The July 27, 2004, Consumer Confidence Index indicates perceived optimism about the short-term future and an expectation that the employment outlook will continue to brighten as we move forward. However, the DOW Jones Industrial Average recently hit the year’s low point, oil prices continue to remain high, interest rates are inching up and some cite a “deterioration” in technical stocks. Signals are mixed. This state of confusion is reflected in the numbers as public opinion polls are published on the economy, the war and this year’s presidential election. Meanwhile, there is continued discussion of decreasing costs through the use of offshore support centers and counter-opinions warning of decreased customer satisfaction with such centers indicating companies should be pulling Support back to U.S. shores. What does this uncertainty mean? How are Support representatives processing all this data?

With confusion in the current climate, it’s unlikely that you’ll see large-scale increases in support staff turnover, but perhaps “warm-chair” or “pent-up” attrition is building within your organization. So, what exactly do these terms mean and what should a support manager do?

The Oxford Dictionary defines “attrition” as the “gradual wearing down through sustained attack or pressure.” According to wordspy.com, “warm-chair attrition” is the “loss of workplace productivity due to employees who dislike their jobs and are just waiting for the right time to quit and move on to something better.” Similarly, as soon as there’s a sense of stability and a noticeable improvement in the trend for employment, “pent-up attrition” will cause retention rates to drop and turnover to increase.

Don’t wait until you notice this trend within your support center. Now’s the time to create or revisit your retention plan. Your support center is lagging behind if you believe the company’s benefits package is your retention plan. Savvy support managers recognize the need for a written plan that’s communicated to the support reps. Involving the reps in developing and updating the plan is another way to remind them of its advantages and its benefits. The remainder of this discussion focuses on areas you should consider including in your retention plan. Not all sections apply to every company, and the discussion may omit a section you consider integral to your organization. The point is to pro-actively plan to defuse “warm-chair attrition” before the loss of productivity becomes a drain on your center and before turnover becomes a real problem.

Communication

• Honesty – All employees want honest communications from company leaders. The well-publicized corporate scandals have served to make employees question the level of honesty even more. Ensure the communications from the support center leaders hold “truth with compassion” as one of its basic tenants. If outsourcing and reductions in workforce are necessary, don’t try to deny those facts when rumors begin to surface. While there may be only so much information you can share, develop a truthful script based on your organization’s corporate culture; don’t for a minute believe you’re doing anyone a favor by giving false information.
  
• Ideas – Individuals are more likely to accept changes in workplace practices and procedures when they’ve had input. Encourage your employees to develop and present their ideas and give them a known vehicle to make their voices heard. If you seek your employees’ advice on the ideas of others, be sure they can’t just shoot down the suggestions of those they critique; ask that they present a solution with any issues.
  
• Listening – Promote a variety of ways to gather employee input. Holding meetings where leaders have prepared remarks and then opening up the floor to questions is good general practice, but not all employees are comfortable voicing their questions at meetings like this. Some employees like to reflect upon the meeting and ask questions well after adjournment – perhaps even privately. Develop channels that consider different communication styles. Regardless of the methods you implement, be sure to reply to employee issues.
  
• Responding – Employees request guidance in words and in action. All employee concerns deserve thoughtful responses – even if the answer is “no.” It’s a grave error to let management answer an employee’s concern or question with silence.

Career

• Workload – Many times support reps grumble about the amount of work they have. Sometimes simply acknowledging how hard they work helps, but each of the subsections listed below may help reduce or better manage the workload.
  
• Current technology/tools – Nothing frustrates a technology worker more than having outdated, ineffective tools. While budgets and limited resources may constrain what you can do for your reps, include them in planning the workload. They may have creative ideas and be aware of technology solutions that meet your center’s needs while staying within your budget.
  
• Rotation – Your Support Center may be set up to allow staff to rotate through business units. There are advantages as reps become more knowledgeable about various aspects of your center and the level of boredom or complacency can be reduced when work changes on a periodic basis. Consideration may also be given to rotating work schedules/shifts. (This, however, may be problematic for those reps who require an unchanging schedule to meet demands outside work, e.g., childcare arrangements.) The idea is to offer options to those reps whose services you wish to retain or those whom you feel are at-risk to attrition.
  
• Training – To avoid hitting a “career wall,” your reps need adequate training for their current positions; however, you don’t want them to feel limited by a ceiling either. Training can take many different avenues as you allow your staff to grow professionally. You may run the risk of losing them to other jobs outside your department, but that may be preferred to losing them to jobs outside your company.
  
• Return – Does your Center rehire individuals who have left the organization of their own accord or due to a reduction in workforce? Depending on the reasons the individual left, it might be a good idea to solicit these individuals when filling positions in your center. How much more meaningful for a worker to return to the fold and let others know the grass is not always greener rather than to hear that old saying from management. Of course, great care must be given when implementing a rehire policy, but it is certainly worthy of consideration.

Connection

• Contribution – Show your reps their efforts contribute to the company as a whole. Draw a line to illustrate their direct effect on the bottom line. You don’t have to “bore” them with numbers (and in some cases it may not be appropriate to do so), but you can show them the link. Individuals want to show pride and have purpose: they want to make a difference. Allow staff to work side-by-side with peers, as well as those above and below them.
  
• Respect – Directly related to contribution is respect among and between employees – within the support center and other departments. If staff sees respect flow from managers to all levels of the company, they’re more likely to be respectful in their work with peers and others. All members of the team should be valued and treated with courtesy; otherwise, reconsider the position on the team and even within the center.
  
• Remote Staff – Telecommuting seems high on the list of wants for today’s workers, but many of these workers lose the connection they had when they were physically present. Your center may have set up plans to deal with the common problems of managing telecommuters – such as accountability – but what about the sense of isolation? Telecommuters certainly lose out on the office’s spontaneous events but don’t forget to include them in your plans. Telecommuting offers many advantages, but a commonly cited disadvantage relates to being overlooked in the long run. Make sure staff considering the move to telecommuting understand the disadvantages and career limitations; make sure there’s a true fit between the individual and the telecommuting option.

Community

• Company commitment – Many companies acknowledge non-work priorities through work-sponsored events. While some organizations encourage service through paid days off to give back to the community, this can represent too much of a burden for an entire support center. However, you’re limited only by your imagination here. Drives for school supplies for the needy, blood-bank contributions and donating old equipment (personal or corporate) are quick and easy ways to bring your center together for a community effort.
  
• Balance – In addition to working directly with the community through the workplace, acknowledge that individuals are also involved in many different facets of community life. Insist your staff use the benefits they’ve earned. Some individuals believe they’ll be overlooked for promotions or career opportunities if they “use” their allotted paid time off. Depending on your company’s culture, be a role model for your staff and be sure they know you’re using your benefits and encourage them to do the same. Balancing home- and work-life is not an easy thing, but failing to achieve balance will result in burnout. Individuals who maintain a state of equilibrium are more productive and may serve as a source of inspiration for others, creating a winning situation for the employees and for the support center.

About the author
Kathleen T. Masterson is the Knowledge Manager for Solution 6 North America. Her background includes over 6 years with the company and an additional 7 years in the legal industry, working with small to medium sized firms. Kathleen holds a Bachelor’s degree in Management and an MBA from Florida State University. She is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of Florida and has achieved the designation Certified Knowledge Manager from the Knowledge Management Certification Board. She is also a member of the National Knowledge & Intellectual Property Management Taskforce and teaches business and accounting courses at Flagler College – Tallahassee. You can contact her at kathy.masterson@us.solution6.com.