. Agents are more likely to carry out tasks—even those they find unpleasant—if the tasks seem logical, not arbitrary.

3. Make the workplace fun. Granted, a contact centre is a place of business, but taking time to celebrate employee milestones, holidays, good performance—or "just because"—can contribute significantly to overall morale. Want proof? Bring in a box of pastries for your team, set it beside a note thanking them for their hard work during the week, and watch what happens.

4. Set an example. Never expect an agent to do something you wouldn't do yourself, and remember that agents are more aware of your attitude than you may realise. If you come across as disgruntled and perpetually annoyed, then you can expect the same from your agents.

5. Give them the tools to do the job. This goes beyond equipment and software—agents need training. Given the nature of the workforce, you're probably training for the short term, rather than the long, but don't overlook this crucial step. E-learning is particularly suited for this type of training and can help your agents improve their skills and opportunities for advancement.

Also, in his July Newsletter, Bill Durr (well known to participants at this year's Planning Forum Conference) points to the important role that supervisors or team leaders play when he says "Supervisors should be coaches not nannies"!. "I saw it in print recently," , he continues, " that agents don't leave companies, they leave managers and the manager who has most impact on an agent is their supervisor".

Report courtesy of Witness Systems - see more

Guest Pages Member Pages Discussion Room Training Contact Us Back to Top