As we head into 2023, the complexity, challenges, and opportunities of contact center staffing in the post-COVID-19 era remain. The pandemic demanded remote work and increased the trust many organizations struggled with pre-pandemic on allowing staff to work from home. Firms had to move swiftly to migrate their contact center workers to a remote environment, and they went virtual at record speed.
At the same time, employees discovered a different work/ life balance and reconsidered their values. Working from home allowed for zero commute time and expense while freeing employees up to do things outside the office that they previously didn’t have time for. This shift has changed how we work and the environments in which we choose to work.
Even with a looming recession, labor shortages, skills gaps, and the Great Resignation, changing employee expectations have contributed to the traditional contact center challenge of high turnover rates and attrition. “Chief Human Resources Officers are facing historic challenges from an exhausted workforce in a highly competitive labor market,” says Brian Kropp at Gartner.*
Challenges with hiring agents is one thing, but agent engagement and satisfaction after they are on board is crucial to their performance and service delivery. As the first line of interaction with your customers, their engagement is critical to contact center success.
To assure stability and allow for growth in their contact centers, leaders need to understand what employees really want to create policies and environments that allow for flexibility and personalization. The days of demanding overtime to meet service levels and/or high seasonal volumes are over.
Creative Solutions to Stabilize Your Contact Center Staffing
Enterprise Iron knows that organizations have multiple options to provide the flexibility this new workforce demands. Fully remote or hybrid remote with your in-house staff, total outsourcing, or a hybrid contact center featuring in-house and outsourced staff, each providing its own set of opportunities and challenges. We believe that a hybrid in-house and outsourced staff solution is remarkably effective in leveling out volumes and creating an environment where your in-house contact center representatives can thrive.
A hybrid approach allows you to provide time away from phones and email for staff development while the outsourced staff keeps service levels stable. This strategy combats a lack of engagement by creating a positive work environment and gives employees opportunities to advance their careers via training and development programs.
Enterprise Iron Is Here To Help
Enterprise Iron has always specialized in remote working. Headquartered in New Jersey, we have Team Members living in 31 states across the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Over 75% of our staff works remotely and has been in that environment for more than two decades. We deliver Contact Center Solutions that can provide full staff outsourcing and consistent supplemental workforce solutions to meet seasonal peak volumes, support extended hours, or supplement existing contact center staff as coverage during personal or development days.
To learn more about how Enterprise Iron can help your business, email us: contactcenters@enterpriseiron.com
*https://profrecruiters.com/9-future-of-work-trends-post-covid-19/