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Why employee engagement is your best attrition reduction strategy

Is your contact center stuck on the attrition treadmill? Hiring and training new agents, only to have them leave shortly after? It’s time to get off the churn cycle and start retaining your top talent.

The key is strengthening employee engagement. Recent research confirms engaged staff are less likely to voluntarily leave. When agents feel empowered, supported, and valued, they deliver better customer experiences which drives satisfaction, loyalty, and growth.

But many contact centers overlook engagement, leading employees to feel disconnected, micromanaged, and stuck in dead-end jobs. This lack of commitment fuels sky-high turnover rates that disrupt operations and undermine CX.

Instead of papering over attrition problems with more ineffective hiring, take a deep dive into the employee experience to engage your staff.

The state of agent attrition

Even before the pandemic, annual attrition ranged from 10-38%. COVID intensified retention struggles with remote work, health worries, and labour shortages.

In 2021, 37% of centers saw attrition increase over 20%. Only 13% decreased turnover. It’s a revolving door that disrupts operations in several ways:

• Lost knowledge continuity and customer relationships
• Reduced productivity onboarding
• Increased hiring and training costs
• Lower service quality
• Higher absenteeism and burnout

Each departure puts customer experience at risk. Replacing staff costs 50-200% of salary – £15k-£60k for a £30k agent. Beyond costs, high attrition also hurts revenue and loyalty. So what can be done?

Engagement is the answer

The foundation of engagement is a people-first culture focused on the employee experience from day one. McKinsey research shows engaged staff have:

• A clear understanding of their role
• A belief that their role has impact
• A sense of belonging and inclusion

They’re also given autonomy to resolve customer issues efficiently and develop new skills. When agents feel a sense of purpose, belonging, and have access to growth opportunities, engagement thrives.

But many contact centers overlook nurturing engagement, leading employees to feel:

• Disconnected from company values, like they’re just a cog in the machine
• Micromanaged and disempowered, unable to use their judgement
• Stuck in high-stress jobs with no room for advancement

This lack of commitment and support fuels sky-high turnover, especially amidst post-pandemic burnout. To stay engaged today, agents need flexibility, competitive pay, and clear career development paths.

Turning the tide requires analyzing the root causes behind disengagement. Anonymous pulse surveys and exit interviews provide invaluable insights to improve the employee experience.

AI and analytics can also identify systemic issues and patterns impacting retention. With this data-driven understanding, targeted improvements to your culture and operations will have real impact.

Strengthening engagement is a proven attrition reduction strategy that pays dividends. You reduce turnover costs while ensuring your best talent sticks around long-term, while customers benefit from consistent service and relationship building.

Don’t ignore sinking engagement levels. Take action to evaluate and improve the employee experience today.

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