The Secret to Motivating Millennial Agents

Millennials are a rapidly-increasing part of the labor force, mainly because most of them are approaching the point where they're out of college and their parents would really prefer it if they moved out. This requires a job, and millennials are stepping into positions all over. In fact, by 2025, it's projected that three out of four workers will be millennials—assuming AI hasn't taken all the jobs by then—and workforce management has some insight on how to keep millennials motivated.

Start right from scratch with the user interface (UI). The tech-savvy millennials like to work with such systems, but if the UI's interfering, it's not going anywhere. Those who don't keep software upgraded won't get much out of the millennials. Also, put your workforce management tools to work with a focus on engagement; millennials are the highest responders to “not engaged” surveys at work, and they're among the highest in “actively disengaged” status as well. Using gamification strategies—allowing employees to compete against one another—can be a big help here, especially if there are decent prizes involved beyond “the chance to keep working here.”

Millennials also like more control over their own lives, through flexible scheduling and the ability to advance within the company. Flexibility is helpful here, as is new options like being a remote agent. This may also require advances in technology, a point those tech-savvy millennials tend to prefer no matter where they're working.

Remember also that millennials have high expectations of customer service, so focusing on quality should be a help here too with just a slight appeal to empathy. Start this focus right at training, and remember that sufficient training helps keep millennial employees. Millennials also favor speed, and want first-call resolution in their customer service dealings, so they want to be able to provide it. Don't focus too much on scripts, and provide leeway to help solve a problem. Millennials do not like to say “I'm not allowed to do that” as a solution to a problem; too much of it will mean turnover.

Finally, work hard at staying consistent, at accommodating social media operations—it's something your customers want anyway—and on being ahead of the technological curve in general.

Naturally, there will still be turnover even if all of these conditions are met. Call center work is not easy work, and workforce management systems can only go so far in providing help here. Those who work hard at keeping millennials engaged, though, will reap the rewards of a more stable workforce, less need to fill positions, and better customer service. That's valuable enough by itself, and should be a part of every business' plans going forward.

Edited by Alicia Young

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