Try something outside of work to boost morale in the contact center.
Nearly half of all customer service professionals say they occasionally socialize with colleagues outside of work, and they feel it’s a great morale booster, a recent survey found.
The obvious and possibly easiest out-of-work event is a loosely organized happy hour right after a shift. But you probably want to be a little more creative (and possibly prevent any issues that can arise with over-consumption).
Try one of these ideas, with the possibilities of meeting quarterly, monthly or weekly:
- Meet for coffee. Plenty of people enjoy a really great cup of coffee and chatter in the morning (rather than a hurried convenience store cup). Invite the team to meet at a local shop and arrange table service a half-hour before the shift starts.
- Hit the local arts scene. Arrange to attend a local theater production, high school musical, art gallery or library event.
- Volunteer. Ask agents for suggestions on worthy causes they’d like to support after work. Rolling up sleeves and working for the better good is one of the most effective ways to build camaraderie.
- Exercise. Create a walking, hiking and/or running group and find local trails to explore weekly just after a shift. Likewise, find a nearby gym and get a group signed up for a post-work exercise class of Zumba, Yoga, Pilates, etc.
