Best Recipes Ever

Tag: Customer Service / Loyalty

  • To bank or not to bank? The customer has a choice

    This morning, I travelled 25 miles to and from Reading specifically to meet with a Business manager from firstly the bank that I currently bank with, and secondly another bank that I am looking at in comparison.  Why you might ask did I travel that far to have this meeting? The simple answer is that the branch where I bank, which is 12 miles away does not have a business manager. Having tried to discuss the points by phone, it was agreed that I should come into Reading and meet with the one and only business manager for what appears to be the Berkshire area.

    This is an account of two experiences in two different banks on the same morning.

    Bank No. 1 where I have banked for more than 20 years.  The Business Manager who met me, based on the appointment made, was under the impression that I wanted to open an account.  Clearly the message of why I wanted to meet was not relayed.  Having corrected her on this topic, and explained why I was there, she immediately stood up and said that she would invite her senior, more experienced colleague to join and answer my numerous questions.

    The more experienced colleague started with the phrase “So what is your problem that I can help you with?”   Sadly, this question lacked my name in the first address.  Sincerely, if I personally had a problem, I would not be talking to a bank representative?  Again I repeated the issues that I would like to gain advice on, as well as to find some kind of solution.  The lady concerned turned to the rate sheet and began to demonstrate the charges involved in what actually is a very simple transaction.  To this, I explained “I know what the rates are, I am looking for a solution to this situation because for this simple transaction, it is costing me about 12% each time!”

    Sadly, the lady both missed my need for help and secondly ignored my frustration, which was evident from the lack of interest she showed in trying to find solutions that might mitigate some of the cost.  Instead, “Well you know we do not fix the rates!” she exclaimed.   With that I understood that my plight was neither important nor of any concern to this person, and perhaps to the company as a whole.  What’s one customer?  I tried one more time by saying “You are looking at a very unhappy customer,” in the hope that this might spur her to explore options and recognise me as an individual and a customer, rather than a number and a statistic.  Why you might ask?

    Bank No. 2 Just down the road a few hundred metres on the same high street is a competitor bank where I had also arranged a meeting, which had been re- confirmed with me that morning. This experience was so different it was a joy, despite not being 100% satisfactory due to my requirements. The business manager knew in general what I was coming for, offered me a drink and then proceeded to build rapport with me before going into the details of opening an account.  She took time to understand my needs and whilst unable to answer some of the questions arranged a meeting for me with the relevant person.

    In this bank, I watched with interest and focus on how other customers were being treated.  Each time the customer was given attention, interest and appropriately directed, or questions answered on the spot.  When the queue got more than 3 people waiting someone came out from an office and helped manage the enquiries.  It was a well-oiled team with customers at heart.

    How can two experiences with practically the same goal, be so different? We cannot attribute this to differing weather patterns, Brexit or any other reason. The end of this story is left to you the reader.  I know what I have done to ensure the bank I work with shares common values of respect, ownership, flexibility and simple old fashioned regard for me as a customer.

  • Transitioning to a Remote Classroom

    A Guest Post by Shaheen Sajan

    Transitioning to a remote classroom could sound as intense as learning to land a plane while reading the pilot’s manual. To add to the helplessness of the situation, it’s as if our children are the passengers of this flight of fancy and nobody knows how this thing’s going to land. What I know as an e-Learning professional is that it doesn’t have to be so dire.

    Think of it this way, we learn best by doing and there are some amazing resources out there to help both parents and teachers, so they’re not faced with the daunting task of reinventing the wheel.

    Yes, there have been some teachers whose idea of remote learning means recording a video of themselves talking about some mundane subject and then asking their grade 3 students to pause every few seconds to write down what they just said. But it really doesn’t have to be this way.

    Follow these four easy steps used in e-Learning and your students in k-12 (North America) or primary-A-levels (UK) will log on each morning, eager to learn more:

    START WITH A CLEAR GOAL FOR EACH CLASS

    Let them know what they’ll be able to do by the end of this class. When the goal is achieved, the students feel empowered knowing their time was well spent. 

    For parents, in case the goal wasn’t achieved, it leaves your children with something tangible to work on. For additional support, you can set up free accounts for them on sites like IXL.com or Khan Academy to get real-time feedback on their children’s development through a suite of interactive activities. Real-time feedback in general should be something I’d suggest all teachers strive to provide so that it’s timely, otherwise for children, it becomes disconnected and irrelevant.

    Transitioning to a remote classroomKEEP THE CONTENT RELEVANT AND FOCUSED WITH PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES TO PRACTICE

    Here are four easy steps used in e-Learning for students of all ages.

    If you’re teaching new terms, and there’s an assessment, the assessment should focus on the terms that were taught in this lesson, not in previous ones.

    USE A BLENDED LEARNING APPROACH

    Teachers know better than anyone that children are unique and have their own learning styles. Create a balance using a mix of videos, zoom classes, online flashcards and hands-on activities. By the way, they don’t have to be videos recorded by the teacher, try and include videos already available online. When you’re teaching a language for example, if we were to choose between a teacher’s low budget attempt of rhyming through the vocab list compared to the plethora of quality videos already on YouTube teaching the same vocab list, then why re-invent the wheel, especially when there’s a really good wheel already out there?

