Generally, a low employee turnover in any organization would mean that employees are productive and don’t want to leave your organization in search of greener pastures. While part of this is true, considering the recession that has affected the entire world, the low call center turnover rate is more because of the non-availability of jobs elsewhere rather than their loyalty to the organization!
Yes, that’s one major reason for the low call center turnover in recent times.
Call centers are infamous for the boring and monotonous job that hardly requires any educational qualification and skills. Moreover, the extreme timings and low pay adds to the agony, which makes way for the high call center turnover, all across the world. Fresh employees and trainees are made to work extremely hard and sometimes given unrealistic targets, which ends up in half the newly trained employees to drop out within the first month.
The ones who stay back are either there only for the money or because they are not good enough to get a job elsewhere! Either way, these employees will do no good to the organization. Within the next couple of months, most of such unproductive employees are fired which again adds up to the call center turnover ratio!
Micromanagement is another issue that bothers most of the call center employees. Thanks to technology, the smallest details of the job done are easily traced back and this irks the already irritated ones who are totally frustrated with the targets and monotony prevailing in the job. If they are not leaving the company, it means there’s no opportunity available for them!
Unless the company adopts some amazing motivational measures and up skilling programs for the employees, the good ones definitely won’t stay back. That’s the reason we say that a low turnover in call centers could be a warning sign!
The following conditions attribute to the low turnover rate:
- Employees are not skilled
Unskilled employees have no chance of getting any other job. So, they stay back in the call center where they had somehow managed to get employed. These employees will be of no use to the call center that employs them. Productivity levels of such employees will be way too low and that’s the same reason they don’t get an opportunity with other call centers.
- They are too lazy to look out for a job
Some employees get into an organization to earn money. That’s their only motive and as long as they are paid, they will not leave the organization. They are neither motivated to be productive, nor bothered to look for better opportunities. They work for the sake of salary and will never be able to up-skill themselves or motivate others. They are like the government employees of the past who will stick to their chairs once they get into a job! If your organization has roped in such employees, they will become a big menace to the organization soon.
- They are not up-skilling
Up-skilling is an important requirement, if you want to stay fresh in the job market. None of the motivated and competent workers would want to stick onto such a monotonous job and hence, they up-skill sooner or later. Those who do not up-skill will not get other opportunities, which leave them with the call center where they are already employed. Such employees will become a burden when you decide to upgrade your technologies.
- Call centers not recruiting skilled people
This is one major reason for the low turnover ratio prevailing in call centers. There was a time when the call center business flourished. However, due to recession – most of the organizations are cost-cutting and reducing their expenses on the ancillary services. Since your employee has not up-skilled or not fit for any other job, he/she will stick on to the job they have.
- No other opportunities available their skills and salary
Because of recession, many call centers are unwilling to spend more on skilled employees and prefer recruiting freshers who do not demand a high salary. They are willing to compromise on the skills and experience for the amount spent as most of the companies are already insisting on cost-cutting.
- Not willing to compromise on working conditions
This is another reason, many employees stick to their existing jobs. But that’s not for long! Many employees prefer working in offices that offer a decent working atmosphere and convenient timing. The moment they start looking for another job, they have to compromise either on the timing or the salary. Most of the employees will not be willing to compromise on both and hence stick on to the existing job, that’s until they are asked to work on inconvenient shifts!
Another alarming issue to the call center owners is that the call center requirements are diminishing, especially the off-shoring and outsourcing requirements that make up most of the smaller call centers. Many organizations realize the issues pertaining to outsourcing, one of which is information security. Organizations that do not want to compromise on precious information would rather set up their own call centers in-house. With an in-house call center, the organization will have complete control over the information handled and also ensure better quality services to their customers.
These are major points to note while you check the reasons for your low turnover ratio at the call centers. Every organization has an accepted level of employee turnover percentage which is quite normal. Any value that goes below or above the normal needs to be checked thoroughly for the discrepancies! It can be crucial to your existence, as a business organization.
