The success of any organization is built on the commitment and engagement of its high-performing employees, who are the driving force behind innovation and growth. To motivate and retain these individuals, organizations need more than competitive salaries.
A strategic approach is required—one that focuses on continuous motivation, recognition, and professional development.
Below are practical strategies that help foster long-term engagement and retention of high-performing employees:
1. Offer Meaningful Work
Top performers seek challenges that align with their skills and aspirations. Assigning projects that require problem-solving and creativity not only keeps them engaged but also reinforces their sense of purpose within the organization.
2. Provide Growth Opportunities
Stagnation leads to disengagement. Establishing career development plans, mentorship programs, and training opportunities encourages employees to expand their skill sets and remain committed.
3. Recognize and Reward Achievements
Recognition fosters motivation. Publicly acknowledging accomplishments through awards, incentives, or personal appreciation reinforces their value within the organization.
Statistics from Zippia show that 37% of employees consider recognition the most important factor in the workplace, emphasizing the significance of appreciating their efforts.
4. Encourage Autonomy
Micromanagement stifles engagement. Trusting employees to make decisions and giving them the freedom to manage tasks independently enhances job satisfaction and accountability.
5. Foster Open Communication
A culture of transparency allows employees to voice concerns, share ideas, and contribute to company goals. Regular check-ins, feedback sessions, and open-door policies strengthen trust and alignment.
6. Ensure Competitive Compensation and Benefits
While salary matters, benefits such as health coverage, flexible work arrangements, and performance-based bonuses contribute to long-term engagement.
7. Promote Work-Life Balance
Burnout reduces productivity. Encouraging breaks, respecting boundaries, and offering remote or hybrid work arrangements support well-being without compromising efficiency. Managing remote workforce effectively includes clear expectations, regular touchpoints, and access to necessary tools.
8. Cultivate a Positive Workplace Culture
A workplace where employees feel respected, heard, and supported enhances morale. Fostering inclusivity, celebrating diversity, and maintaining a supportive environment create a culture where high performers thrive.
9. Provide Clear Career Progression Paths
Lack of advancement opportunities leads to disengagement. Defining specific criteria for promotions, offering role-based progression plans, and providing visibility into leadership tracks help employees understand their potential growth within the organization. Employees stay engaged when they see a clear and attainable future in the company.
10. Align Roles with Company Vision
Employees who see their contributions making an impact remain engaged. Regularly communicating how their work supports company goals strengthens purpose and motivation. Workforce management strategies should include aligning individual objectives with organizational success.
11. Support Employee Well-Being
Providing wellness programs, mental health resources, and fitness incentives enhances overall satisfaction. A focus on health reduces stress and increases engagement. Healthy employees perform better and contribute more effectively.
12. Celebrate Milestones and Successes
Recognizing anniversaries, promotions, and project completions enhances satisfaction and strengthens commitment. Celebrating achievements creates a sense of belonging. Acknowledging progress maintains motivation and enthusiasm.
Keeping Top Talent Engaged for Lasting Success
When employees feel valued, they are 87% less likely to leave. Understanding how to motivate and keep your high-performing employees engaged is essential for maintaining a productive and committed workforce. A proactive approach that nurtures motivation, growth, and job satisfaction ensures that top talent stays invested in their roles.
At Call Design, we help organizations strengthen workforce management by implementing strategies that keep high-performing employees engaged. Our expertise ensures that businesses create an environment where talent thrives.
Contact us today to learn how we can help your organization build a positive and committed workforce.
In many organizations, people are promoted because they’ve been in a role for a while, and they know the right buttons to push or the right people to work with. And I think that’s a problem.
Don’t get me wrong, I think internal promotion and giving people a career path is fantastic! Study after study has shown how important professional development and career growth are to retaining talent, especially younger generations. The point isn’t to say we should stop promoting people internally, but I think that people should be interviewed, even internally, when receiving a promotion.
I can hear your comments now. “I shouldn’t have to interview for a position I’ve already earned” … “Interviewing for a promotion is just an extra hoop to jump through” … “I hate interviewing! If they make me interview, I’m going to tank and lose out on this opportunity.” I get it and I think your concerns are valid and should be considered as these processes and policies are implemented. But what you don’t realize is that the organization is doing you a disservice by not interviewing you for the role. Hear me out.
In my role, I’ve had an opportunity to help people move from one organization to another. Whether that’s hiring them into my team or coaching them through their job search process. One of the biggest challenges I’ve seen from people is their inability to articulate their value in an interview. “Why should we hire you.” It’s a common enough question but so many people swing-and-miss on this question and it’s such a critical answer for you to nail!
I’ve heard plenty of people mention how they are self-starters, self-learners, quick learners, self-motivated, team players, great communicators, etc, etc. These are likely all true and possibly valuable. However, why would I hire you, a self-starter who loves to collaborate, over someone else that expresses the same thing? There needs to be more definition, a finer point, or a better way to communicate your value.
And here is where interviewing for internal roles comes in.
When organizations interview for internal roles, it gives you the opportunity to practice articulating the “why me” answer. It gives you the chance to self-assess and look for the core nuggets of why you’ve been successful and then how to articulate that to other people.
There will be a temptation to simply point toward the projects you’ve run well or the team that has grown under you. The problem is that those examples don’t get to the core of your value add. Great, you ran a project well, but what was it about your skillset and unique ability that allowed you to do that? You’ve got to dig deeper and articulate something specific and unique.
So how do we do this and what does it look like? I’m so glad you asked!
You think you work well in team environments and that is a reason someone should promote you or possibly hire you. But when is that true and when has it not been true? Do you work best when teams are made up of certain people or in certain environments? So you refine your answer to “I’m a great team player with people who love to dream and cast vision”, but why is that true? What is it about working with them that you enjoy and that makes you so valuable in that environment? You refine further. “I love working in a team environment with people that cast vision and dream well because I don’t do those things well.” We’re getting closer but we don’t want to end on a negative. Plus, we need to go one level deeper. So instead of saying “I’m a great team player” you can say “I work well in team environments with individuals that cast vision well. I’ve found that my skill is in taking someone else’s vision and making it a reality. I love refining and executing big picture thinking and I work well in environments that include that.” You don’t just work well in team environments, you’re an executor and refiner!
