Implementing and managing employees within a call center environment can feel like a daunting task to first time managers and supervisors. To help make new supervisors and managers as successful as possible, we have developed our top 10 best practices to help you build your skills in your role within leadership and call center environments.

1. Allocate time and resources to Employee Engagement

Engagement activity with your workforce leads to a definite increase in the overall success of your teams and business. These activities boost morale, increases team cohesion, and job satisfaction as well as lowering turnover. Consistency in communication and actions when following through & setting clear expectations with employees can help you gain traction with your people.

2. Win Through Others

Your supervisors and managers should be working with their team to inspire and increase their success. Building the confidence of the team and showing positivity by celebrating their wins will help to motivate them to new heights. Be sure to provide training to help these leaders with this task.

3. Understand the Metrics

Detailed understanding of what drives the metrics and why they are essential and how to review & assess raw data. Messaging for supervisors in large call centers is vital to gaining acceptance on the importance of metrics to the business.

4. Deliver Coaching Techniques when needed

Teaching your supervisors how to coach to the behavior versus coaching the metrics is an essential technique for new managers and supervisors. The ability a good leader has of getting comfortable being uncomfortable will allow you to have those difficult conversations with employees.

5. Teach and practice the use of EQ (Emotional Intelligence)

Increasing self-awareness and emotional intelligence for both yourself and employees, you need to make sure you are practicing the appropriate techniques. Emotional intelligence is an essential tool in understanding how your people react, allowing you to adjust your communication and teaching methods appropriately and empathetically.

6. Improve your Listening Skills

There is a difference between Active listening and Passive listening. With Actively listening, you are engaged in the conversations fully to hear the conversation. Paraphrasing the discussion will help your communication partner with validating the conversation.

7. Teach Legal Concepts of Management

New management leaders must be taught the main legal concepts within management to avoid potential issues in the future. Making sure they know how to explain interviewing standards, discrimination laws, FLSA, OSHA & other legal concepts are extremely important.

8. Watch for Pitfalls for New Supervisors

Samuel Smiles once said “We learn wisdom from failure much more than from success. We often discover what will do, by finding out what will not do; and probably he who never made a mistake never made a discovery.”

9. Give Your Leaders the Tools for Great Communication

Make sure to keep the lines of communication open between leadership and convey preferred delivery methods for content & updates for lower line employees. The correct messaging with the appropriate context and care for situation & team will allow you to keep the message clear and avoid confusion or misconceptions.

10. Desk Management

Your time is precious, and you cannot waste it by getting lost in your tasks. Teaching how to prioritize workload and manage time appropriately while completing necessary tasks will pay dividends in the future.

These tips can help your managers become more successful and create an excellent environment for your people and business to grow!