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Calling All Top Talent: How to Build and Retain Your Best-Fit Workforce

by Bill Ravenscroft, VP National Accounts, Adecco Staffing USA - January 31, 2017

 

Calling All Top Talent: How to Build and Retain Your Best-Fit Workforce

 

By Bill Ravenscroft, VP National Accounts, Adecco Staffing USA
 
From now through January, its peak season for many call centers. Being understaffed during this time can lead to poor customer experiences and negatively impact bottom lines. To keep customers satisfied and wait times as short as possible, many call center businesses are bringing on additional customer service representatives, quality control associates, as well as IT staff to keep equipment running properly.
 
The need to ramp up staff is not limited to call centers promoting holiday goods and services. For many retail businesses, the flurry of holiday activity will continue into the first quarter with potential returns, exchanges and other customer service issues. Other types of businesses, from insurance to healthcare to financial services, experience their own seasonal cycles, from open enrollment to tax season, that require additional staffing support.
 
No matter your industry or the time of year, the following best practices can be applied to help you attract and retain a quality, skilled workforce to effectively meet the demands of your customers. 
 
Dialing into the Changing Landscape
As you seek to hire talent, it’s important to understand today’s employment landscape, how it differs from years past, as well as how to adjust your expectations and practices accordingly.
 
The consistent, relatively low unemployment rate we have experienced throughout 2016 has impacted employers’ ability to find the same volume of workers they have in years prior. Many candidates who would have pursued part-time or seasonal call center work may be situated in full-time positions elsewhere.
 
Additionally, while the available workforce is shrinking, pay is rising to help employers better compete for top talent. Over the past three years, we at Adecco Staffing have seen demand from employers across industries for call center workers rise, in correlation with wages, as employers compete for top talent to meet their seasonal needs. And because employers do not want to be left hanging mid-season, we have also seen many offer a higher pay rate to candidates that show a willingness to commit to a complete seasonal assignment. Many are even increasing wages earlier in the season than in years past to attract and retain workers.
 
As your company adjusts to a shallower pool of available workers and higher wages, you must also consider the impact of technology on the industry’s evolution and its impact on the skill sets you must hire for. In the past, to be successful in a call center environment, workers primarily needed to be able to use the phone and possess strong communication and problem solving skills. But today, candidates need to be more tech savvy and able to multi-task between phone, email, live chat and even text. While some employers offer multi-week trainings, others require candidates get up to speed in just 3 or 4 days before becoming a live agent. Therefore, candidates must be able to quickly learn the technology, processes and products for which they will be responsible.
 
Attracting Top Talent
Building your workforce begins with evaluating your needs, from the size and location of your workforce, to the qualities and skills your ideal candidates would possess to do their job effectively and efficiently.  To help you get started, consider the following:
 
·         Return employees: In the call center industry, particularly when it comes to the holiday season, it’s very common to hire return employees. Many call centers aim to bring back 30 to 40 percent of their workforce each year. This creates consistency across the customer experience and cuts down on training costs. With return employees, you can rest assured they possess the necessary customer service and positive communication skills. Even if they need brushing up on hard skills, or how to use new technology, training should be minimal. 
 
·         Remote workers: Ten years ago there was a general hesitancy among employers to allow employees to work remotely due to a perceived inability to track productivity.  However, over the last five years, we have seen a shift. Today, many employers are investing in and increasing their remote workforces, especially in the call center industry.
 
While a great amount of synergy can be created in a true call center environment -- with agents playing off of each other’s energy – it’s becoming more common for top-performing or experienced agents to be selected or volunteer for work-from-home assignments.
If you are willing and able to accommodate remote workers, consider offering this perk to trusted staff. You may experience a decrease in overhead costs and most will appreciate the flexibility and work-life balance the ability to work from home can provide, which can promote loyalty and productivity.
 
·         Rates:  To obtain top talent, it’s important to offer fair compensation. Tools such as Adecco Staffing’s 2017 Salary Guide can help employers remain competitive. When it comes to short-term assignments, such as the eight or thirteen week stretch around the holiday season, many call centers are offering workers peak pay, completion bonuses and other perks (such as product discounts) to attract and retain talent. If it’s critical to your business that staff stay onboard the duration of the season, consider offering a peak season bonus or $500 to $1,000 completion bonus at its conclusion.
 
·         Referral bonuses: Once you find qualified candidates, a good place to find additional talent is within their networks. To encourage workers to refer their friends or family as candidates, consider offering referral bonuses. Some employers are also offering or referee bonuses. For example, some employers may offer a $250 referral bonus, paid to the new employee after 30 days, as well as to the person who made the referral. Bonus programs are a valuable tool during mission critical hiring ramp up times. Some employers will offer gas cards or other creative bonuses to thank new hires for their investment in training for the position before they receive their first pay check.
 
Selecting Best-Fit Talent
Once you have identified candidates that meet your requirements on paper, it’s time to begin the interview process. Questions to consider asking candidates include: Are you comfortable multitasking? Do you have basic computer skills? Do you have enthusiasm about the product(s) we sell? Answers to these questions can help you determine which candidates may be the best fit for your needs.
 
When it comes to hiring during peak season, however, employers should be prepared to compromise.  While an ideal candidate will have hard skills (such as being proficient with the technology your company uses) and soft skills (including strong verbal communication skills and empathy), it may become increasingly difficult to find candidates with alignment to your brand. Having brand alignment, such as enthusiasm for your product and cultural buy in, are critical to job satisfaction. Working with a staffing partner can help you source quality talent that align with your brand and meet your technical requirements. Staffing companies also take the legwork out of interviewing candidates, scheduling and payroll, for example, so you can focus on other aspects of your business.
 
In general, it’s best to begin planning for your seasonal hiring needs roughly 30 to 60 days in advance of your peak season to allow ample time to train workers not only on the technology they will use to do their jobs, but also on the products or services with which they will engage. But whether you’re getting just getting started now, or trying to fill holes in your staff, don’t fret. Tools such as completion or referral bonuses and staffing partners can help ensure effective recruitment and retention.
 

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