For myself, I could just say “I’m curious and I like to ask questions”, and that might be a bit unique but it’s far short of what it could be. My answer is “I’m incredibly curious and love to ask questions. I’m very comfortable being the dumbest person in the room and asking the questions that everyone thinks but no one wants to ask. My questions typically help teams investigate assumptions and norms to ensure everyone is aligned and on the same page before moving forward. Simply put, you should hire me because my curiosity can help your organization improve communication and move faster by uncovering the unanswered questions.”
This type of self-assessment and ability to articulate your unique value can lead to greater confidence and impact, even in your current organization. When you don’t interview for internal roles and promotions you miss out on the opportunity to assess why you’ve been successful, find a way to articulate that and practice your answer well before trying to land that dream job, possibly at another organization.
Whether you’ve been with an organization for 2 years or 20 years, do yourself a favor and practice your answer to “Why should I hire you”, your next career move may just depend upon it!
At Call Design we believe that employees have the right to be happy, engaged, fulfilled, and aligned at work. Part of finding fulfillment at work includes knowing what you’re good at and what you love to work on. If you’d like help discovering your unique skills or being able to articulate them, please reach out and let us know. One of our coaches would love to work with you and help you find fulfillment at work!
A culture-driven team is intentionally built around shared cultural values and norms, which are considered essential for success. It’s about identifying the values that resonate with your team and using them as the compass to guide your hiring, onboarding, and development processes. Building a culture-driven team means going beyond individual expertise and focusing on collective growth and collaboration.
Hiring for the Team, Not Just the Individual:
To build a culture-driven team, it’s crucial to prioritize the team dynamic over individual roles. Instead of solely focusing on qualifications, seek candidates who are the best fit for the team’s cultural fabric. You may be tempted to think that your new hire will typically have few opportunities to work with other people, so you don’t need to worry about team dynamics. Their “just” a forecaster, or scheduler that will be in the corner just pushing a few buttons (an oversimplification of their role!). The reality is that each person, regardless of how vocal or connected they are, impacts the whole team. As you hire each role you need to be thinking about the values your team is centered around, finding those values in the interview process, and then supporting the values during the training and onboarding process. Remember, a strong team always outperforms a lone superstar.
Possible Team Values:
There are a ton of values you can center your team around, and which ones you should pick will be dependent upon your leadership style, company values, and even your geographical area. For this blog, we’ll focus on four values that Call Design sees as important to helping people be Happy, Engaged, Fulfilled, and Aligned at work.
Curiosity: Look for candidates who exhibit a genuine thirst for knowledge and a desire to continuously learn and grow. This soft skill can be developed in others, but it’s incredibly hard to impart it to people who lack it entirely. Find individuals that naturally ask questions and look to dig into things.
Embracing Chaos: Seek individuals who thrive in dynamic environments and see chaos as an opportunity for innovation and adaptation. Contact center and WFM teams are full of days where things are constantly changing. The key isn’t just how they respond in chaos, but how they feel in chaos. Is the constantly changing environment life-giving or life-taking for them? Plenty of people can put up with the chaos, but where are the people that enjoy the chaos?
Transparency: Value candidates who prioritize open and honest communication, even if it means challenging the status quo and leadership! Organizations that not only allow but encourage people to push boundaries and innovate position themselves to be successful long-term. Sure, curiosity is important to innovation, but even more important is an environment where people are open and honest to push on bad ideas and share their opinions, even if it’s the opposite of the boss.
Kindness: Prioritize kind team members. It’s simple to say but hard to do. We all know that kindness doesn’t make up for an inability to do a job. We’ve all worked with a Kind Karen who is super sweet but is constantly needing help. And we’ve also worked with a Mean Megan who gets work done but no one wants to work with her. Reminder, we’re trying to build a team and not just fill roles. Karen’s kindness is going to have a bigger positive impact on the team than Megan’s, even if you try to isolate Megan to minimize the negativity while still benefiting from her efforts.
Interviewing for Cultural Fit:
Here are some questions you can use to find the four team values we’ve already highlighted.
Curiosity: “What questions do you have for me?” Normally we ask this question at the end of an interview but when we start with this question we learn a few things immediately. Did the person do any research and come prepared with a list of questions? If they didn’t, how quickly are they able to switch into questioning mode and how insightful are their questions? We can learn a lot about someone’s curiosity within the first few minutes of an interview by starting with this question.
Chaos: “Is chaos life-giving or life-taking”. Most people have a great answer as to how they respond in chaos, but the key here is how they feel in chaos. You can teach someone the steps you want them working through during fire drills, but if your chaotic environment is going to suck the life out of them, well that’s the opposite of what we’re looking for. Hire for feeling and train for action.
Transparency: “Tell me about a time you told your boss they were wrong.” If they can come up with a dozen examples they may be more interested in pointing out flaws than coming up with solutions. If they’ve never told their boss they’re wrong then they may not feel comfortable sharing honest feedback. This question allows you to see how easily the person can push against authority and possibly provide helpful feedback, even for the boss.
Kindness: Observe how candidates speak about their former employers and colleagues, looking for indications of a cooperative and compassionate mindset. Again, this value is so simple but it’s incredibly impactful on your team. Don’t overlook how well the interviewee would or would not get along with the rest of your team.
Reinforcing Culture through Onboarding and Development:
Once team members join your organization, it’s crucial to nurture and reinforce the desired culture:
Curiosity: Don’t just encourage curiosity, communicate that it’s an expectation. Every team meeting, 1-1 interaction, or catch-up conversation ask them what questions they have for you. If they are consistently saying they have none then that should be a big red flag. Help them understand that you expect them to have questions and to come to you with them. More than any other time, onboarding is when they need to be bringing questions to the table.
