Four Reasons Why Contact Centers Need to Have a Positive Work Culture

Do you ever wonder how customer-oriented call centers continue to maintain excellence in providing quality service?

Three words: Positive Work Culture.

Merriam Webster defines culture as a shared set of values, beliefs, practices, and goals within an organization.

Simply put, it is our shared identity — who we are whenever our bosses aren’t in the room, or how we respond whenever faced with forks in the road.

Here are four good reasons why contact centers need to have a positive shared identity in the workplace.

1. Corporate unity

Creating a shared positive culture allows agents to align their heartbeats to that of the organization.

Whenever these employees are placed in conflicting situations, these individuals can always make responses that benefit the agency despite the lack of clear-cut instructions on what exactly to do in the employee handbook.

Because the company practices a lifestyle out of embracing organizational values and interests, these agents are able to exercise discretion that forwards company goals because of their awareness and constant application of such.

2. Increased motivation

Sharing a collective identity makes agents more concerned about the success of the entire organization and not just their personal interests.

A study published in Harvard Business Review show customer satisfaction levels to be linked to employee motivation factors as determined by strong workplace cultures. The same article also revealed a connection between organizational drive and increased revenue production.

Patty Vogan, a leadership columnist of Entrepreneur.com, believes that creating an atmosphere of positive culture in the workplace starts and ends with top management.

Agents look towards company leaders when forming their ideas and beliefs of organizational culture before adopting and integrating these norms into their personal drives.

3. Improved retention

Stronger company cultures result in more employee talents being retained.

Departments of an insurance company that aligned its workplace environments to company culture were found to have 30% less turnover as compared to the other units.

The lower churn rate would translate into lesser organizational expenses spent on hiring and more chemistry among your team’s agents.

One reason why individuals immersed in company culture choose to stay is that of the feeling of being part of an extended family. An article from Catalyst.org shows that almost 50% of employees who shared organizational values feel a greater sense of inclusion at work.

4. Brand image

The type of identity we share inside our organization can be seen by potential employees and customers from the outside.

Treating employees well and having a light and fun workplace environment may cause prospects to see and believe that your company’s brand is filled with laughter and generosity.

One study shows that college students are willing to accept 7% less starting pay just to be in organizations that have cultures they appreciate. Another article in Forbes shows that millennials are willing to trade $7,600 worth of salary per year for better work environments.

Even another publication showed that 70% of millennials would opt to spend more money on brands that support causes that these individuals care about.

What are your thoughts?

We believe that positive culture is essential to the developing excellence in the contact center workplace. It is because of these values and beliefs that we hold and practice that we are confident in providing outstanding customer service to our clients.

How about you? Do you agree with the importance of positive work culture in the organization? And what values and practices do you uphold in your company?

Let us know in the comments below.

(If you are looking for solutions to improve your workplace culture, then contact us.)

Resources:

• https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/culture
  
• https://hbr.org/2012/05/culture-takes-over-when-the-ce
• http://smallbusiness.chron.com/advantages-workplace-culture-organization-2951.html
• https://hbr.org/2015/11/how-company-culture-shapes-employee-motivation
• https://www.forbes.com/sites/larryalton/2017/02/17/why-corporate-culture-is-becoming-even-more-important/#44b30a2369da
• https://hiring.monster.com/hr/hr-best-practices/recruiting-hiring-advice/strategic-workforce-planning/hire-for-the-organization.aspx
• http://www.catalyst.org/media/workplace-culture-key-employee-satisfaction
• https://www.forbes.com/sites/larryalton/2017/06/20/how-millennials-are-reshaping-whats-important-in-corporate-culture/#28b8a4722dfb