In 2021, leaders will need to seize the opportunity to build a sustainable work-at-home model.
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the work-at-home model was hyped as the best approach for the contact center industry. Our research results from early in the process of quarantine indicated that when employees initially transitioned to working from home, they favored the arrangement—and indeed, there was an overall increase in performance.
However, based on recent interviews with over 40 contact center executives, the honeymoon is over. Most leaders indicated their workforces are experiencing fatigue, and they are noticing declining engagement, deteriorating performance and rising attrition.
Yet, a few companies suggested that they are performing at levels equal to or better than pre-COVID. What are these high-performing companies doing that the others are not? It appears that when companies overcome the inherent challenges of the work-at-home model, they reduce fatigue, improve performance, increase employee satisfaction and decrease attrition.
2020 Contact Center Industry Timeline
To achieve results equal to or better than pre-COVID-19 levels, it is important to first understand what changed in the contact industry during 2020, then you can determine how to adapt. Although the work-at-home model existed prior to the pandemic, the approach and environment were very different than today.
Source: 5th Talent International