Embracing Chaos: After they’ve been on your team for a while ask them how they feel their job description should change. What should be removed and what should be added? Help them see that they have a chance to shape the chaos and focus on what brings them joy. Plus, they’ll be engaged and find fulfillment in a role they help shape!
Transparency: Lead by example and share your challenges, creating an environment where honesty and open communication are rewarded. Help them see that you value honesty and openness over being right and perfect. They’ve likely made a career of constantly having the right answer and getting things correct. Show them that even their leader is still making mistakes and trying to learn things. Set a tone that promotes transparency and honesty.
Kindness: Encourage team members to connect on a personal level and build relationships with their colleagues. It’s easy to do meet-and-greet meetings and just learn about the person’s role in the organization. Push your team to really find out about the person. The more they can learn about the person’s personal and professional life the better they’ll be able to collaborate and work together.
Building a culture-driven team is an investment that pays off in multiple ways. It not only enhances productivity and collaboration but also creates an environment where employees can be happy, engaged, fulfilled, and aligned. At Call Design, we are passionate about helping contact centers and workforce management teams unlock their full potential. We believe in the power of culture-driven teams and the positive impact they can have on organizations. If you’re ready to take your team to the next level, let’s connect and explore how we can collaborate to elevate your workforce management strategy. Together, let’s build a culture-driven team that drives lasting success!
La temporalidad de festividades del Q4 ha llegado, ese momento del año cuando las demandas puestas sobre el equipo de Workforce Management (WFM) presentan más retos. Llegan uno tras otro: Acción de Gracias, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Navidad, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa y Año Nuevo, cuando los centros de contacto deben equilibrar los extremos de lo que quieren los clientes y lo que quieren los agentes.
En nuestra lista de deseos para este blog: consideraciones de planificación específicas que pueden ayudar a su equipo de WFM a lograr ese equilibrio esencial y ganar la temporada navideña del Q4.
Su equipo de WFM (el regalo que sigue dando)
Hasta el peor Grinch de un contact center tiene que reconocer el papel fundamental del equipo de WFM durante las fiestas. Su experiencia y sus conocimientos en la resolución de problemas desempeñan un papel fundamental a la hora de determinar si las vacaciones de un contact center serán felices y brillantes o se convertirán en una Navidad azul.
No se trata sólo de satisfacer las demandas de los clientes, sino también de garantizar que sus agentes dispongan de la flexibilidad necesaria para pasar tiempo con sus familias. No se necesita la magia del Winter Warlock para que tanto los clientes como los agentes estén contentos: una planificación y una comunicación adecuadas pueden hacer que funcione.
Analicemos cuatro categorías clave que le guiarán a lo largo del proceso: Pronósticos, Planificación, Tecnología y Coordinación con otros Departamentos.
Pronósticos (No todas las festividades son iguales)
Los pronósticos son la base del éxito del cuarto trimestre. Revise los volúmenes de las fiestas anteriores, las mermas y cualquier cambio en el comportamiento de los clientes durante la temporada. En estos tiempos de cambio, compare los datos de varios años para crear un pronóstico más preciso. Recuerde que no todas las fiestas tienen el mismo impacto previsible.
El Día de Acción de Gracias es normalmente más fácil de predecir ya que es un jueves, al igual que se sabe en qué días caen el Black Friday y el Cyber Monday. Sin embargo, la fecha real de Acción de Gracias cambia, y si su sector tiene ventas a final de mes, puede que se encuentre en un entorno promocional de Cyber Monday + Fin de Mes. Navidad y Año Nuevo también son un reto para proyectar con los días flotantes y los días observados que van junto con ellos, impactando el volumen de diferentes maneras dependiendo del día de la semana en que caen, y cómo cambia de año en año. La clave está en considerar cómo los días festivos pueden ser los mismos año tras año, y cómo pueden cambiar en función de las nuevas promociones.
Programación (Una cucharada de azúcar ayuda a bajar la OT)
La comunicación efectiva es clave cuando se trata de programar durante las vacaciones. Comience por comunicar su plan de programación con antelación y hágalo repetidamente para asegurarse de que todo el mundo está de acuerdo. Si su centro de contacto está abierto en un día festivo y el volumen es menor, solicite voluntarios entre sus agentes para cubrir la base y luego asigne las horas restantes, que normalmente recaerán en los agentes de menor antigüedad, pero recuerde prever una reducción mayor para los agentes que no se ofrecieron voluntarios.
Si su centro cierra un día festivo, considere la posibilidad de trasladar a los empleados que normalmente tienen previsto trabajar ese día a uno de sus días libres entre semana. De este modo, podrá utilizar más horas de personal sin incurrir en horas extraordinarias.
Para tener en cuenta un mayor volumen después de las vacaciones, añada horas a los horarios de los días siguientes. Por ejemplo, si cierra el lunes, añada 2 horas a los horarios de los agentes el martes y 2 horas el miércoles antes o al final de los turnos. Sí, es como las horas extras obligatorias, pero incluir las horas extra en la programación de vacaciones y explicar la razón por la que es inevitable siempre es útil.
Insista a sus stakeholders en que el trabajo en equipo es vital para superar las festividades, y que una cantidad manejable de dolor por parte de todos los miembros del equipo ayudará a evitar que se acumule una cantidad insoportable de horas extras en unos pocos agentes desafortunados. Además, asegúrese de tener en cuenta cualquier restricción estatal o laboral/sindical a la hora de realizar cambios.
No es mala idea mantener un exceso de personal para hacer frente a picos de volumen inesperados. Esto le permite ofrecer Tiempo Libre Voluntario (Voluntary Time Off or VTO) como forma de gestionar la carga de trabajo sin tener que recurrir a las horas extraordinarias o hacer un esfuerzo de última hora para obligar a los agentes a trabajar más horas. Si aún no lo ha hecho este año, considere la posibilidad de realizar ofertas anuales de vacaciones en el futuro para ayudar a repartir equitativamente la carga de horas extra entre sus agentes. Rote anualmente las asignaciones de vacaciones para evitar que los empleados trabajen los mismos días festivos cada año.