    As parents, there are some great ways to extend that language course with Duolingo. That’s such a great platform that you’ll hear zero groans or resistance from your kids when you suggest they do their daily five- or ten-minute session. In fact, they’ll like it so much, you’ll rarely need to ask. That’s what good online learning should feel like. The technology is already there, so there’s no reason why we can’t make their remote learning experiences rewarding and engaging. The big win is that when learners are excited the real learning happens, and that’s when they really are going to retain the content in front of them. So how do we build that excitement?

    MAKE IT FUN

    Game-based learning is a multi million-dollar industry in e-Learning for a reason. It’s what motivates learners to want to learn more and more. It puts them in the driver’s seat of learning and whether they’re competing against others on a leaderboard or simply competing against themselves and their last attempt, it motivates them to want to keep improving, which means by default, they keep practicing that skill. It’s through repetition after all, where retention levels can really get elevated.

    A great example of this is Studio Code where learners can use code to build a video game. There’s a very tangible reward at the end of their labour, which is a great of their own creation. It’s perfect to get you through the entirety of a very rainy Sunday afternoon. 

    An engaged and empowered learner is a motivated learner. When they’re having so much fun learning that they forget that they’re learning, those are the moments when I know we are going to land that plane just fine.

     

    To find out more about how Green Key can design interactive e-Learning courses for your organisation, contact Rachel Shackleton directly.

  • What happens to information gained from the obsession with feedback questionnaires and surveys?

    Can someone tell me what happens to the feedback that customers provide companies via electronic surveys, brief telephone surveys at the end of a call as well as the odd hard copy feedback questionnaire?  I have completed many in the last three years, both positive and not so positive and to date have not received any follow up, comment, notification to say certain action is being put into place or indeed an apology, if due!

    The feedback survey as a tool to gaining insight into how your customers feel about their experience/s they have with your business and therefore how you are doing, When put together to gain insight and achieve defined goals, administered effectively and analyzed against those goals to understand “how are we doing” is a wonderful tool for management decision making as well as for building and motivating individuals and teams.

    Have you ever been asked (post experience) by a customer help centre, an insurance company, car company, broadband/internet provider to please “complete a short survey to provide feedback”?  This is not a rare thing in my world.  The number of surveys I have completed are certainly in the 50’s over a three year period.  Of course each survey uses the word “short” which means more often than not you evaluate this in your own terms and decide then and there whether to complete a particular survey or not.   I am not discussing is this a good or bad thing, my point is about surveys and how the results are used/or not and whether you as a customer ever get any feedback from the company to ask for further information to clarify any point, apologize or simply to thank you for the input?

    As a training professional and coming from many years of working in the 5* hotel industry, as well as running my own company for many years, I am no stranger to customer feedback questionnaires.  What did we do with questionnaires?  Every morning in the management meeting along with other regular agenda items, we discussed any negative feedback to understand the situation in more detail and decide on any relevant actions.  As for positive customer feedback this was shared by the relevant department head with his or her team to give them an understanding of how they are doing, whilst reinforcing positive behavior as well as motivating the team.

    Using the negative experience of the customer our goal was always to build customer loyalty and create a positive experience giving the customer a foundation to at least try us once again.  Actions might have included:

    • Apologizing to the customer
    • Gaining additional information if needed, to understand more clearly
    • Putting actions in place to avoid this situation happening again.  For example, training of relevant personnel, communication of information, updating or changing a system etc)

    Why is it that you can complete a survey with the rating of “fair” or “poor” in some categories, but no one ever calls you to find out “why”?

    What should I conclude from this?  Do companies not care? Is this simply an organization requirement and therefore a tick box exercise, or is it that organisations are so large now that loosing the odd customer here and there is not important?

  • Seven Actions in Working with Customers during a Crisis

    Having lived successfully through two previous crises as the founder and director of a business in Russia, the 1998 financial crisis and the 2008 economic crisis, it stands me in good stead to work through this current economic, business and health crisis caused by actions and directives taken by governments globally, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The tendency, rather than embracing the situation and the opportunities that a crisis presents, boards and senior management very often go into “shutdown” mode by cutting as many costs as quickly as possible in order to protect share value and shareholder dividends.

    WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?  

    It means that the 80:20 rule kicks in and the 20% of costs that impact 80% of the results will be addressed first as they have most impact on the bottom line.  Invariably, this equals redundancies.  The labour laws in this country, due to the obligatory notice period and other requirements, do not help organisations in this matter, as they encourage a decision to be made very often before all the facts are known.  In the current crisis an interim option has been made available through furloughing of employees. This helps organisations in reducing the financial burden whilst keeping the most valuable asset – it’s employees.

    Effective leadership and the benefits that this brings has to be “emotionally intelligent”.  In other words, how can we use the current situation to the advantage of the organisation and the advantage of the employees?   This requires using both head and heart when making any decisions in relation to both company and employee wellbeing in the short and medium term.

