Why call centers have high turnover

A study of the U.S. call center industry finds plenty of reasons why turnover is so high, and suggests ways they can improve.

Cornell University professors have surveyed managers at 472 call centers about their HR practices, performance and business strategies. Some of those practices that are meant to improve productivity are in fact doing just the opposite, they say. The worst offenders seem to be outsource call centers, those that contract with companies to provide their customer service. They generally give their workers the least discretion over daily tasks, and it's no coincidence, say these researchers, that they have nearly twice as many dismissals and layoffs as in-house centers, sometimes replacing as much as 51% of their workforce each year. What reduces turnover? Empowering employees to make decisions that actually address customer needs. More successful centers let workers take the lead in handling some problems instead of locking them into a cookie-cutter approach. High turnover creates a vicious circle. Because it takes three to six months for someone to become proficient, and so many workers are new, companies feel they have to create a rigid work environment and give them little discretion. Says one employee, that lack of discretion together with low wages and no benefits have people saying "why should I stay there?"

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