Tecnología
La colaboración con sus equipos de telecomunicaciones y TI es crucial para garantizar que su centro tenga la capacidad de gestionar el volumen de contactos previsto en los días punta. Si su centro utiliza troncales SIP basadas en la nube que ofrecen la elasticidad necesaria para gestionar automáticamente los picos, es increíble, pero asegúrese de que su infraestructura puede gestionar el aumento del volumen de contactos. Un ejemplo real de uno de los miembros del equipo de diseño de llamadas fue un lunes después de Acción de Gracias en el que el centro de contacto se quedó sin licencias de Citrix y los agentes no pudieron iniciar sesión para atender llamadas de voz.
Prepárese para un volumen elevado incorporando mensajes en su IVR para notificar a los clientes los posibles tiempos de espera prolongados; esto también puede ayudar a desviar las llamadas a otros canales si están disponibles. La comunicación regular con su departamento de TI también puede ayudarle a estar al tanto de cualquier congelación de la tecnología de TI prevista para finales de año.
Además, asegúrese de aprovechar al máximo la funcionalidad de cara al agente y al supervisor que debe ofrecer su software de WFM: comunicar los últimos cambios de horario a los teléfonos móviles de los agentes les mantiene al tanto de cualquier cambio repentino que el equipo de WFM tenga que hacer, incluso si los agentes no están conectados. La capacidad de enviar ofertas automatizadas de VOT/VTO en cualquier momento es extremadamente útil, y la capacidad de procesar estas solicitudes automáticamente permite al equipo de WFM responder rápidamente, lo que es crucial durante un cambio repentino en el volumen de contactos.
La oferta de turnos flexibles (shift bidding) puede ayudar a que esas 2 horas extra añadidas a su horario pasen de ser obligatorios (que no sólo son desmoralizadores, sino que además podrían distribuirse de forma desigual accidental, haciendo que algunos agentes se sientan injustamente aprovechados) a experiencias más voluntarias que permitan a los agentes que quieran horas extra elegir solicitarlas cuando estén disponibles.
Por último, las capacidades de previsión What-If son una herramienta extremadamente valiosa para permitirle hacer planes de contingencia para: la posibilidad de cambios repentinos de volumen o AHT y los beneficios de desviar llamadas a canales digitales.
Coordinación (sharing is caring)
La comunicación eficaz con otros departamentos es vital. Manténgase en sintonía con su equipo de marketing y ayúdeles a comprender el impacto de las campañas de marketing que aumentan el volumen de ventas durante las temporadas de gran volumen. También debe coordinarse con Formación y Recursos Humanos para asegurarse de que completan cualquier formación necesaria para los empleados antes de las vacaciones.
Identifique y busque recursos formados disponibles que puedan estar de guardia para apoyar al centro de contacto en caso necesario. Los supervisores, formadores y empleados de back-office pueden servir de apoyo para diversos tipos de contactos con los clientes.
Los sectores de las aerolíneas y el comercio minorista han puesto de relieve la necesidad de planificarse a uno mismo y a sus socios antes de la temporada de vacaciones y rebajas, especialmente si hay socios de BPO implicados. Además de garantizar la exactitud de las previsiones, es necesario asegurar una dotación de personal adecuada, tanto interna como externamente. Los socios de BPO deben ser notificados lo antes posible sobre el personal que se requiere de ellos para que puedan llevar a cabo la contratación y la formación adecuadas para la demanda adicional.
¿Deprimido por el frío? Ponte en contacto con nosotros
La mayoría de los que trabajamos en Call Design sabemos perfectamente cómo se siente el equipo de WFM en esta época del año. Si este año ha recibido carbón en su calcetín de WFM, estamos aquí para ayudarle. Póngase en contacto con nosotros si necesita ayuda para enfrentarse a los retos de previsión y programación que surgen en el cuarto trimestre.
In a post-pandemic workplace landscape, the future is clear: it’s hybrid. According to a recent Gallup article by Ben Wigert, Jim Harter, and Sangeeta Agrawal, eight in 10 remote-capable employees expect to work in a hybrid or fully remote fashion. This shift is a testament to the changing dynamics of the modern workplace, and as Workforce Management (WFM) leaders, we need to stay ahead of the curve. At Call Design North America, we’ve always believed in aligning with the latest trends and research, and we’re thrilled to share our insights on why the Alvaria Workforce Reserve is more relevant than ever.
The Changing Landscape
Since the onset of the pandemic, the global workforce has been navigating an ongoing experiment in remote work. The tug-of-war between employers and employees on returning to the office has been a consistent headline. Yet, as organizations like Meta, the U.S. federal government, and Zoom mandate hybrid work, it’s clear that the office landscape is evolving.
As WFM leaders, it’s crucial that we understand the implications of this shift. Gallup’s extensive research shows that hybrid work is the new norm, with a significant percentage of employees embracing it. In fact, only 20% of remote-capable employees work entirely on-site, while 29% are fully remote, and 50% work in a hybrid model.
(Another example of a changing landscape: Franconia Notch State Park in October)
Best Practices for Hybrid Workplaces
As hybrid work becomes the new norm, it’s essential to leverage key insights from Gallup’s research while tailoring them to your organization’s needs:
Define a Compelling Office Experience: With remote work on the rise, leaders should make in-office experiences purposeful. The office should be a hub for collaboration, professional growth, and relationship-building. Design hybrid policies and office spaces that inspire teamwork and align with your organization’s culture.
Empower Teams to Shape Hybrid Work: Rather than imposing rigid guidelines, encourage teams to adapt hybrid work practices to their unique requirements. Collaborative decision-making ensures team members understand their roles and responsibilities, fostering a sense of shared ownership.
