Create a More Positive Workplace
by Citrix Online

How would you describe the working environment within your support organization? Is it a hotbed of constant stress? Are your support agents more often running from one fire to the next than sipping tea and discussing current events? While users can be very much like a tea kettle ready to let out steam, interacting with them is not always a tea party. It’s not that users are a hostile group — they just don’t make it a habit of calling your support desk when things are running smoothly. Users generally contact your center when things aren’t working right, which means they’re likely frustrated, angry, and ready to explode. Exposure to this constant negativity can take a toll on your agents.

According to a recent study, “[n]ine out of 10 people say they are more productive when they're around positive people.” The flipside of this research is that negativity tends to drain people of their energy, preventing them from being productive. How do you help your agents deal with constant negativity? Try implementing these strategies to keep negativity at bay:

• Mental Relief -- Provide your agents with techniques that help redirect stress stemming from support sessions. Even the simple act of stepping away from the work area can have a positive impact. Or, set up a ping-pong table where agents can escape for a quick physical break from the job.
• Emotional Coaching -- Teach your agents that the negativity from users isn’t really directed at them. Understanding where user frustration comes from will give your agents a broader appreciation for the user experience, making them more tolerant of negative behavior and better able to walk away from the experience without absorbing the negativity.
• Performance Recognition -- Surprisingly, “65 percent of Americans received no recognition in the workplace last year.” Reinforce your support agents’ confidence and job satisfaction by recognizing and rewarding achievements. Rewards needn’t drain your budget — try simple things like award certificates, lunches, gift certificates, or a paid afternoon off.
• Group Discussions -- Prevent your support agents from stirring up negativity internally by providing them with an organized forum for expressing frustration about support interactions, users, or technology. Strongly discourage your crew from openly complaining outside this moderated forum. While some people seem to thrive on negativity, don’t allow these individuals to bring down your whole group.

By taking a closer look at the effects of negativity on your support agents, you’ll positively impact productivity levels and employee loyalty. What better way to turn a negative into a positive?

Source: Lorenz, Kate, “Five Steps to Loving Your Job,” November 2004.

About Citrix Online
Citrix Online, a division of Citrix Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: CTXS), offers the leading Web-based access, support and collaboration software and services. The division offers Citrix GoToMyPC®, the easiest-to-use solution for remote, secure and managed desktop PC access over the Web; and Citrix GoToAssist™, the most secure, reliable and powerful solution for Web-based technical support and customer collaboration. Citrix Online products are used by more than 4,000 companies worldwide, including Cisco Systems, Siemens, Intuit, Cablevision and Microsoft Business Solutions. The division is based in Santa Barbara, California, and is on the Web at www.gotomypc.com, www.gotoassist.com and www.citrix.com.