How do you know if a call center environment is becoming unhealthy? Here are some signs of workplace toxicity that you need to spot.
Within call centers, customer interactions remain constant. Because of this, it becomes inevitable that pressure increases from time to time. Unfortunately, this also gives rise to workplace toxicity.
An unhealthy work environment within a call center can lead to high turnover rates, employee burnout, and hindered productivity. So today, we’ll talk about the various signs of workplace toxicity that are prevalent in call centers.
About Workplace Toxicity
Workplace toxicity is an atmosphere marred by negativity and an overwhelming sense of stress. But more notably, there is an absence of the support that’s crucial for bolstering employee well-being and enhancing performance.
These factors come together to create an environment that can have lasting consequences. Call centers may exhibit signs of toxicity that stand apart from those seen in other professional contexts. More specifically, the blend of customer interactions, high-pressure situations, and demanding expectations give way to distinct indicators.
These signals, when left unchecked, can lead to consequences that affect both individual agents and the entire team. Recognizing the patterns unique to call centers is a crucial step in the journey toward creating a more positive environment.
Now that we have an idea about the toxicity that could slip through the cracks in call centers, here are some of its common manifestations:
1. High Turnover
An unmistakable red flag signaling a toxic call center environment is the persistent churn of employees. The revolving door phenomenon can be caused by subpar management practices, inadequate training protocols, and an insurmountable wave of stress.
When the departure of team members cannot seem to be stopped, it creates a destabilizing ripple effect in the workspace. Moreover, it heaps an additional burden onto those who remain, leading to a snowballing effect of increased workload and deteriorating morale.
2. Exclusionary Behavior
The emergence of exclusionary behavior is also a clear sign of the prevailing workplace toxicity in the call center. When cliques form even within a call center team, it leads to a sense of isolation experienced by some agents.
When left unchecked, it could result in a fractured teamwork dynamic, where effective collaboration becomes essentially impossible. This pervasive trend generates an atmosphere that is far from welcoming. It casts a shadow on the overall team satisfaction and cohesion.
3. Unproductive Leadership
Another prevailing hallmark of workplace toxicity in the call center is unproductive leadership. This type of management embodies a lack of direction, flounders in offering support, and undervalues the contributions of agents.
When supervisors remain inaccessible and apathetic, the aftermath is filled with disappointment and dwindling motivation among teams. In addition, the confusion stemming from the absence of clear guidance combines with the frustration born from unaddressed concerns. When this happens, employees become dispirited and disheartened.
4. Lack of Employee Growth and Development Opportunities
The dearth of avenues for skill augmentation and career progression is a sign of workplace toxicity that isn’t really easy to detect. Still, it has to be something that agents need to be wary of as it will greatly affect their vision of the future.
As opportunities for advancement remain conspicuously absent, employees become locked in a cycle of stagnation. When this happens, their sense of worth is basically relegated to the background. As a result, the team simmers in perpetual underestimation and their aspirations get shackled by a lack of recognition.
5. Unmotivated Coworkers
Again, workplace toxicity breeds an atmosphere drenched in negativity, sapping the motivation of each agent. Because of unmotivated coworkers, the office gets plagued with consistent expressions of dissatisfaction.
But what makes this even more dangerous is that the negativity seeps into every customer interaction and collaboration with teammates. In this situation, productivity becomes a distant hope, and any chance of productive teamwork becomes increasingly elusive.
6. Burnout and Stress
The norm in call centers is a workload that seems to be never-ending. But workplace toxicity exacerbates the stress and makes it possible for burnout to pervade in the overwhelmed minds of agents.
The combination of a toxic environment and relentless work demands leads employees into a downward spiral of exhaustion and emotional fatigue. The toll this takes on their overall well-being is immense, too. In particular, they could no longer deliver the high-caliber customer service that is expected of them.
How to Deal with Workplace Toxicity
Addressing and mitigating workplace toxicity is critical, especially in call centers. On that note, let’s take a look at some steps to deal with this problem:
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Encourage Open Communication
The journey to address toxicity within the call center begins with nurturing an environment that encourages open communication. This involves creating a space where employees are not only permitted but also encouraged to express their thoughts without fear of reprisal.
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Provide Training and Support
Providing comprehensive training and unwavering support to the workforce will keep workplace toxicity at bay. For example, workshops meticulously designed to address stress management, teach agents about conflict resolution, or enhance the art of effective communication diversify agents’ skill set.