Enhance Performance Management: Trust in hybrid work hinges on accountability. Implement a performance management system that provides visibility into goals, key metrics, and regular progress checks. Beyond metrics, prioritize coaching and behaviors aligned with your organization’s values.
Invest in Training: Equip managers and teams with the skills needed to succeed in a hybrid work environment. Training is crucial to ensure effective collaboration and leadership in this evolving landscape.
Adapt Office Space Strategically: As the nature of work changes, consider the impact on office space. Reconfigure your workspace to accommodate a hybrid workforce and embrace the shift toward remote participation in meetings. Ensure both office and home environments are optimized for productivity and collaboration.
The Role of Alvaria Workforce Reserve in Achieving Best Practices for Hybrid Workplaces
As contact centers transition to hybrid work, Alvaria Workforce Reserve can play a vital role in aligning with best practices tailored to the contact center.
Define a Compelling Office Experience: In the contact center, it’s crucial to make in-office experiences purposeful. Contact centers should be hubs for collaboration, professional growth, and relationship-building. Alvaria Workforce Reserve streamlines seat assignment changes, ensuring that when employees come into the office, they find seats that match their needs. This design encourages teamwork and collaboration, enhancing the overall office experience.
Empower Teams to Shape Hybrid Work: Reserve empowers teams to adapt to hybrid work practices by automating seat assignments based on business rules, schedules, and capacity. This automation allows WFM teams to have flexibility without the burden of manual seat management. It aligns with the best practice of collaborative decision-making by giving teams the autonomy to shape their workspace.
Enhance Performance Management: Reserve plays a role in performance management by ensuring that employees adhere to their assigned seats, minimizing disruptions, and contributing to schedule adherence for contact center operations. This feature, along with Reserve’s automation capabilities, supports an environment where performance can be effectively monitored and managed, crucial in the context of contact centers and WFM.
Invest in Training for Contact Center Success: With Reserve, contact centers can ensure that agents are optimally positioned based on their specific training needs. This feature facilitates the onboarding process, allowing new agents to be strategically located for better learning and support. Additionally, Reserve can be used to manage seat assignments for training rooms, ensuring that the training environment is conducive to productivity and collaboration.
Adapt Office Space Strategically: Reserve’s automated seat planning and management tools allow contact centers to efficiently generate seating plans for both front and back office personnel. It ensures that the right seats are matched with the right agents at the right time, which is essential in a contact center setting. As the nature of work changes, Reserve supports contact centers in reconfiguring office space to accommodate a hybrid workforce and remote participation in meetings, aligning with the best practice of adapting office space strategically.
(Remote work can sometimes look like early morning work chats by the beach)
What Call Design Offers: Navigating the Hybrid Landscape with Confidence
At Call Design North America, we’ve been at the forefront of the remote and hybrid work revolution for over six years, long before it became the norm. Our extensive experience in navigating the intricate dynamics of this evolving landscape positions us as leaders in the field. We understand the complexities of managing contact centers and WFM teams in remote, hybrid, or in-person settings.
Our seasoned professionals have been leading WFM and contact center teams remotely for more than a decade, accumulating a wealth of knowledge and expertise. CDNA’s commitment to staying ahead of the curve ensures that we’re well-versed in the best practices that enable WFM teams to thrive in any work environment.
Your Trusted Partner in the Hybrid Future
Whether you’re seeking solutions for optimized seat allocation, remote engagement, or strategic workforce management, CDNA has the experience and tools to guide your organization to success. We recognize that every organization’s needs are unique, and our tailored approach ensures that we align with your specific goals and values.
In an era where workplace flexibility is paramount, CDNA is your steadfast ally, offering cost-effective solutions that meet your organization’s evolving demands. As the workplace landscape continues to transform into a hybrid model, our commitment to adaptability and the latest workforce management trends remains unwavering. Embrace the future with confidence, knowing that CDNA and Alvaria Workforce Reserve are here to support your organization on this transformative journey.
We are thrilled to announce that Call Design North America (CDNA) has achieved Great Place to Work certification! This certification shows our commitment to great employee experience and our dedication to creating a nurturing work environment. We’re excited to share why working with Call Design is so rewarding for employees and customers.
What is the Great Place to Work program?
It’s a global program that recognizes companies that have outstanding workplace cultures. The program measures things like employee satisfaction, leadership, and other factors that make a workplace great. There are two main types of criteria that are used to evaluate companies for the Great Place to Work certification. The first is what’s called “quantitative criteria”, which are things like surveys of employees and other data. The second type of criteria is called “qualitative criteria”, which is more subjective and involves interviews and observations of company culture.
To get certified, a company needs to meet both quantitative and qualitative criteria. Companies that are certified by Great Place to Work are considered to be great places to work, and this can be a huge benefit for attracting and retaining talent. It can also improve productivity and profitability.
Setting Expectations and Providing Guidance
At CDNA, we understand that constructive guidance, coupled with constructive criticism, is essential for personal and professional growth. We take pride in maintaining open lines of communication with our team. Our employees always have a guiding hand and a source of inspiration to help them navigate their career journeys.
In fact, we believe that clear expectations and regular feedback are the building blocks of any thriving workplace. Our approach ensures that every team member understands their role and how it contributes to our shared goals. We’ve seen firsthand how setting clear expectations fosters personal accountability and empowers our employees to excel.
Work-Life Balance is a Major Priority
We acknowledge that achieving work-life balance is crucial for the overall well-being of our employees. In fact, our commitment to providing a supportive work environment goes beyond just offering flexible scheduling options. We’re dedicated to ensuring that our team members can enjoy the best of both worlds, both personally and professionally.
In a recent survey, when asked about work-life balance, one of our employees stated, “I really appreciate CDNA’s schedule flexibility—work-life balance is extremely important to me and my family.”
Call Design North America strongly believes that when employees can maintain this balance, it contributes to their overall well-being, ensuring they can be at their best in both realms. It’s all about ensuring that our employees are happy, engaged, fulfilled, and aligned at work (HEFA).
