Avoiding Agent Burnout

Productivity is at an all-time high for a number of organizations. Between hybrid work and expanded benefits and increased profits, it’s becoming easier than ever to achieve work-life balance. This is great news for companies and management. An engaged and happy workforce can create great customer experiences and provide growth and leadership opportunities for your employees.  

Working in a contact center can be an exceptionally difficult job, however. Agents can become emotionally and mentally exhausted and stressed; especially if they have to work long hours during peak times. Management, technology, equipment and training directly influence the employee experience. Failure to recognize the value of these needs or the warning signs of burnout can lead to dissension, churn, decrease in productivity, or the most over-hyped, insidious and treacherous workplace trend ever created: the dreaded “quiet quit.” 

With a direct and immediate impact on business outcomes, the importance of preventing agent burnout and maintaining an engaged and seasoned workforce can have enormous benefits including: 

• Understanding communication, marketing and sales goals 
• Provide outstanding CX 
• Attract new customers and employees 
• Grow within the organization 
• Improved agent mental and physical health 

According to the Alvaria Agent Experience Index, 85% of agents report having intuitive, easy-to-use software leads to greater job satisfaction. By implementing workforce automation, contact centers are sure to facilitate positive change and significantly impact agent experience. Let us introduce Alvaria Real Time Optimizer, our workforce automation solution. On the backend, RTO works to automatically process the massive amounts of workforce data like calls in queue, net staffing, schedule details and more, in real-time to help make well-informed business decisions and direct each agent’s activity. On the frontend, RTO works as a virtual manager to guide and notify agents of tasks they need to perform, offer support during customer interactions, deliver coaching or training when call volume can accommodate, send reminders ensure schedule adherence, and much more.  

We know call center agents are essential to the success of any customer service operation. They are the front-line representatives of a company and they often interact with customers who are frustrated, upset, or confused. As a result, call center agents are at high risk for burnout. One of the most effective ways to create a positive work environment and prevent agent burnout is to provide agents with the support of a virtual manager through Alvaria Real Time Optimizer. Call center managers that invest in technology that streamlines the call handling process and reduces the amount of time agents spend on administrative tasks, report reduced fatigue and boredom. 

Call center managers should also ensure that agents have access to resources for stress management and self-care. This can include things like counseling services, exercise facilities, and healthy food options. Alvaria Real Time Optimizer can help promote a supportive and balanced work environment by offering surprise breaks, check-ins, personal development opportunities, and much more during idle time or when agents aren’t engaged in handling customer interactions. By providing agents with the time and tools needed to manage stress and maintain their physical and mental health, managers can help prevent burnout and improve overall job satisfaction.  

It’s also vital to recognize and reward the hard work of call center agents. This can be done through incentives such as bonuses or recognition programs that celebrate achievements and milestones. Managers can also take the time to acknowledge the efforts of individual agents, providing feedback and encouragement that can help boost morale and prevent burnout. Every member of your team must feel like their work and contribution is valuable. Alvaria Real Time Optimizer can facilitate the recognition and reward process by alerting managers when agents achieve notable milestones or deliver exceptional service—allowing supervisors to send instant recognition directly to agent desktops for their efforts—all while reinforcing positive behavior and fostering a culture of appreciation and motivation. Recognition of work done and accomplished keeps your employees motivated and engaged, which promotes productivity. In absence of recognition, simple acknowledgement of effort can suffice. Don’t forget that even mistakes are an opportunity for engagement.  

Another key strategy for preventing call center agent burnout is to create a work-life balance. This can be done by offering flexible scheduling options that allow agents to work around their personal obligations, such as childcare or other family responsibilities. Managers can also encourage agents to take regular breaks and time off, allowing them to recharge and refresh their minds. Alvaria Real Time Optimizer supports this initiative in many ways including offering VTO or VOT and breaks, optimization of tasks assignments to prevent agents from being overloaded with excessive work, and delivery of personal training, learning, or coaching opportunities to support personal development.   

Burnout is a serious issue that can have a significant impact on the success of a customer service operation. By investing in time saving technologies, providing resources for stress management and self-care, recognizing and rewarding hard work, offering flexible work-life balance options, managers can help prevent burnout and improve overall job satisfaction among call center agents. The key is to be proactive and attentive to the needs of agents, recognizing that they are the backbone of any successful customer service operation. 

Interested in learning how Alvaria Real Time Optimizer can support your policies, practices and agents? Contact us to learn more!