Excessive turnover costs an organization in many ways: Higher recruiting and training costs; a lower average experience level leading to higher handling times, more transferred calls and lower service levels/response times; the need for more coaching and supervision; and the impact on everyone’s morale when key people leave.

The best contact centers continually work on the root causes of turnover. Problems are often by-products of a poor planning process, so they assess and address resource issues. They are also broadening the responsibilities that agents have and their opportunities to learn, grow and advance.

Here’s a list of some common causes of turnover. The list is not in any specific order.

Common Causes of Turnover
• Better opportunities within or outside the organization
• Insufficient development opportunities
• Pace of effort required
• Frustration with supervisor/manager
• Repetition
• Over-regimentation
• Sense of powerlessness to make a difference
• Frustration of not being allowed to do a good job
• Unrelenting attention necessary
• Being “tied to a desk”
• Feeling of being excessively monitored
• Feeling of not being appreciated
• Handling complaints or problems all day
• Odd work hours
• Insufficient pay
• Lack of proper tools and training
• The demand for increased skills from agents who do not want to perform those skills or who are not equipped to perform them

Don’t leave turnover to chance — track it, manage it, and take steps to fix it.

Excerpt from Call Center Management on Fast Forward by Brad Cleveland.