Is keeping your contact center staff healthy and safe top of mind? Whether we’re experiencing a global pandemic or its seasonal flu season, these practical tips can help. Remember, a healthy contact center staff means happier employees, better productivity, satisfied customers, and lower costs.
Let’s take a look at some simple practices you can put into place today.
Encourage Excellent Hygiene –
- Handwashing – Simple handwashing techniques can reduce the transmission of many communicable diseases and illnesses. Encourage employees to vigorously and thoroughly wash hands for a minimum of 20 seconds with soap and warm water. Any coughing or sneezing should be done into the elbow or sleeve, or into a disposable tissue that can be immediately thrown away. Avoid coughing or sneezing directly into your hands.
- Sanitize – Keep hand sanitizer nearby to use regularly. Regularly wipe or spray disinfectant on high touch surfaces like desks, keyboards, chairs, doorknobs, handrails, elevator buttons, fingerprint scanners, and anything else used on a regular basis or that is shared with others.
Support Social Distancing Practices –
- Allow for Recuperation – If feasible, employ a “stay home if you are sick” policy for all workers so that there is not a penalty for shifts missed, etc. Avoid interactions with any sick co-workers and inform management if you feel the employee should stay home until recovered from their illness. Management should also be monitoring staff for signs of illness; check employees for symptoms when shifts begin, during, and at the end.
- Remote Employment – With fewer employees at your facility, the spread of illness can be reduced. Develop a plan to move to a work-from-home model for as many positions as possible. One key to success for remote employees is regular communication between team members. Establish a schedule for check-ins and meetings. Set up a task list that is accessible to all team members. To move to remote employment, specific industries like contact centers may need to consider technology needs as well. Have a plan to ensure that workers have access to computers, internet connectivity, and the tools they use while performing their duties, like headsets, etc.
- Essential Personnel – For contact center services that involve privacy concerns, a team that includes essential personnel should be established with cross-training for complete coverage of duties.
Educate Employees –
- Current Best Practices: In regards to illness, there are best practices that are put in place by organizations such as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) that help ensure you and your employee’s health. If new developments occur, informing your employees promptly via handouts, emails, or training will help keep on top of any health issues or concerns your employees may have.
- New Technology: If working from home, there may be new technology, programs, or devices that employees will have to learn while on the job at home. Provide a training session remotely or in person, so employees feel confident in their work while not upsetting the flow of incoming calls, emails or chats. While setting up for remote work, this is also the opportunity to test in-home equipment to make sure your employees can be successful in their duties without missing any essential tools.
Promote Self-Care –
- For Employees: During times of sickness or distress, employees might be feeling worried about their jobs or things beyond their control. Make sure they are taking regular breaks, staying hydrated, sleeping well, and provide a safe space by discussing the subject matter with either you, human resources, or provide recommendations of healthcare professionals. Supporting each other is essential for you and your employee’s wellbeing.
- For Self: Encouraging and motivating employees can be overwhelming over a long period. Be sure to practice self-care regularly, whether it’s through exercise, hydrating, spending time with your family, or even short spurts of meditation to get through the workday. Doing self-care regularly will help you be a strength for your employees.
- Be Flexible: When people are working from home or need to make up work from being absent for some time, the traditional schedule may not be possible. Adapt with your employees to fit their needs, while making sure businesses you’re supporting are being taken care of. Create and implement a plan of action where essential personal can fill in the gaps of sick employees, while other employees can be trained in one or two temporary tasks to make sure the contact center is running efficiently.
With a few simple changes, you can ensure your contact center staff remains healthy. If you are experiencing challenges with implementing any of these recommendations in your contact center, please reach out. We’d be happy to help.
