November 25 -
The contact center can be an especially stressful place. I recently worked in one where getting cussed out and abused was FAR too common. Leaders should do everything they can to protect agents and create a circle of psychological safety. However, much of the support can and should come from peers.
One great way to develop an edifying atmosphere on your team comes from the medical field. Nurses in many hospitals have the ability to initiate a “code lavender.” This simply means that someone on the team has navigated a challenging interaction and could benefit from emotional support.
What better place to adopt this method than the contact center? We already use codes for everything. Create a quick and quiet method for service workers to express when they could use encouragement. Not only is the individual who initiates the code supported in real time, but it can bring the entire team closer together by taking advantage of opportunities to help a peer.
Note: This week’s tip is provided by Nate Brown of Metric Sherpa. He may be reached at nate@metricsherpa.com.