Creating performance management processes is often a difficult task for contact center management teams. Many management teams do not know how to best evaluate employees objectively and implement processes that will improve employee performance. If current performance management processes are not working, contact center management teams should identify why the processes are not working and then implement new processes that will improve performance. The following are six common reasons why contact center management processes are not working.
1. Performance management processes lack specific objectives
In order to effectively improve employee performance, contact center management teams should identify specific objectives for performance management processes. Management may like to see a certain percentage increase in sales, so each team should be able to identify specific goals that will allow them to reach that percentage. Each employee should know exactly what his or her objective is in helping the company reach its overall goal, and employees who meet the required objective should be rewarded.
2. Management fails to effectively communicate with employees
Chances are that objectives will change, and the only way employees will be made aware of changes is through management. Contact center management should frequently communicate with employees and the communication should be a collaborative conversation wherein management is open to suggestions from employees. When management and employees frequently communicate, both parties are aware of their objectives at all times, and employees know exactly what criteria management will use in reviews.
3. Performance is not recorded
A system that records employee performance ensures that employees are not rewarded or penalized based solely on a manager’s subjective opinion. With a system that records employee performance, both managers and employees can go into reviews knowing what needs to be addressed.
4. Reviews are infrequent
When management only reviews employees and processes every once in a while, objectives become more difficult to identify and meet. When reviews are frequent, however, contact center management teams are able to identify problems in the process sooner and make any needed adjustments without wasting too much time or money.
5. Rewards are not consistent with processes
Often, performance management processes fail because bonuses are not tied to specific objectives. When an employee receives a reward when they have failed to meet specific goals, that employee and other employees have little motivation to work toward meeting process objectives. However when bonuses are only given when an employee has achieved specific goals, all employees are motivated to work hard and help the company achieve its overall objectives.
6. Evaluations are subjective
An ineffective performance management process often fails to produce metrics that measure employee performance, leaving employee performance reviews up to the opinion of a given manager. While a manager may do everything he or she can, it is nearly impossible to accurately evaluate an employee without data. To prevent evaluations from being overly emotional and subjective, management teams should implement a system that records employee performance and allows managers to conduct reviews based on data.
For performance management processes to best help a company thrive and improve employee performance, the process should be focused around specific objectives, include frequent and effective communication between management and employees, record employee performance, include frequent reviews, reward employees who meet goals, and encourage evaluations based on data.
Check out BroadSoft’s contact center performance improvement solutions.
