Consider your employer brand; hire the best

Pam Lindsay-Dunn reveals how the industry has changed and how employers can secure top talent.

Over the past two years there have been major changes in the perception of contact centres, both from the employers that have a contact centre facility and from professionals themselves. Businesses understand the value such facilities add and as a result there are more interesting career paths now open to professionals who go into this sector.

Employee motivation: provide employee training and career paths

That said, there is still a slight stigma attached to working in a call centre, and organisations need to work hard to change this if they are to attract top talent. Employers would do well to focus on this and highlight the fact that they can provide employee traingin and a clear career path – many professionals who start out on the phones progress to team lead or manager status.

Because of this, many employers are committed to improving the delivery and quality of their service and would prefer to delay the recruitment process to ensure they attract the right person. Employers are looking for people with a solid career history, who have worked with credible organisations and know the marketplace.

Recruitment strategies for hiring the right employee

It is not just a case of identifying who these professionals are. Because of the strong competition for top talent, employers need to benchmark their pay and benefit offerings against other organisations and understand what motivates and attracts professionals.

But even this is not enough. In addition to offering a competitive pay and benefits package professionals really thrive on a positive working environment. Unless employers take heed of this, they risk losing skilled staff. They need to engage with existing staff and future talent, drawing on organisational beliefs and values to promote the workplace culture and attract likeminded individuals who will thrive in the organisation.

To hire the best, you need to be the best: know the importance of employer branding

In order to get the best people, employers need to understand the importance of the environment, team ethic and team stability. Organisations need to build their employer brand and position themselves as an ‘employer of choice’.

Pam Lindsey-Dunn, Managing Director, Hays Contact Centres

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