ONBOARDING
BY KATHRYN E. JACKSON, RESPONSELEARNING CORPORATION
ILLUSTRATION PROVIDED BY ADOBE STOCK
THE FIRST 90 DAYS DECIDE EVERYTHING
A PEOPLE-FIRST STAFFING PLAYBOOK
A SHORT STORY TO START
Before. You’ ve seen this happen, maybe even in your own contact center. Jasmine is hired, bright and warm, eager to start. Her first week is filled with HR paperwork, a welcome video, compliance modules, and long stretches of PowerPoint training. She meets the management team once in a large group. The trainer becomes her main point of contact.
By Week 2 Jasmine started a few roleplays and is reassured:“ Don’ t worry, you’ ll get the hang of it once you’ re on the phones.”
24 CONTACT CENTER PIPELINE
FOR THE CONTACT CENTER.
By Day 17, with only a couple of practice sessions behind her, Jasmine shadows a veteran agent. When she admits the billing tool feels like a maze, she hears the same message again:“ Don’ t worry, you’ ll get the hang of it.”
Jasmine’ s first solo call confirms her fear. She finds the right answer but freezes on the navigation. Her voice shakes, the customer leaves frustrated, and so does she. QA notes are encouraging, but the pace leaves little time for coaching.
MANY CENTERS, WHAT WE HAVE SEEN AND LEARNED ABOUT, SEE A QUARTER OR MORE OF NEW HIRES LEAVE WITHIN THREE MONTHS.