Rudeness in the workplace doesn’t just hurt feelings. It takes a serious toll on these two top priorities in a contact center:
Productivity and morale. They take a hit every time someone makes snide remarks, ignores others’ suggestions or passively text messages, a recent study found.
These rude office behaviors bothered employees most:
- texting during meetings
- spreading gossip
- taking credit for someone else’s work
- ignoring e-mails and calls, and
- failing to say “please” and “thank you.”
Social graces still mean a lot in the workplace – especially contact centers where customers can be tough and work can be stressful.
These tactics to squash rude behavior can help maintain morale and productivity in your contact center:
- Set parameters. Create “cell phone friendly zones” where employees can use their phones to make personal calls and text to their hearts’ content (or at least until their breaks are over!) Everywhere else, it should be off limits.
- Set the example. If someone starts to speak ill of a co-worker or the company, say, “I hadn’t heard that. I’ll check with him or her to verify what you’re saying.” That should stop gossip in its tracks. Use cordial language early and often: Please, Thank you, My pleasure, etc. And give sincere compliments when warranted.
- Document. Give agents the credit they deserve by having them document their contributions to group projects and everyday tasks.