Empowering Our Team Through Learning
The world is evolving at an unprecedented pace, with new technologies and tools reshaping the workplace. At CDNA, we’ve made it our mission to ensure that our employees remain at the forefront of industry trends. We are committed to investing in their growth and development, particularly in emerging fields such as Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Our dedication to continuous learning and skill-building creates viable career paths within our organization. We take pride in providing opportunities for advancement, recognizing that our team members’ success is intertwined with the growth of our company.
In a recent interview, one of our employees shared, “I really like the emphasis on professional development. It’s a big part of my objectives.”
Leadership That Cares
What truly sets us apart is our exceptional leadership. Our leaders have created an environment where people feel safe and cared for. This leadership ensures that CDNA is not just a place to work but a place to thrive.
Our CEO, Michelle Gaffney, embodies this caring culture. In a recent interview, she explained, “Call Design believes that people are an organization’s most strategic asset, and every one of them deserves to be happy, fulfilled and aligned at work. This belief drives our work and behaviors with customers, and enables us to balance customer satisfaction, employee well-being, and operational efficiency.”
Supporting Non-Profits
In the past year, we have gone above and beyond to care for not only our employees but also our community. During an in-person team meeting in March, we organized a heartwarming initiative where our team members wrote over 20 letters for seniors in the Nashville area. These letters were presented to the Greater Nashville Regional Council, contributing to their broader letter-writing campaign during the month.
In May, we not only sponsored the ContactNB conference and trade show but also played a vital role in helping the event raise over $2000 for local food pantries. This commitment to community support showcases our dedication to making a positive impact.
We are deeply committed to charitable causes, including our support for the Multiple Sclerosis Society. One of our employees, Nate, participates in the annual Bike Jack and Back bike ride to support the MS society, and we consistently support his fundraising efforts. Additionally, at conferences and trade shows, we encourage attendees to submit forms through QR codes, with each form submission resulting in a donation to both the Multiple Sclerosis Society and Thistle Farms in Nashville.
Consulting Services for Our Customers
Our journey towards becoming a Great Place to Work has equipped us with invaluable insights that we now extend to our customers. We understand that many companies might still be on their journey to creating a great place to work. That’s where our experience and knowledge can make a significant difference.
We offer comprehensive consulting services that delve into effective hiring strategies, techniques for interviewing and selecting the right candidates for workforce management teams and building winning Workforce Management (WFM) teams. Our expertise in creating an exceptional workplace is now available to help other companies on their path to success. Find out more about how CDNA can help you build a thriving WFM team that can help build a foundation for your own Great Place To Work! Contact us by clicking here!
For Call Design North America, achieving certification as a Great Place to Work is a milestone that signifies our commitment to our employees, our nurturing work environment, and our aspiration to be an industry leader. It serves as a reminder that the most successful companies are deeply invested in the success and well-being of their people. We look forward to continuing our journey of excellence and empowerment, setting new standards for the workplace and for our industry.
Picture this: a seasoned virtuoso of customer engagement, sharing his insights and experiences like an old friend swapping stories. In this casual conversation between Dan Smitley and Bill Brooks, we’ll uncover the essence of Bill’s expertise and why he’s a sought-after consultant for all things contact centers. From unraveling industry challenges to charting the unexplored territories of AI, get ready to gain insights into the mind of a maestro who orchestrates exceptional customer experiences.
Dan Smitley: Bill, your journey in the realm of contact centers is quite remarkable. Could you share a glimpse of how you found your way into becoming a respected contact center expert?
Bill Brooks: Thanks, Dan. My journey began with a genuine interest in working with people and being part of a team. This has evolved into creating high performance teams, both in sport and in business across the globe, where one of the key learnings was the significance of effective communication. From the business perspective, as I ventured into the Contact Center world, I saw the potential to enhance customer experiences by putting the customer at the forefront of every interaction, while creating an environment for each Contact Center team I led, to delight the customer at every interaction. Why delight? Because if one just satisfies the customer, there is still the chance they may take their business elsewhere, but if one does that little bit extra, the risk of that customer taking their business elsewhere is minimized and further loyalty is built into that relationship.
Dan: You’ve recently started working with Call Design. I’m curious, why us? You could be working with a lot of other vendors and contact center groups, why did you want to work with Call Design?
Bill: There are three reasons. First, being from Australia, I’ve known about Call Design for many years and it’s always been associated with excellence in the area of WFM Second, Mark Uren is a good friend of mine and we’ve worked before in a previous organization. I didn’t want to miss out on an opportunity to work with him again. And third, as I started interacting with the people of Call Design North America, I realized there was something special there. I wanted a chance to work with people that loved their job, helping their customers, and supporting each other.
Dan: Well we’re glad to have you! Call Design focuses on solving contact center challenges. From your perspective, what are some of the primary challenges that contact centers are facing right now?
Bill: I see a lot of challenges, but if I were to pinpoint a few, I’d say retaining and recruiting the right talent is a recurring theme. People are at the core of contact centers, and ensuring a loyal, capable and engaged team is vital. The fundamentals of customer interaction haven’t changed significantly in decades – it’s still about getting, keeping, and building loyalty with customers through a Contact Center’s agents. While this has stayed consistent for decades now, I’d also mention that I feel that we’re now at an inflection point with the use and potential use of AI in contact centers.
Dan: AI does seem to come up in A LOT of webinars, case studies, and articles recently. Why do you feel like it’s such a critical moment for AI in contact centers?
Bill: AI is having its moment because of the changes we’ve seen in its modeling over the past 6-9 months. AI has been around for a long time, but only recently have Large Language Models allowed for a new form of conversational and then generative AI to take shape. When I started seeing the generative AI tools come to the market I, like many other veterans, immediately saw the impact it was going to have on contact centers.
Dan: So does that mean we all just need to “sprinkle a little bit of AI” on our contact centers?