    Employees especially, in such times, when subjected to decisions that are explained and that show both head and heart involvement will likely respond in extraordinary ways to help both their employers and themselves weather the storm.  Once the storm has passed because of the trust, respect, care and empathy shown them, they in turn are likely to show greater loyalty and willingness to do what it takes to deliver what is necessary to get “the show on the road”, as well as to generate ideas in the pursuit of new opportunities.  Those who have been made redundant when understanding why and how the organisation proposes to assist them in moving on to their next job will also likely show loyalty whilst speaking positively about their employer.

    The CEO of Airbnb, Brian Cesky is a superb example of balancing head and heart.  He clearly explained in his email to all employees, copying clients, why redundancies were being made, how employees leaving and staying would be cared for and above all thanking those leaving, genuinely from his heart, sharing both inspiration and his own sadness.

    “As I have learned these past eight weeks, a crisis brings you clarity about what is truly important. Though we have been through a whirlwind, some things are more clear to me than ever before.

    First, I am thankful for everyone here at Airbnb. Throughout this harrowing experience, I have been inspired by all of you. Even in the worst of circumstances, I’ve seen the very best of us. The world needs human connection now more than ever, and I know that Airbnb will rise to the occasion. I believe this because I believe in you.”

    The approach I adopted both in 1998 and 2008, with my teams at the time came from my heart, with the back-up of logical thinking.   Of course, when the money in the bank account was de-valuing faster than you could think, the immediate response was to cut staff numbers.  However, I knew that every multinational and local organisation was making redundancies. I also knew that these unfortunate people who were then without jobs had no way of feeding their families.  Why would an organisation deliberately choose to lose their well-trained and valuable assets?  Why would I lose my well-trained, effective employees if I could find another way?

    WAS I WILLING TO DO THE SAME TO MY TEAM?

    After much soul searching, I brought the team together and explained a situation that I myself did not fully understand.  At the end of this explanation, I made an offer to keep them employed for as long as I could on a vastly reduced salary, but one I knew they could survive and feed their families on.  In return I asked for commitment in certain ways.  Each person was given 24 hours to think about the offer and decide if it was acceptable or not.  The only other option was unfortunately to lose their job.  A harsh choice, but a humane one.  All, but one opted in.

    HOW DID WE ADAPT TO A SITUATION THAT WENT ON FOR OVER 12 MONTHS?

    Guidelines and expectations were clearly laid out for each person, and within this framework due the challenge ahead our teamwork grew stronger.  To keep the atmosphere conducive to the goal of staying in business, we shared many ideas, developed new product as well as helping each other with the stress of what we were all going through by having some fun. The lack of knowing when this would all end led to feelings of inadequacy, dissatisfaction, fear and anger. Each one of us experienced some or all of these emotions at different times as we went on our own journey, but together, through the Kubler-Ross change curve.

    Time was used wisely in clearing out, streamlining and improving systems and most importantly building a close-knit team of people who supported each other, laughed together and relieved each other of stress that we all suffered in our day-to-day life.

    WHAT DOES IT TAKE FOR A LEADER TO SUCCEED THROUGH THESE TIMES? 

    In my own personal experience, it takes a level head, a strong sense of intuition, the ability to listen to your team and listen to your heart.  Keeping the goal in mind is important.  Listening, guiding and directing, encouraging, supporting, trusting, nurturing and empathising both yourself and individual team members.

    It is important to be grounded and realistic with yourself through self-nurturing, avoiding the frustration and perhaps anger that surrounds a decrease in your own productivity, roller-coaster emotions and the new balancing act required to live up to all responsibilities in new and very different working conditions.

    Seven actions in working with customers during a crisisWHAT ABOUT THE CUSTOMER?

    In all economic crises there will be companies on both ends of the continuum, those that do extremely well as demand for their products increases overnight and those companies that go bankrupt.  Perhaps they were unable to make changes fast enough?  Perhaps they already had market or cash flow What actions should you take when working with customers during a crisis? Having lived successfully through two previous crises, I’m sharing the actions which are valuable and, more often than not, well-received.issues or other internal difficulties, that made them more vulnerable to the harshness of the situation.  Additionally, in the same scenario, there are new opportunities and those that see them, take the risk, and grab the opportunity will leap into action to make the most of the situation either during the crisis or once everything has resumed.

    Under the current lockdown circumstances, the promotion of training as a service is now is out of the question, only falling on anxious or deaf ears whilst everything is so unclear.  Of course, this will change at some point and the point is to be ready.   Customer support at this time is still important, but it is more moral support than providing a service. In my experience the following actions are valuable and more often than not well-received:

    1. Provide moral support by calling to genuinely enquire how your clients are doing with no intention of promoting anything.  Simply to understand and lend a sympathetic ear, should it be necessary.
    2. Benefit clients and potential clients through developing new products and services that can be of value when circumstances change, anticipating that many budgets will be slashed.
    3. Provide grounding and a safe place to act as a sounding board for your clients who need someone neutral to talk to in order to share thoughts, challenges and emotions.
    4. Join in virtual networking events to meet new people and share knowledge of what some of your clients are doing that might be useful for those people in their current situation, observing GDPR.
    5. Introduce your clients to other people, who you think might be a useful contact.
    6. Share with clients, when the opportunity arises to inform about what you are working on, thus increasing awareness for when the situation changes.
    7. Remain positive by avoiding exposure to negative news and people who drain valuable energy, thus being able to show the light ahead to those that might be struggling to see it.

