I wasn’t a normal 6th grader, but to be fair, I had a pretty weird childhood. I had my eyes set on a career in psychology, not something most kids think about at that age. The dream stuck with me for a while and I thought it would become reality. After a lot of hard work, I had my hands on a degree in Psychology from the University of Rochester. But that was the closest I would get to my career dream. However, I was fortunate enough to retain one key concept from that degree: Self-Determination Theory (SDT).
SDT is the lens that researchers have tried to understand human motivation in different social contexts, like school, sports, and work. It is a deeply nuanced theory, which is why I’m going to keep it simple and focus on what has helped me the most in my own work.
SDT suggests the best way to achieve an engaging and highly motivated environment is by supporting the three psychological needs of humans: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. From a different perspective: motivation is the art of cultivating an environment where an individual feels in control of their work, can be successful at that work, and feel connected with others throughout the process.
Alright dear reader, I didn’t write that preamble just to feel better about my crushing student loan debt—let’s talk about how to apply SDT in the workplace.
Give your employees control of their work
Toss your employees the keys, grabs some coffee, and that’s it—you’re done!
Ah, if only. Especially in contact centers where more structure is necessary. While that structure may seem like a limiting factor, it’s manageable if you get a little creative.
Scripting is a great example of getting creative. Back in my day as an (underperforming) debt collector, it was the scripts hung up in my cubicle that kept me safe from breaking the law (I will forever have the mini-miranda memorized.) Nowadays with technology, some contact centers provide real-time guidance for agents to read from. The problem is, that can sound…well…scripted. Scripted interactions can feel cold and aren’t great for your customer experience.
When it comes to opening and closing calls, why not give your agents a chance to be themselves or dare I say it—a bit of autonomy? Not only are you allowing your agent from Tennessee to proudly sound different than their counterpart in New York, but your customer gets to feel an authentic warmth from your agents that will lower any tensions.
I hear you, that’s a simple example and one you probably already thought of. Looking for better ideas on where to give employees autonomy? I have an idea: ask them! Creating opportunities for your employees to provide input on processes and procedures is an amazing way to support autonomy.
If you’re looking for other ways to empower your team and give them more autonomy, consider checking out Workforce Experience, our newest product offering that makes self-scheduling easier for your team.
Build competency and confidence
The awkward cringe can be felt through the phone: no one is enjoying an interaction where the agent isn’t confident. Be it their voice, their words, or their answers, it’s painful when service isn’t quite meeting the mark.
It’s even more painful when an organization doesn’t understand how to give feedback. It’s great to provide transparent scoring of a call, but how do you ensure a continuous feedback loop that promotes growth? We have a few options here:
- Positive reinforcement straight from the supervisor’s mouth and not a cold scorecard. It’s powerful for an agent to hear what they did well and how that benefits both their individual career growth and success for the overall organization.
- Worry more about emotional intelligence and less about average handle time.
- Implement a progressive learning system where agents earn achievements for mastering increasingly complex customer scenarios.
- Bonus points if you ask what scenarios interest your agent the most, rather than forcing an assignment on them.
- Even more bonus points if you can apply this to a clear path for career advancement.
- Check out Aspect Performance, Aspect’s way of giving supervisors visibility to critical trending data insights to provide coaching support and positive reinforcement.
Foster relatedness and community
Contact center agents often work in isolation, even if they are going into an office, which is why relatedness is critical. Relatedness is your ounce of prevention that is worth a pound of cure. Here’s how to foster a tight knit community:
- Set aside time in team meetings to allow agents to share their ideas. Since this pitch is about their ideas, that’s your cue to talk less and smile more. Be an active listener.
- Recognition in a meaningful. Saying “good job” is good, but what about telling the compelling story of how an agent’s excellence positively impacted the greater goals of your team?
- Share the responsibility of recognition. Allow time for your agents to openly compliment teammates for a job well done. It’s great training for your team, increasing their competence, while also amplifying awareness of a collaborative culture.
By thoughtfully implementing these SDT-inspired approaches, contact centers can create an environment that supports agents' basic psychological needs while maintaining necessary operational standards. The key is to transform potentially controlling elements of the role into supportive structures that help agents feel capable, connected, and self-directed in their work. The transformation can feel impossible, but we’re here to help – please reach out to us at Aspect to learn more about how our technology can empower your workforce.
