For companies that operate their own contact centers, employee engagement can mean the difference between success and failure. According to a 2016 Gallup report, engaged employees can result in:
- 41% lower absenteeism,
- between 24% and 59% less turnover (depending on the industry),
- 20% higher sales,
- 17% higher productivity, and
- 21% more profitability.
These statistics paint a picture of an overwhelming competitive advantage when it comes to operating a successful contact center in the modern business climate.
Lower Turnover
One of the most potentially crippling factors in operating a contact center is employee turnover. Employee engagement programs that develop employee feedback, involvement, and a sense of well-being within the company, when combined with competitive salaries and adequate benefits, have demonstrated time and again that retention isn’t all about money. It’s about a sense of empowerment and the feeling of being valued. Engaged contact center employees are more likely to stay where they are.
Higher Productivity
Engaged employees are invested in the results of their work and are eager to see their efforts have a positive impact on the business. This translates directly into more focused effort, which in turn manifests as increased productivity and higher sales numbers.
Thanks to modern, cloud-based contact center solutions, measuring that productivity is now easily accomplished. Not only that, but it is also possible to identify exactly where higher and lower performers are and to use that information to develop training programs that benefit the entire staff.
Increased Profits
When all is said and done, profits are what drive business. Anything that can increase profit growth while also resulting in a more satisfied and productive workforce is a good thing.
An MIT study measured the financial implications of employee engagement and determined that employee engagement resulted in a profit growth increase from 0% to 1% for companies with unengaged employees to 10% to 15% for companies with engaged employees.
Employee Engagement Is Win-Win-Win
By actively pursuing employee engagement, modern contact centers are ensuring a win-win-win situation. Employees win with increased job satisfaction, customers win with improved customer service, and companies win with higher profitability and a significant edge over the competition.