     

    To book Rachel to speak at your event, please contact Rachel directly at rachel@greenkeypersonaldevelopment.com

     

    Rachel ShackletonRachel Shackleton, Founder of Green Key Personal Development and Green Key Health is a leadership trainer, medical herbalist and naturopath specializing in corporate health through face-to-face, on-line and e-learning development solutions.

    For more information contact Rachel on rachel@greenkeypersonaldevelopment.com

  • Leading a Contact Centre – The Hidden Challenges

    As a manager of a support or contact centre, do you recognise any of these challenges when trying to lead your team to deliver excellent and consistent customer service, while also meeting demanding performance targets?

    If so, you’re not alone. Many contact centre managers face a combination of people, performance, and engagement challenges that make leading others one of the toughest, but most rewarding roles in business today.

    1. The Leadership Learning Curve

    Too often, managers step into their roles with little preparation or development for what leadership truly entails. They may have been top-performing agents, but managing others requires a different skill set entirely.

    Common challenges include:

    • Difficulty transitioning from team player to manager
    • Lack of emotional intelligence to build trust and strong relationships
    • Avoiding difficult conversations or giving feedback when performance dips
    • Struggling to coach effectively to drive behavioural change
    • Handling too many escalated calls, which may signal a lack of team empowerment.

    Leadership in a contact centre is about influence, coaching, and empathy—skills that require focused development and continuous learning.

    2. The Human Connection in a Hybrid World

    Many organisations celebrate hybrid working as a win-win: reduced office costs, better work-life balance, and increased flexibility. But there’s another side to the story—human engagement between managers and employees can easily drop when face-to-face contact becomes rare. The phrase “out of sight, out of mind” too often becomes reality.

    When team members feel disconnected, motivation slips, communication weakens, and performance targets suffer. Today’s managers need new skills to lead remotely—skills in virtual communication, trust-building, and emotional presence to ensure their teams remain inspired, supported, and empowered, even when working miles apart.

    3. The Cost of Constant Turnover

    Every new hire whether in a contact centre or elsewhere typically needs months of training and coaching before reaching full productivity. When attrition is high, managers are caught in a constant cycle of recruiting, onboarding, and retraining—leaving less time for strategy, coaching, and customer experience improvement.

    High staff turnover is not only financially costly, but it also drains team morale and consistency. Customers notice when they’re dealing with inexperienced agents, and loyal employees feel frustrated when they must constantly compensate and fill gaps.

    4. Beyond “It’s Typical for This Role”: Tackling Attrition at the Source

    Attrition in support centres is often accepted as “part of the job.” But if we dig deeper, it can reveal more serious root causes and concerns:

    • A toxic work culture where stress and burnout go unchecked
    • Poor management practices or lack of employee recognition
    • Weak recruiting that places the wrong people in the wrong roles.

    While some turnover is healthy and brings fresh perspectives, excessive churn creates chaos, inconsistency, and frustration for both employees and customers. The key to reducing attrition isn’t just about better pay or benefits—it’s about developing great managers. Managers who communicate clearly, coach effectively, and build trust and motivation create environments where people want to stay, do a great job and grow.

    5. Investing in Manager Development Is No Longer Optional

    The success of any support centre ultimately depends on the capability of its managers. By equipping them with the right skills—emotional intelligence, feedback delivery, coaching, and remote leadership, organisations can:

    • Strengthen employee engagement
    • Reduce costly turnover
    • Improve customer satisfaction
    • And create a culture of accountability and empowerment.

    In the end, great customer service starts with great leadership. Developing your managers isn’t a “nice to have”—it’s the foundation for a healthy, high-performing contact centre.

    The key lies in developing managers who can:

    •           Lead with empathy and accountability

    •           Coach effectively to build competence and confidence

    •           Maintain engagement in hybrid settings

    •           Model the culture you want your customers to experience

    Strong leadership remains the cornerstone of every high-performing team, department, and organisation.

    Looking for learning solutions to support development of your managers, here's a recent case study:

    https://www.greenkeypersonaldevelopment.com/pages/improving-support-centre-effectiveness

    More reading:

    https://www.greenkeypersonaldevelopment.com/pages/blog?p=thriving-call-centre-culture-wellbeing-success

     One of our solutions:

    https://www.greenkeypersonaldevelopment.com/bundles/management-skills-in-the-tech-sector

     

  • The impact of a toxic job

    Recently I have been deeply saddened by the number of people that I know that have a toxic job in a toxic environment whether physically in the office or remotely. When listening to the news over the last few months that staff are scarce and it is difficult to hire personnel for the many job vacancies, I am beginning to wonder if there some correlation between leadership and the way employees are treated and the scarcity of people, and therefore the inability to hire to fill vacancies?