Bill: AI is a double-edged sword, Dan. It’s seen as both a challenge and an opportunity. Many consider it a panacea, but there’s a caveat – AI is still relatively new. I’ve been in the field long enough to understand that expertise takes time to develop. It’s more than just deploying a chatbot; it’s about having a strategic vision for how AI can enhance customer interactions. That’s where I come in, helping businesses identify the right AI solutions and weaving them into their strategies then assisting them to execute such strategies.
Dan: You’ve witnessed the evolution of contact centers. How would you describe this transformation, and where does AI fit into this narrative?
Bill: It’s been quite the journey. Contact centers have shifted from transactional hubs to interaction hubs. AI plays a pivotal role by automating routine tasks, allowing agents to focus on building authentic connections. It’s akin to the transition from feather pens to typewriters, but on a larger scale, all aimed at enriching customer interactions.
Bill: My track record speaks for itself. I’ve been a part of major transformations and I leave behind a legacy of loyal, well-trained and skilled high-performing teams. My experience is more than just implementing solutions; it’s about nurturing relationships, fostering teamwork, and ultimately delivering sustained excellence. Whether it’s navigating complex challenges or driving growth, I bring a unique blend of leadership and practical insights.
Dan: Your insights and perspectives are enlightening, Bill. What future prospects are you excited about, and how do you envision your role evolving in the ever-changing contact center landscape?
Bill: Dan, the future holds endless possibilities. Working with Call Design excites me—the people here are skilled and focused, and the company’s future is promising. I see my role evolving into a mentorship and guidance capacity, helping businesses thrive by navigating dynamic changes and delivering unparalleled customer experiences.
Bill Brooks brings a unique blend of leadership and human connection to the world of contact centers. As a consultant, his ability to navigate the evolving landscape while fostering teamwork sets him apart. With Bill’s guidance, businesses can look forward to a future where each interaction is an opportunity to make a lasting impact.
Curious to learn more about Bill Brooks and his transformative consulting abilities? Connect with us today to discover how he can elevate your organization’s contact center operations to new heights.
In the previous blog, I talked about the importance of self-care and why WFM leaders should care about it, but I didn’t give you any tips on how to execute self-care. Well in this article, we will explore practical ways to enhance your self-care practices, from confidently saying “no” and setting boundaries, to caring for your physical, mental, and emotional needs. By incorporating these strategies into your work routine, you can cultivate assertiveness, focus, and emotional resilience, enabling you to excel in your professional journey. So what are some ways you can practice self-care?
Start by getting comfortable with saying no at work.
You can always start with “yes, if” instead of “no”. When someone comes to you with a request that you can’t accomplish tell them “Yes, I can do this if you…”. So instead of saying “No, we don’t have the resources to complete this project” you can say “Yes, we can take this on if you can get me more resources for my team.” It’s a step in the right direction and might be easier for people that feel “no” is too confrontational.
Being able to say “no” at work helps you build your assertiveness. This ability is necessary for you to be able to stand up for yourself and negotiate, which will be critical for your ability to grab that next promotion or pay increase.
Being able to say “no” is also going to require you to get closer to your boss. If you’re going to start pushing back on people and saying that something can’t be done, then you need to make sure you’re aligned with your boss. The last thing your boss wants is people coming to them saying that you’re telling them “no” for something your boss wants done. Your ability to say “no” and be right about it is dependent upon how well you understand your boss’s direction and priorities.
Get comfortable setting boundaries at work.
Setting boundaries at work helps you build your self-advocating muscle. When you don’t value your time, ability, or effort, then no one will. Setting boundaries helps you speak to the value of your time and ability. This skill is imperative to any professional growth and development.
Setting boundaries allows you to focus on the most important project. Without boundaries we’re often lost in the latest craze or trying to put out the most recent fire. Contact centers will always have chaos and fires, so you’ve got to rein in your focus on what’s the most important thing. Without boundaries, you’re likely to try and fix everything and quickly burn yourself out.
Self-care looks like taking care of your physical needs
Stretch and walk during breaks. This means that you actually have to take breaks from work. This could easily look like only scheduling meetings for 45-55 minutes, making sure you always have a few minutes to move between meetings.
Multi-task work and your physical activity. Take some meetings on your phone while you walk around your neighborhood. Sign up for a webinar and listen to it while you go on a run. Find a way to care for your body even as you continue to work hard.
You can care for your body at work by getting a comfortable working environment. This means finding the right chair, getting a desk that works for you, and making sure you have sunlight available. One of the worst things you can do to your body is sit in an uncomfortable chair, staring at a poorly positioned monitor, in a dark room, for hours on end. Self-care can be as simple as a standing desk and an open window.
Drink water! Make it a goal to finish a cup or two of water every hour. Not only is your body going to thank you for keeping it hydrated, but it will also give you a reason to get up from your desk more often for bio breaks.
Self-care looks like taking care of your mental needs
An important part of your mental needs is understanding where you get energy from, especially around people. If people can drain you of energy then make sure that you have time in your day to decompress and process the events. If people lift you up then make sure you have moments between projects to connect and build relationships.
Completing tasks can give you a hit of dopamine, so create to-do lists and make them simple. Instead of saying “Complete Project X” put it on your list to do 30 or 60 minutes of work. Instead of saying “Finish the blog” just put “Start writing the outline for the blog”. These smaller tasks, while not necessarily changing the work you have to get done, will mentally provide you with hits to keep going. A pro tip is to make a list of things that you’ve already done today. This is an easy way to remind yourself of how productive you’ve been. Get out of bed. Check! Brush teeth. Check! Put on clean clothes. Check! See how productive you’ve been?!
An important part of mentally caring for yourself at work is not working. Your brain needs breaks and often works better when given breaks. So, when you’re feeling exhausted or that you don’t have any more to give to a project, step away (ideally before exhaustion). Do anything other than work. Go on a walk. Eat some food. Mindless scroll on the internet. Self-care can sometimes look like just not working while you’re at work.
