Combating call center agent burnout during stressful economic times

There’s no getting around it—the past few years have been stressful. This month marks the third year since COVID-19 completely disrupted our realities. The anticipated “new normal” never began and was instead replaced with disruptions stretching from the supply chain to the labor market. Today, the upheaval is coming from the economic sector and looming recession.

With many call centers understaffed and struggling to hire new employees in the hyper-competitive job market, agents are expected to keep up with mounting volume with fewer team members to help them out.

When your call center operation is stretched too thin, your credit union runs the risk of making mistakes and having team members burn out.

Contact Center Burnout Rates

Burnout among contact center agents can cause major organizational challenges for your credit union. It can contribute to poor member service, absenteeism, and employee turnover.

• According to a recent industry report, 59% of contact center agents overall are at risk of burnout, and 28% face a severe risk.
• Contact centers experience some of the highest turnover rates in the country, averaging between 30-40%.
• Most call center agents remain at their jobs less than three years.

The high burnout and turnover rates in call centers are often attributed to the demanding expectations placed on agents. Agents are expected to possess traits such as patience, positivity, happiness, and helpfulness, which can be challenging to demonstrate during stressful situations.

Meeting key performance indicators (KPIs) like average call time and first call resolution can create even more stress for call center agents, contributing to high burnout rates. This pressure can become overwhelming, leading to situations where agents may not handle members with the level of care they deserve.

Fortunately, there are steps your credit union can take to combat call center burnout. It starts with identifying the signs and symptoms of burnout, and then implementing strategies to prevent it from taking hold.

Identifying Burnout Among Your Call Center Team Members

Burnout in call centers is often indicated by clear signs such as exhaustion, poor job performance, and growing cynicism toward the workplace.

According to Gallup, burned out employees are:

• 63% more likely to take a sick day;
• Six times more likely to be actively seeking a different job;
• 13% less confident in their work performance;
• 50% less likely to discuss performance goals with their managers.

Keep an eye out for more frequent absenteeism and attitude shifts among team members to help get in front of potential burnout.

Tips for reducing agent burnout rates at your credit union’s call center

To reduce the risk of burnout, credit union leaders must implement action plans that prioritize employee well-being and promote personal and professional growth.

Here are some effective strategies to mitigate call center agent burnout at your institution:

1. Prioritize mental health and stress reduction

Cultivating a call center culture that values break time and leaving at the end of a shift can help prevent burnout. Agents need time to rest and recharge, instead of working through their breaks or taking extra calls. It’s important to remind employees that the job is a marathon, not a sprint, and provide wellness initiatives like healthy snacks, plenty of scheduled breaks, and remote work options to promote physical and mental health.

2. Ensure employees have support from managers and other leaders

Experienced call center agents may handle customer interactions on their own, but they still need a support network. This is especially important for remote workers—even from home, management needs to be available.

A recent Gallup study found that employees who feel supported by their managers are significantly less likely (about 70%) to experience burnout. Good managers offer opportunities to discuss difficult situations, provide support during rough times, and collaborate to reduce stress levels.

3. Establish incentive programs

Agents spend hours each day talking to members, many of whom are upset. Even under the best circumstances, this can wear employees down. Offering a call center incentive program can help agents feel like their efforts are appreciated.

The secret to developing and implementing a successful incentive program is to identify the positive behaviors that most impact your bottom line and then recognize top performers who exhibit this behavior. Incentives don’t have to be monetary—it could be tickets to a movie or a sports game.

4. Consider outsourcing some or all of your call center activity

If balancing heavy call volume with limited internal resources is a priority to help reduce agent burnout, consider outsourcing some or all of your call center activity to a third party.

Outsourcing your efforts can help credit unions save costs, improve member service, and gain access to specialized expertise and technology resources, all while providing greater flexibility and scalability.

SWBC has more than 30 years of experience operating a contact center. We take pride in ensuring our agents represent your financial institution with the utmost respect and embody the member-first mentality. Visit our website to learn how we can help elevate your contact center services.