    Everyone has bad days at work, but there are signs that employees and employers need to watch out for before a bad week “at the office” turns into never-ending, debilitating work stress that is ruining their personal health.  

    Too many people are trapped in toxic jobs. Jeffrey Pfeffer, an organizational behaviour professor at Stanford wrote in his book  “Dying for a Paycheck,”  (March 2018) that research has found that poor management in U.S. companies accounted for up to 8 percent of annual health costs and was associated with 120,000 excess deaths every year. Are employers really asking employees to put up with poor management and a toxic work environment at the cost of their health?

    As a Naturopath, Kinesiologist and Medical Herbalist, when consulting private clients about their health it is clear when the body knows subconsciously that their job is to blame for feelings of stress and overwhelm and it is that that is leading to the very symptoms they are consulting me about.

    What are typical symptoms when subjected to stress for long periods of time causing overwhelm, feelings of being over-stressed and potentially burnt out?

    Poor Sleep

    Very often poor or lack of sleep is one of the main symptoms. Clients report either not being able to sleep because their mind is racing or not being able to stay asleep, waking up in the middle of the night thinking about their to-do list or how to address a “conflict” issue with their boss. A few restless nights is not a big deal, but if it becomes a pattern, that may be a sign that job stress has become toxic.

    Waking night after night feeling more and more exhausted is a recipe for increasing mistakes when at work leading to re-work, which then affects the achievement of agreed goals and deadlines, causing a downward spiral to ill-health and poor performance.

    Headaches 

    I remember having a job many years ago, that literally made me sick. I would stand outside the door and all my muscles would tense up to guard my body from injury, causing chronic tension in my neck, shoulders and head. Chronic tension in this area is often associated with tension headaches and if it continues for weeks, may result in migraines, both being extremely debilitating, but migraine having the power to shut down the body and mind for up to 24 hours before the person begins to feel a little better.

    Digestion Issues and Nausea

    When in a job that is toxic, it can feel like you’re fighting off a wild tiger at your desk. Under a perceived threat, your brain floods the system with adrenaline and other stress hormones.

    A nervous system constantly under stress, can cause feelings of nausea, issues with digestion such as diahorrea or even constipation, as the body holds on to something that simply it cannot let go of. Notice how you and your employees are sitting when working at their computer? Are their shoulders hunched and jaw clenched most of the time as this might be a sign that the job is impacting health. 

    Indigestion, constipation and bloating can all be associated with stress, but not always the main cause, as stress impacts what and how the gut digests foods. Stress due to circulating stress hormones has the ability to impact healthy gut bacteria which in turn impacts mood due to the gut-brain axis. 

    Poor Mental Health

    At the moment, there is great emphasis on poor mental health and how organisations are to address this to prevent employees from suffering with mental health diseases, such as anxiety, mood swings, low mood and depression. Could it be that the toxic workplace and/ or boss is actually causing the mental ill-health in the first place?

    In 2019 depression was the leading cause of mental health related diseases and major cause of disability worldwide affecting approximately 280 million people and accounting for more than 47 million disability-adjusted life years in the same year. In fact, post Covid, a World Health Organisation (WHO) study published in April 2022 states that “global prevalence of mental health disorders increased by a massive 25% across the board”. Young people and women being the worst hit.

    Suffering from Regular Sickness

    If you are catching colds constantly, or don’t seem to be able to shake off a cold, ask yourself “Why this might be so?” If you have employees that seem to be constantly sick, have a closer look at what they are doing? Are they constantly working under pressure and stress, or very long hours just to keep up? Are they happy and fulfilled in what they are doing? How do you encourage and lead them? Do you give positive feedback on a regular basis or are you quick to criticise and highlight all the things that they are doing wrong?

    There is a direct relationship to living a happy fulfilled life and health. Chronic stress, whatever the source will compromise the immune system, making the individual more susceptible to illness, therefore that cycle of illness-exhaustion-unhappiness repeating over and over. This obviously increases sickness and absenteeism within a department, putting stress on those that are working, and the company as a whole.

    Tired all the Time

    A feeling of being tired all the time, having no energy and the desire to sleep is fatigue, a bone-deep weariness that no nap or weekend lie-in seems to cure. Toxic jobs and a / or a toxic work environment or relationship can create a cycle that drains us. When feeling overwhelmed we tend to lack focus and concentration and therefore require longer working hours to achieve the same result. This in turn leads to a downward spiral and results in time off to recuperate.

    Appetite Changes

    Appetite is closely linked to your brain. Under acute stress, your fight-or-flight response releases adrenaline, telling your body to suppress digestion to focus on saving you from the perceived danger. Under long-term stress the body’s adrenal glands release and build up cortisol, a hormone which can increase hunger. When your job is causing long-term emotional distress, you may turn to food for comfort or completely lose your appetite.  

