The issue of employee mental health has gained significant attention due to the disruptions caused by COVID-19 over the past three years. Studies indicate that almost half (44%) of work-related health problems are attributed to work-induced stress, depression, and anxiety.
Contact centers can be particularly demanding for staff members, as they are constantly communicating with customers and assisting them in resolving their issues. These workspaces can be highly pressurized and emotionally exhausting, and many advisors frequently encounter customers who are going through difficult personal situations.
In 2022, it is evident that prioritizing the mental well-being of our employees should be a top concern for businesses. However, if your contact center has never implemented a well-being plan before, it may be challenging to figure out how to begin.
Taking into consideration the importance of mental health, Julie McIntosh, who holds the position of Chief Culture Officer at Kura, provides valuable advice on how to effectively support the mental well-being of employees working in contact centres.
Schedule regular meetings with your staff members.
Identifying an employee who is facing challenges can be difficult at times, particularly when your workforce is remote or a combination of remote and in-person. Employees may hesitate to approach you, particularly when it concerns personal issues. Therefore, it is crucial to consistently communicate with them to ensure their well-being.
KURA conducts weekly meetings with its team members to ensure their well-being is being taken care of. Our employees appreciate this practice as it allows them to work together with their manager in addressing any well-being concerns, without feeling obligated to initiate the conversation themselves.
There are several ways to incorporate regular check-ins in a manner that doesn’t create pressure for your employees. One option is to conduct video calls with your remote staff, as this can add a personal touch to the experience. For employees who work in the office or remote workers who live nearby, you can arrange to meet them at a café outside of the workplace, creating a more relaxed atmosphere. It’s important to communicate with your employees and determine the environment in which they will feel the most at ease, while also adhering to any Covid guidelines that may be in effect.
Organize sessions dedicated to promoting togetherness
Regularly connecting with your team members on a personal level is crucial. In times of difficulty, our reliance on one another becomes even more essential. At Kura, we initiated live meditation sessions through Zoom when the first lockdown occurred in 2020, and we have continued this practice as we transitioned between working from home and in the office.
During these sessions, we engage in meditation and breathing exercises. Concentrating on our breath is an effective method to take a break from our hectic lives and significantly alleviate stress and anxiety. Encouraging team members to participate in these activities can foster a sense of unity and enhance their comfort with one another. Building a strong camaraderie within your team is crucial as it alleviates feelings of isolation.
Consider investing in an employee assistance program
Creating a supportive atmosphere in the workplace is crucial for encouraging employees to share their mental health concerns. However, implementing an employee assistance program can provide additional benefits such as expert guidance, support services, and counseling. This becomes particularly significant since mental health services provided by the NHS are currently under strain and have extensive waiting periods.
KURA has joined forces with Pam Assist, a company that provides a wide range of well-being and mental health assistance to our staff. Our employees have the opportunity to talk to mental health specialists in a confidential manner, allowing them to feel comfortable expressing themselves openly and honestly to a trained professional. In addition to telephone support services, our employees can access cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and eye movement and desensitisation reprocessing therapy (EMDR) for various mental health conditions without needing a referral from their GP or doctor.
Provide your staff with the opportunity to switch services
Engaging in phone conversations with customers throughout the day, particularly when discussing important matters, can take a toll on one’s mental and emotional well-being. Enabling your advisors to switch between various customer service channels can provide them with an opportunity to unwind and reorient themselves.
Engage in a conversation with your advisors to determine the most effective way to incorporate this. It is possible that a balanced approach, involving phone calls in the morning and live chat in the afternoon, would be the most appropriate. Another option could be to allow your employees to have shorter intervals throughout the day to handle emails or chats, which would provide them with a break from the fatigue caused by consecutive phone calls.
(This article was scraped by MartinBot and rewritten. It originally appeared in an article from wearekura.com. To learn more about the workplace well-being initiatives at Kura, you can visit their website at https://www.wearekura.com/kura-cares/)
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