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Recognize and Address Bullying
As always, bullying and harassment will never have a place in any professional environment. Call centers should then establish strict anti-bullying policies that are underscored by stringent enforcement. In doing so, they create a workplace that is both safe and respectful.
Conclusion
In conclusion, recognizing and addressing workplace toxicity within call centers is an essential responsibility.
It’s important to identify the signs that point to an unhealthy workplace to avoid risking agents quitting the call center. Besides, when toxicity isn’t addressed right away, it could lead to negative reviews and a bad reputation towards prospective clients.
Fortunately, there are some basic ways to prevent workplace toxicity from spreading through the call center. The key is to always look after agents, recognize their skills, and develop them to be as productive as they can.
How Open Access BPO Stays Free From Toxicity
It s crucial for companies to establish strong workplace diversity practices to nip toxicity in the bud. Employees and clients alike benefit from a healthy and diverse company culture. Therefore, partnering with an equitable call center like Open Access BPO ensures consistent values and culture from agent to consumer to brand.
We at Open Access BPO use inclusive hiring practices to empower our teams in terms of learning different approaches to serving our customers.
But that’s not all we do to create a great working environment. We give our employees flexible working arrangements and reward them with special events and fun parties multiple times a year. Plus, we look after their well-being with programs such as webinars and health check-ups.
Get in touch with us to learn more about our services and how we maintain work-life integration.
How do you know if your call center is a toxic workplace?
There are many factors that can cause employee turnovers in the contact center. Sometimes it’s because the employees feel that there’s a lack of career advancement, or they think that the job’s monotonous. Maybe they’ve become incredibly stressed from the intense pressure of the work environment. Sometimes, they even feel that the pay you give isn’t enough for them to stay.
Working in a call center is already a stressful endeavor for employees, but maybe your workplace environment itself is what’s turning off your agents.
From the word itself, a toxic workplace can be described as a negative and low-key chaotic environment. It’s filled with office drama and other personal conflicts that can damage an employee’s productivity or morale. Demanding or toxic jobs, such as in the contact centers, triple the risk of depression in employees. Then there’s also the increased chance of burnout and anxiety. Put two and two together and you got yourselves a nightmare of a workplace.
Of course, you shouldn’t label a call center a toxic workplace immediately. Some people just plainly hate their jobs, are unsatisfied, and feel pressured to work there just to support themselves. There’s a nuance on whether it may or may not contribute to a workplace’s toxicity. But being able to identify the telltale signs of a negative environment can help you improve your workforce management and employee engagement.
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Friends from higher places
One known sign of a toxic environment is when people move up the career ladder or get hired without going through the proper channels.
Favoritism can also manifest in preferring one employee over another. In line with this, bosses who lean towards an agent tend to compliment that worker and overlook their mistakes. The same can’t be said of other employees who get the short end of the stick, when they’re always getting reprimanded for the tiniest of errors.
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Abusive bosses
In relation to the previous one, there’s also the terrorizing supervisor/manager/team leader. These higher-ups tend to overwork their subordinates and demoralize them. These power-tripping bosses are often tyrannical, bullying agents to get their way. There are also bosses who cross the line, harassing their employees.
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Inconsistent and obstructive policies
Policies should regulate and enhance the work environment, not hinder people from doing work efficiently. Such regulations can be tedious to work with. As a result, your contact center agents tend to get vexed by all the red tape and inconsistent rules and hoops they have to go through to help out a customer.
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An unprofessional work culture
It’s a tough workforce management problem to handle if the whole organizational culture is toxic. When there’s a lack of communication and professionalism among coworkers, the work environment you’ve thoroughly built can crumble slowly. This toxicity can seep through tasks; personal issues can cause rifts among your workers, causing a lack of teamwork to get the job done. Such a work culture can also be prone to blaming, backstabbing, and sabotaging.
A toxic workplace can cause undue harm to every employee in your call center. This negative culture should always be avoided in order to maintain a good quality of life in the workplace. Employees can be engaged and driven to work in a positive environment that allows them to thrive. That’s what you should strive for.
It’s crucial for companies to establish strong workplace diversity practices to nip toxicity in the bud. Employees and clients alike benefit from a healthy and diverse company culture. Therefore, partnering with an equitable call center like Open Access BPO ensures consistent values and culture from agent to consumer to brand. Get in touch with us to learn more about our services and how we maintain work-life integration.