    Sugary foods and caffeine-based drinks are often the type of food craved when under stress because the body and brain are burning masses of energy just to sustain an even keel. Sugary foods, often known as comfort foods, as with caffeine-based drinks, give that quick energy boost to get you through the next task. Doing this occasionally will not cause too much harm, but when locked into this cycle the downside is a sugar low, and over time that low gets lower and the energy boost lower also, feeding a craving for more and more sugar, but resulting in less and less energy.

    What is Your Responsibility in Staying Healthy?

    As an Employee:

    Address the toxic boss – Go straight to the horse’s mouth and lead an open conversation about how you are feeling and why. Calling your boss “toxic” certainly will not win you any brownie points but, pointing out that his or her leadership approach is inappropriate to lead and encourage to be at your best and most productive, just might. If it doesn’t you know where you stand.

    Reframe your negative thinking – One of the principles of cognitive behavioural therapy, is that how you think can change how you feel. Perhaps changing jobs is not an option for you. Therefore, reframing the situation might just work. Using mindfulness to manage unhelpful churning thoughts about how a recent presentation went, what you should have said in a particular situation, instead of what you did say, or what a colleague said to you, can be very useful in stopping these unhelpful thoughts that create dissatisfaction and drain energy while they are at it!

    Create personal boundaries – Create boundaries for how many hours you work each day. Don’t be overly pedantic about this in being sure to observe the exact start and finish times, but generally stay within the parameters. Take breaks for lunch and get away from your work-station, computer or regular place of actual work, so that you can enjoy your break without interruption. Educate others around your boundaries so that they too can organise themselves.

    Be clear on goals – Clarify anything that is not clear before embarking on the task. Fumbling through tasks that are not clear in the hope that you might get it right uses up much unnecessary energy through generating feelings of lack of confidence and circulating self-talk, while also running round trying to find information from others who are themselves not clear on what they are responsible for and therefore don’t have what you need.

    Leave – On recognising that you are in the “wrong” job for you, see these things as a warning that you need to get a new job. Long hours, absence of autonomy, uncertain scheduling, poor management and economic insecurity of a job are all factors that contribute to a toxic workplace environment that employees need to leave behind, not just cope with. If you have tried to solve the issue with your direct boss, perhaps HR as well, and nothing has changed you need to fix the underlying problem, not continue to deal with the symptoms in the hope that something will change.

    As a Leader:

    Listen to your employees – If they are providing feedback about you or the way in which the department is functioning, whether positive or otherwise, listen. Take it as positive and constructive, understand what is relevant and address it.

    Give regular positive feedback – Positive feedback is one of the most important tools you have in your management toolbox. Be sure to give to all your employees regular, positive feedback and make negative feedback constructive to motivate the person to change.

    Address conflict in the team – Avoid pushing conflict under the carpet. Bring it out into the open with relevant parties and get commitment to change. Conflict in the workplace causes those not involved to either discuss it in the corridor, thus becoming involved and adding fuel to the fire, or to withdraw. Both strategies are unhelpful to maintaining a productive environment and healthy teamwork.

    Dare to ask employees how they are doing – Asking this question will build trust and an open environment to discuss things that might be causing difficulty and therefore stress. When asking this question be sure to listen to the answer! Not listening may make the matter worse.

    Follow up – Show your interest in your employees by following up on conversations and changes as a result of those conversations. This shows respect to your employees and shows that you really care.

    In summary – a toxic work environment is caused by many factors. Living with it is not necessary and therefore be prepared to address it one way or another with the relevant parties. If you are a manager and leader, have close contact with your employees to know what aspects of the job might be causing too much stress and loss of productivity and then to proactively do something about it before complaining and unhappiness contribute to making a toxic work environment.

  • The Impact of Employee Health and Wellbeing on Your Bottom Line?

    Working with individuals on work-life balance, as well as with groups, I am seeing more and more people with adrenal stress, very often caused by stress from work.  Reasons for the stress vary, however these can be self inflicted, such as wanting to be a perfectionist, the inability to say “no”, poor time management, inability to delegate as well as procrastination by putting things off.  As for external factors that might cause stress, the first one springing to mind is living in a blame culture, thus creating an environment of fear.  Inappropriate leadership styles and habits such as a boss who doesn’t listen, a manipulative leader who can only influence by using manipulation techniques, a boss who lives in crisis due to poor planning and time management or a boss who is unable to communicate effectively, practicing chameleon type behaviours, swinging from one mood to the next.

    The Health & Safety Executive estimated that 31.2 million working days were lost due to work-related ill health and non-fatal workplace injuries in 2016/17.  25.7 million were due to work-related ill health!  Adrenal fatigue is when the adrenal system struggles to maintain homeostatic balance, leading to depletion and dysregulation of the adrenal glands and Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal axis after a long period of emotional stress or chronic illness.  Adrenal stress, due to fatigue presents in different ways.  Early signs might be intermittent lack of energy, low motivation and poor sleep.  More advanced stages will include these and other symptoms, such as nights sweats, brain fog, lack of energy to do anything, headaches, poor functioning immune system, resulting in colds and flu, as well as cravings for carbohydrate foods and stimulants such as coffee, chocolate and fizzy drinks all giving that quick, short lived, hit or energy boost. (http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/dayslost.htm) 

    Is management of stress a function of leadership?  One could argue that this is personal and thus individual to each person to manage themselves effectively in order to manage what life throws at them, and therefore not under the leadership role or umbrella.  However, if work-days are being lost from absenteeism due to overload and stress, it becomes every leader’s concern and issue.  Therefore, is it better to manage the situation before it gets to this stage or wait until the person gets sick and submits a doctor’s note?

