Myth or Fact? Approximately 70% of Call Center Attrition is Voluntary

Myth or Fact?  Approximately 70% of contact center attrition is voluntary

Answer: FACT, but many people voluntarily term before they are fired because of attendance or similar issues

Call center attrition is incredibly prevalent, no matter what industry, you're looking at. Ask any call center manager, and you're likely to find that a top priority - if not the top priority - for his or her staff is to curb attrition. For many, this doesn't come as a surprise since call center work is grueling, repetitive, and emotionally draining, all of which contribute, in part, to attrition in call centers.

 FurstPerson research shows that the primary reasons for voluntary attrition are personal reasons, job abandonment and resignation.  Using the example of one organization:

• 29% of voluntary attrition was for personal reasons
• 17% was job abandonment
•  7% was resignation with discipline pending

While there's no silver bullet for eliminating workforce attrition completely - especially in environments like call centers or contact centers - effective strategies for reducing attrition and improving agent attendance start with using pre-hire tools that identify the right candidates up front.  It’s important that these tools are validated against attrition and attendance data, not just performance. 

Other effective strategies for combating voluntary attrition are:

• Implementing payback policies for unused time off
• Set expectations for the job and manage to the
• Spend time with people who are performing well and let non-performers come to you
• Create a culture of accountability and professionalism

There are also a number of steps that companies can take to avoid holding on to long-term employees who perform below threshold for too long (also called the “dark side” of retention).  Avoid keeping “high likeability floaters”, people who are well liked and kept around despite their poor performance. 

Also, exit employees who are not succeeding despite regular coaching, frequent feedback and performance reviews documenting poor performance.  It’s important for managers to support the decision to let these people go, and it’s just as important that performance issues are well-documented, so that this action does not come as a shock to the employee. 

Call center attrition is not necessarily the unavoidable cost of doing business, or an unsolvable problem. FurstPerson's Dr. Rob Stilson has shared some of his own expert advice to help companies not only curb attrition, but achieve spectacular call center retention with a few practical, applicable strategies. Check it out here.