Want to keep your agents engaged, happy, and motivated? Organize volunteer programs for them!

Though far from being a new concept, employee volunteerism is one of the most effective ways to keep your call center agents enthusiastic about their jobs and the company itself. Volunteer activities will let your staff gain new friends and be an active part of a community that they personally feel connected to. In fact, some Fortune 100 companies pay their employees for participating in socially relevant causes.

This is especially important now that we’re in the middle of an employee engagement crisis. According to consulting and analytics firm Gallup, only 32% of employees in the United States and a depressing 13% worldwide feel committed to the work they do.

By building a sense of philanthropy through volunteerism, the contact center industry, which often suffer from high attrition rates, can reverse this troubling scenario. Make sure to follow these tips for launching a successful volunteer activity.

1. Partner with a nonprofit org.

If this is your first time to launch a volunteer project for your agents, the whole process would be easier if you team up with a nonprofit organization (NPO). A lot of companies do this because it’s also a great way to expand their network.

Most NPOs regularly launch socially relevant projects that are open to non-members. Just make sure to go through all the relevant details with your partner NPO, such as the schedule, the nature of the activity, and the number of people they need, among others.

 

2. Make it fun and get employees excited.

Earlier, we mentioned how top companies pay their employees their regular hourly rates when they volunteer for a particular cause. You can copy this technique to encourage more of your agents to join, but there are other creative ways to get them excited. For instance, you may invite celebrities or well-known personalities, make the whole activity a contest, or reward participants with vacation days.

 

3. Let employees use their other skills.

Be sure to map out all the skills that will come in handy during the activities, and let your employees know how they can contribute. For example, if your target beneficiaries are children from a local public school, some of your agents may be interested in conducting tutorial classes, music lessons, sports coaching, and others. The idea is to maximize the skills that agents don’t often get to exercise within the office.

 

4. Involve friends and family.

Another way to encourage your call center agents to join volunteer programs is to also let some of their friends and relatives participate. This lets you have more people during the activity, ensuring that you can achieve the initiatives’ goals.

 

5. Communicate the benefits of participating.

As you announce the details about the volunteer activity you’re about to launch, be sure to emphasize why you’re launching it, whom it will benefit, and in what ways employees can contribute. This will surely inspire your agents to join and fuel their commitment to the program.