  • The Importance Of Recognition When Leading Others

    A MESSAGE FROM THE NA’VI PEOPLE OF PANDORA

    In my personal experience it is common to both use and hear the term “recognition” in the work environment, especially when referring to motivation of others. What does it mean to give recognition, and how does that differ from giving appreciation, or appreciating someone or something?

    An explanation of the word “recognition” – to recognise someone in the work environment means, ”the act of publicly acknowledging your employees for what they do.” In other words, recognising someone for what they do in their job role and the value they bring in that role. On the other hand, employee appreciation is about who you are and how colleagues, irrelevant of role, naturally recognize each other and make the workplace feel more inclusive and human. This might also be extended into knowing you as being a valuable part of the team. Since the advent of hybrid working, It is not always remembered that humans need other humans, and that being part of a group or team is one of the main reasons why we like to go to work. In other words, the appreciation that we receive from others that feeds into our feelings of belonging.

    The Oxford dictionary defines recognition as “The act of recognising; acknowledging especially” and defines appreciation as “The pleasure that you have when you enjoy the good qualities of somebody or something.”

    In the film Avatar – the greeting that the Na’vi people, living on Pandora on meeting each other was “I see you.” This greeting was not just about literally seeing someone, but really seeing them in a holistic manner – the physical presence, mental and emotional aspects as well as the person inside, the very soul of a person. What a beautiful phrase of appreciation and recognition to truly “see” someone.

    Employee recognition combined with appreciation is one of the most important factors in driving workplace engagement, productivity, performance and employee retention. At its core, employee recognition is another word for feedback, usually associated with feedback focused on an employee’s strengths and what they’re doing well, a technique that encourages more of the same. It is also an expression of appreciation and gratitude.  Living and working in an environment of gratitude when inclusive within the entire organisation makes the operation more fun, meaningful, a place where people want to “belong” and be associated, as well as an environment that is productive and employees enjoy performing at their best.

    In the work environment we mostly link recognition as being positive and connected to what an individual is doing right and has done well, however recognition can also be negative. The power of giving recognition for good performance publicly enhances the positive impact on the individual to do more of the same. Negative recognition, sadly all too often is given inappropriately and perhaps even publicly, lacking a constructive and positive approach, especially when the manager and leader has limited emotional intelligence and fails to understand that negative recognition whether given publicly or not amplifies the negative impact on that person and rather than enhancing performance actually leads to the opposite – a de-motivated, deflated and often highly embarrassed individual who has now lost face amongst his or her colleagues, thus threatening the secure and important ties of “belonging”. An individual having been berated openly and unconstructively is unlikely to be your best performing employee certainly in the short term and likely for much longer, if indeed they stay in your employ.

    What can we learn from Avatar, the film and the Na’vi people of Pandora? How does “I see you” translate into performance, to build excellence, increase productivity as well as employee retention. The latter being one of the biggest challenges organisations face today. Perhaps, truly “seeing” someone, a colleague or team member, you not only recognise them for what they do, but also appreciate and value them for who they are?

  • Thriving Call Centre Culture: Wellbeing & Success

    In today’s dynamic customer service landscape, call centres play a pivotal role in shaping customer experience. Yet recent data makes it clear: focusing on employee wellbeing and retention is not a luxury—it’s a necessity for achieving sustainable productivity and a thriving call centre environment and culture.

    Call centre roles are inherently demanding. A constant stream of customer issues, emotionally charged conversations, and high expectations for immediate, personalised service place daily pressure on staff. While every customer deserves to feel important, the burden of delivering this experience repeatedly can take a toll on frontline employees.

    That’s why it’s critical that organisations look beyond performance metrics and instead focus on creating the environment and support systems that empower success.

    Key Strategies to Enhance Productivity and Wellbeing in Your Call Centre

    1. Address Employee Wellbeing

    The emotional and cognitive load in call centre work is considerable—and growing. Recent data from MHFA England reveals that:

    “63% of UK employees show signs of burnout, up from 51% just two years ago.” 

    “Only 55% report a high level of workplace wellbeing.” (Great Place to Work UK) 2024 report.

    Actionable solutions:

    • Schedule regular check-ins between employees and managers.
    • Avoid the “sticking plaster approach” and build a wellness strategy that deals with core of wellbeing in your team.
    • Create wellness programmes tailored to shift workers.
    • Promote flexible scheduling that supports work-life balance.
    • Offer training on resilience and stress management techniques.

