Mental health issues have become more prominent in the workplace and statistics reveal that 1 in 4 people experience mental health issues every year. It has never been more important for employers to consider staff wellbeing – especially when an estimated 12 billion working days are lost globally each year due to depression and anxiety.
Various studies have shown that call center agents are at a higher risk of suffering from mental health issues. One study suggested that more than eight in 10 call center workers feel that their work is worsening their mental health, with 95% of those surveyed admitting that work-related wellbeing problems were reducing their productivity.
Before the emergence of the in-depth insights we have today, agent stress was often misunderstood as someone simply not being 'cut out for the job'. Thankfully, with more understanding about mental health, those perceptions are changing. Across the industry, it's now a priority for contact center leaders to understand how to support positive mental health and wellbeing for their agents, improve agent productivity, and address the question of why are call center jobs so stressful.
There are multiple steps contact centers can take to improve employee wellbeing, including utilizing call center technology to support agents. This guide explores:
The problem with contact center well-being
It is a well-researched fact that call center agents have a higher risk of stress and mental health issues when compared to employees in other industries. It’s not uncommon for call center agents to feel emotionally drained, experience sleep problems, or take anti-anxiety medication because of their work. Some agents may even develop call center PTSD due to prolonged exposure to stressful situations.
To tackle this problem, employers must understand the causes of call center stress and the impact it can have on their business. This is the first step towards effective call and contact center management and improving contact center productivity.
What are the top causes of stress and anxiety in the contact center?
Call centers are fast-paced and competitive environments, and the role can be extremely demanding. Below are some of the key factors that contribute to poor mental wellbeing in contact centers.
- Target-driven environment: Contact center agents work on tightly controlled schedules and have intense pressure to perform well and hit targets, which can lead to stress syndrome.
- Challenging interactions: Contact center agents are expected to handle a high volume of customer service calls and often have to deal with complaints, leading to customer service stress.
- Repetitive tasks: Contact center agents typically perform the same tasks throughout the working day and follow monotonous scripts which can lead to low job satisfaction and burnout.
- Low salary: Most call center agents are given a relatively low salary, which can cause financial stress. They may also have a lack of career progression opportunities which may lead to low morale.
How does employee wellbeing impact your contact center?
- Lost workdays: Poor mental health is one of the leading causes of lost workdays. Physical and mental stress can lead to employees being absent from work and underperforming when they are in; globally, an estimated $1 trillion is lost per year as a result of depression and anxiety.
- Low productivity: Stress may also cause employees to become less productive when they are in the workplace, making it harder for contact centers to keep up with demand. First contact resolution is likely to decrease, alongside customer satisfaction.
- Poor customer service: Employees dealing with stress are more likely to cause customer service challenges, which may affect client relationships and reduce customer satisfaction. An angry call center agent may struggle with effective call handling.
- High turnover: High stress levels will affect employee morale and this is likely to increase staff turnover rates. Recruiting and training new call center agents is expensive – so it pays to retain your existing staff!
How can you improve agent wellbeing in your contact center?
Mental health issues and call center stress among employees can lead to burnout and serious health complications. This can have a significant negative impact on the customer experience, productivity, and profits.
Employers must be aware of this problem and take steps to protect their employees' wellbeing, boost mental health in the workplace, and take steps towards becoming an intelligent contact center. We will explore 5 ways to achieve this goal below.
1. Create a welcoming culture
Work culture is closely linked to employee wellbeing as a welcoming culture will make agents feel happier and encourage productivity.
Getting the culture right starts from day 1 with training and onboarding. With the right technology, new agents can be onboarded quickly without the need for weeks or months of training as guidance and assistance solutions eliminate the need to learn every intricate detail of complex processes.
The time that's saved can be channeled back into training programs that focus on more enjoyable soft-skill programs and career development sessions.
Here are a few tips to create a positive workplace culture in your contact center:
- Encourage your employees to bond with team-building activities.
- Celebrate successes and reward staff for their hard work.
- Encourage employees to share feedback with managers and ask for support when needed.
- Create light, open workspaces that are warm and decorated to a high standard.
Pro tip: Plants are powerful mood boosters that have been shown to improve employee wellbeing by 40%. Adding greenery is a simple way to improve morale and create a positive working environment.
2. Train managers to handle mental health issues
Mental health issues are not always easy to spot and can go unnoticed and become more serious. It's important to educate your managers on the importance of mental health in the workplace and how to support agents who are feeling stressed or burnt out.
Mental health training will help your managers spot the signs of anxiety and stress syndrome and give them the skills to provide support and improve employee wellbeing.
Pro tip: Don't forget about your managers. It can be easy to focus all your attention on agents and their wellbeing, but line managers often feel stressed and under pressure. Implement a regular program of check-ins for managers so that they feel supported and able to confidently help their teams with stress management.
3. Monitor and reward performance
Monitoring employee performance plays an important role in improving wellbeing and productivity in the workplace. Technology has made it easy for managers to track agent performance in contact centers.
For instance, managers can use a customer sentiment analytics tool to monitor the interactions that agents have with customers. This software uses conversational analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) to interpret customers' unspoken feelings and can help in improving agent performance in the call center.