Self-care looks like caring care of your emotional needs
Practicing gratitude and tracking what we’re grateful for will position us emotionally better in the workplace. It’s easy to find the negative things in our environment, especially with the amount of chaos we have in the contact center. But practicing gratefulness will reorient our mindset and emotional state and allow us to be even more productive while at work.
Practicing kind self-talk is an easy one to roll our eyes at, but it also positions us to be more effective at work. When we are kind to ourselves we are more confident, assertive, and productive. Our emotional state improves and that allows us to lead and impact our workplace in more effective ways.
Prioritizing self-care as a WFM leader is not only essential for your personal well-being, but it also has a profound impact on your professional success and the overall culture of your organization. By implementing the practical self-care strategies we’ve explored, you can cultivate assertiveness, focus, and emotional resilience, positioning yourself as a confident and effective leader. Remember, self-care is an ongoing journey, and it requires continuous attention and commitment. If you’re seeking further guidance, tips, and ideas on self-care, WFM best practices, or fostering a human-centric company culture, don’t hesitate to reach out to Call Design. Our team of experts is here to support you in your quest for personal and professional growth. Together, let’s create a workplace where self-care and employee well-being are at the heart of success.
As workforce management leaders we often live in a world of chaos and exhaustion. I know, such a cheerful way to start a blog. But the reality is that many of us are constantly staring burnout in the eyes. Whether it’s ourselves, our teams, or the agents we support, our environment is full of people pushing themselves to the limits and hoping they’ve got more gas in the tank. This is why the topic of self-care is incredibly important for WFM leaders, but all too often it’s something that we leave for the HR team to take care of. We assume that it has nothing to do with us or our ability to impact our contact centers. When in reality self-care is critical to our ability to grow personally, and professionally, and create an environment we want to work in. So, what is self-care?
Defining Self-Care:
Self-care is both comprehensive and intentional care for our well-being. It involves us paying attention to our physical, mental, and emotional needs and then taking planned steps to meet them. Whether it’s going for a run, practicing mindfulness, or creating space for our feelings, self-care is a conscious investment in ourselves.
Debunking Misconceptions:
It’s selfish: Unfortunately, many of us have a misunderstanding of self-care and so we typically avoid it. We see self-care as selfishness. We think that it’s focusing on our own needs at the exclusion of others and it inherently feels wrong. We see ourselves as servant leaders and believe we’re benefiting our teams and our families when we constantly give of ourselves. But what we’re missing is that we cannot pour into others if we are empty.
Self-care is not selfishness, and in fact, it’s likely the best thing we can do to help those around us. We are more effective in our support and help to others when our tank is full or nearly full. Prioritizing self-care enables us to replenish our energy, compassion, and empathy, allowing us to better serve those around us.
It’s a one-time act: We also have to remember that self-care is not a one-time event. We get little to no credit for taking a vacation 2 years ago or getting a massage 6 months ago. Think about self-care like a garden. If you do some heavy weeding and planting on a day and then let it go for 6 months all of your work will have been for nothing. Instead, we need to continually water, weed, and care for the plants. In the same way, we need to be paying attention to our physical, mental, and emotional needs and addressing them today, not in 6 months.
Why WFM Should Care:
The impact: I have a sense that at this point I may be losing some of you. “That’s all great Dan, but how does this impact my WFM or contact center team?”. I’m so glad you asked!
The stats are in and our contact center industry is in a full-on forest fire of burnout. 75% of call center agents are at risk of burnout (source). The average agent turnover is at a 25-year high (source). Burned-out employees are 63% more likely to take a sick day (source). Employees who frequently experience burnout are 2.6 times as likely to be actively seeking a new job (source). If anyone is going to care about employees taking sick days and high attrition rates it’s going to be the WFM team.
When burnout is left unchecked we see productivity decrease, shrinkage increase, and attrition rates increase. This in turn creates an incredibly challenging environment to forecast, schedule, and real-time manage. Simply put WFM should care about burnout because ignoring it makes our jobs harder!
Our environment: Plus, many of us are ripe for burnout. The WFM team sits at the crossroads of IT, HR, Finance, Marketing, Operations, etc. This gives us a great opportunity to know what’s going on in the organization and possibly help lead conversations. But it also easily leads to a sense of overwhelming burnout. When each of these teams brings its own “top priority” we are left holding the bag trying to figure out which one is the “most top of all tops”.
On top of this, we have likely created a career by being right. “Why did we miss service level yesterday?” “How many calls are going to come in on October 25th?” “When should we start hiring to make sure we have enough people for the busy season?” We are used to being the person that people come to for all sorts of questions. We have added value by always being connected, available, and quick with the right answer. I mean, can you think of a better environment for a burned-out leader?
It spreads: In the same way that burnout spreads, so does self-care. WFM leaders should care about self-care because when we do we lead by example. We help create the environment we want to work and live in. Those that are watching us, whether at home or at work, can see the value and benefits of intentionally and comprehensively taking care of our well-being.
Self-care is not a luxury or an afterthought for WFM leaders—it is an essential ingredient for personal well-being, professional success, and cultivating a positive work environment. By understanding the comprehensive and intentional nature of self-care, debunking misconceptions, and recognizing its impact on our industry and teams, we can embrace self-care as a strategic investment. Let us lead by example, prioritizing our own well-being while inspiring others to do the same. By integrating self-care practices into our lives and organizations, we can foster a happy, engaged, fulfilled, and aligned workforce while driving positive business outcomes.
This was part 1 of a 2-part series on self-care so make sure to check out our other blog (coming next week) that will give tips on how to practice self-care. Also, feel free to reach out to us anytime with questions about workforce management best practices, and how to build team cultures that encourage self-care. WFM is often full of chaos and exhaustion, but that doesn’t mean you have to do it alone. We’re here and we’ve got your back.
As attendees engaged in conversations about engaging remote workforces and the importance of employee experience, the irony of discussing these topics at an in-person event was not lost. The consensus among participants was that flexible work arrangements, including hybrid in-office and work-from-home setups, are the future of contact centers.
