Top Workplace Best Practices for Contact Centers


By Donna Fluss

The workforce is a mash-up of diverse, multicultural, and multigenerational personnel. Organizations that want to attract and retain top talent and become employers of choice must use workforce best practices. This will engage employees and let them know that their contributions are important to the mission of the company, so they feel good about going to work.

Here are some of the best practices that help attract and retain employees. It’s not about catering to millennials, the largest demographic in the workforce today; instead it’s about creating a work environment that plays to everyone’s strengths.

These best practices are ideal for contact centers and also apply to many other areas.

Train Employees: Make sure everyone knows how to do their job and has the information, systems, and support needed to excel and deliver an outstanding customer experience.

Give Employees Visibility into Their Performance: Ensure that all employees know their goals and how well they are meeting them. Do this on a continuous basis throughout the year.

Know Your Employees: Take a personal but professional interest in your staff so they understand that you care about them and are committed to helping them succeed.

Appreciate Staff Contributions: Communicate to each employee that their work for the company is important and appreciated.

Create a Collaborative and Supportive Working Environment: Be sure everyone knows how to get help when they need it.

Make an Engaging Work Environment: Make it fun and enjoyable for people to come to work.

Welcome Constructive Feedback: Give employees a voice. Encourage their input, suggestions, and recommendations.

Treat All Employees Fairly: Be consistent, and don’t play favorites.

Advocate Work/Life Balance: Recognize employees for the work they do during normal business hours. Don’t expect staff to dedicate themselves to your company at the cost of their family or other commitments.

Allow for Schedule Flexibility: Let staff have input into their work schedules, and give them the ability to change their plans without penalty.

Reward and Recognize Employees: Show the company’s appreciation for a job well done.

Provide Opportunities: Champion career and personal development. Demonstrate to employees a potential path for advancement within the company so there is no need for them to go elsewhere to get ahead.

Create an Inclusive Work Environment: Welcome a diverse staff who has the skills required to do their jobs.

Be a Responsible Company: Advocate social and ethical responsibility. Have your company encourage participation in activities that make the world a better place.

The objective of these best practices is to develop a positive, creative, and fulfilling work environment. Treat employees well, and they’ll tend to reciprocate and do a better job. Satisfied employees are also more likely to remain with a company because there is little reason for them to go elsewhere.

This is critical for contact centers, which typically invests two to sixteen weeks to train entry-level staff. The common thread among these best practices is that small acts of kindness go a long way to building a strong and dedicated workforce. This is well worth the investment.

Donna Fluss is president of DMG Consulting LLC. For more than two decades she has helped emerging and established companies develop and deliver outstanding customer experiences. A recognized visionary, author, and speaker, Donna drives strategic transformation and innovation throughout the services industry. She provides strategic and practical counsel for enterprises, solution providers, and the investment community.

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