Pro tip: One area that can also help is improving agent remuneration. If budgets are challenging, contact center leaders may not think that improving pay and bonuses is a viable option. But one of our clients, NRTC, was able to reinvest the money they saved from reducing agent churn after deploying our platform into bonuses for their agents. Although financial recompense isn't solely responsible for improving employee wellbeing, it can help alleviate financial difficulties agents are facing and contribute to better work-life balance.
4. Offer support when it's needed
Where appropriate, companies should offer call center agents specialist support such as stress management resources, counseling, or professional mental health referrals. This support will address mental health issues and improve employees' wellbeing. Employee support programs can be crucial in dealing with call center stress and preventing burnout.
Pro tip: Providing technology that works with the agent rather than against them can also reduce anxiety and stress in the workplace by helping agents perform better and feel more confident in their roles. This can significantly improve agent productivity in call centers.
5. Deploy agent assistance and conversation intelligence technology
Agents are expected to be knowledgeable in a vast array of products and services, including process steps, timescales, systems, and hand-off requirements for support departments.
Real-time agent assistance technology has revolutionized call centers and can be used to streamline processes and enhance the customer experience. This technology provides agents with real-time coaching prompts, relevant step-by-step guidance, and automation capabilities that help them work more efficiently.
You can also use conversation intelligence technology to monitor employee performance and wellbeing, even when agents are working remotely. Conversation intelligence software lets you analyze every customer interaction for your QA criteria, agent behaviors, and even agent sentiment, enabling you to identify early warning signs that an agent may be struggling and needs additional support or coaching.
Pro tip: Don’t just use conversation intelligence software to focus on agent weaknesses: use it to identify what agents are doing well and build these metrics into an employee recognition program. One of our clients, BCU, took this approach to celebrate their agents’ wins, contributing to a positive workplace culture and a best-in-class attrition rate of just 10%.
How can technology help you manage and improve agent wellbeing?
Contact center technology:
- Can identify where improvements can be made with the help of agent training and refresher courses.
- Allows managers to support their agents and make their jobs easier with tools like scripting and desktop automation.
- Can improve job satisfaction and boost productivity, leading to higher customer satisfaction and profits.
Having the right contact center technology can help you improve mental health in the workplace and manage call center anxiety and stress. However, you must partner with the right provider if you want to get the most out of your investment and achieve the desired outcomes.
Creovai has an AI-driven suite of tools that have been specifically designed to support call center agents and maintain a productive working environment. Our innovative software comes with a host of extra features designed to improve customer service and support positive agent wellbeing:
Our innovative software comes with a host of extra features designed to improve customer service and support positive agent wellbeing: Our real-time guidance software has been shown to increase operational efficiency and profitability within call centers by 85% and 300%.
Book a demo of Creovai to see how our solutions can improve mental health in the workplace, improve agent productivity, and boost customer satisfaction.
FAQs
How can I identify early warning signs of stress or burnout in my agents?
Look for changes in performance patterns such as decreased first-call resolution rates, increased call handling times, or rising customer complaints from specific agents. Behavioral indicators include increased absenteeism, tardiness, visible fatigue, irritability, or withdrawal from team interactions. Regular one-on-ones and anonymous pulse surveys can help surface issues before they escalate. Train your supervisors to recognize these signs and create an environment where agents feel comfortable discussing challenges.
What’s the most cost-effective way to improve agent wellbeing without a large budget increase?
Start with culture and communication improvements that require minimal investment but deliver significant impact. Implement regular recognition programs, create feedback loops between agents and management, and optimize physical workspace lighting and comfort. Consider flexible scheduling where possible and ensure agents have adequate break time. Small investments in office plants, better break room amenities, or team-building activities can yield substantial returns in morale and retention.
How do I balance productivity targets with wellbeing initiatives without compromising business results?
Focus on quality metrics over pure quantity—agents who feel supported typically deliver better customer experiences, leading to improved satisfaction scores and reduced repeat calls. Implement coaching programs that help agents work more efficiently rather than just faster. Consider adjusting targets based on call complexity and provide real-time guidance tools that reduce agent stress while maintaining performance standards. Remember that reducing turnover saves significant recruitment and training costs.
How can I measure the ROI of wellbeing initiatives to justify continued investment?
Track metrics that directly impact your bottom line: agent turnover rates, recruitment costs, training expenses, absenteeism, average handle time, first-call resolution rates, and customer satisfaction scores. Calculate the cost of replacing an agent (typically 50-150% of annual salary) and compare this to wellbeing program costs. Monitor productivity trends and correlate them with wellbeing initiatives. Many organizations see significant returns on wellbeing investments through reduced turnover and improved performance alone.
How do I maintain agent wellbeing in a remote or hybrid environment?
Establish regular check-ins that go beyond performance metrics to include wellbeing discussions. Provide ergonomic support for home offices and ensure agents have reliable technology to reduce frustration. Create virtual social opportunities like online coffee breaks or team challenges. Use collaboration tools to maintain team connection and implement digital wellness resources. Consider providing stipends for home office improvements or mental health apps, and ensure managers are trained to recognize signs of isolation or burnout in remote workers.
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