    2. Foster Open Communication

    When employees feel heard and valued, they’re more engaged, loyal, and productive. The work culture thrives leading a productive environment and business success. Communication should flow in both directions—from leadership to staff, and from staff to leadership. Make a difference with:

    • Regular 1-to-1s and team check-ins.
    • Transparent updates from leadership, with open forums for discussion.
    • Anonymous surveys to gather honest feedback.
    • Acting on feedback to drive meaningful change.
    • Building psychological safety in teams fosters trust, collaboration, and long-term engagement.

    3. Optimise Work Arrangements

    Flexible working isn’t just a trend—it’s the new standard. According to the 2023 Call Centre Helper Research Paper – What Call Centres are Doing Right Now, 56.7% of contact centres now operate flexible shifts and a further 17.2% having this in their plans. The Times reports that hybrid work improves job satisfaction and reduces turnover by giving employees more autonomy and better work-life balance.

    Suggestions for success:

    • Offer hybrid and remote options where possible.
    • Provide equal access to support, resources, and recognition for remote staff.
    • Keep communication strong across virtual platforms.
    • Encourage regular team meet-ups (virtual or in-person) to share updates and resolve issues.

    4. Enhance Employee Retention

     Call centre staff turnover in the UK is, on average, 26% per year, while the national average sits at 15%. With an average call centre turnover rate of 26% per year, well above the national average of 15%, the call centre sector faces retention challenges. Moreover, in some call centres, turnover can reach levels as high as 44% per year, making the call centre industry one of the most transitory industries. Odondo  

    Actions that can help boost retention:

    • Train managers to lead with empathy, consistency, and transparency.
    • Clearly communicate career paths and advancement opportunities.
    • Create a culture that recognises and celebrates contributions.
    • Offer competitive salaries and meaningful benefits.
    • Ensure employees feel they belong, are valued, and have purpose in their work.

    5. Leverage Technology to Support, Not Monitor

    Technology can either streamline operations while maintaining a thriving call centre culture, or add stress—depending on how it’s implemented. The right tools should empower employees and enhance every customer experience, not micromanage and put the onus on the customer to do all the work. Key technologies to deploy:

    • Automate repetitive admin and customer queries.
    • Implement AI-driven support tools for complex problem-solving.
    • Provide real-time coaching and feedback systems.
    • Ensure proper training so both staff and customers know how to use these tools effectively.

    The goal to a thriving call centre is to remove friction, free up time, and give employees the tools to excel—not surveil their every move.

    Closing Thought

    Productivity follows people-first leadership. When you prioritise employee wellbeing, flexibility, communication, and fair treatment, your team becomes more resilient, engaged, and committed resulting in a thriving call centre culture and productive environment. In turn, this creates better outcomes for customers—and the business as a whole.

    In a service-driven world, your people are your most powerful asset. Let’s give them what they need to thrive.

    If you would like to chat about creating a thriving call centre culture, get in touch https://www.greenkeypersonaldevelopment.com/pages/contact

  • Is Your Office Ready to Accept Clients and Team Members?

    I recently went into the City of London for a business meeting. The meeting was held on the client’s premises, the same premises I have visited on numerous occasions prior to the onset of SARS-Cov2 and the implications of lockdown.

    On entering the office building I was taken aback when I was greeted by an x-ray machine just on the inside of the main entrance glass doors. Walking on auto pilot, I didn’t realise it was there until faced by several masked gentlemen who requested to know where I was going. For a very short moment, I honestly thought I had auto-piloted myself into the wrong building. Infact it was the right building, just that a highly sensitive company had moved into the same office block hence the x-ray machine for their visitors. With a sigh of relief, I took the lift to where I was going and exited on the appropriate floor. Going through the doors I was greeted by a dark reception, the absence of a happy, smiling receptionist, no smell of coffee being brewed and no fresh flowers. There were boxes stacked up on the floor that were clearly visible to visitors. Strange, is this company moving office or closing down, I thought to myself?

    While waiting, through further observation, it seemed that the place hadn’t been dusted for some time, the TV was not on and the newspaper on the table was dated 8th  December 2021. Is that the last time anyone was here? After what seemed an age of sitting in the dark, the person I was meeting appeared. He didn’t seem to notice the absence of light, absence of the receptionist or the absent usual pleasant smell of fresh coffee. I guess we were both lucky that the heating was on!

    Our meeting proceeded with my almost immediate question – “Are you moving office?” The quizzical response said it all “Why do you ask?” With the invitation I shared my observations. He explained that most people were not back yet to working in the office, but that planning was underway to make the transition for those that want to return. Our meeting continued and afterwards as it was close to the end of the working day, we left together.

    Why do I raise this as a point of interest and importance?

    As this company is one of my clients, I felt it would be remiss of me not to highlight the impression of the lack of “warmth” when entering the reception and how it impacted my perception, and what effect that might have on any future relations, especially if I was a client. Probably in all fairness it started with the x-ray machine heightening my awareness from that point on.

    All the factors described when combined gave me the impression that the company is either closing down or moving office. If I had been a potential client, I might have decided then and there that this company is not stable and therefore would not engage with the services on offer. Worst case scenario that I would actually leave before arrival of the person I am meeting with.

    Most of us are still experiencing nervousness about meeting others and for many, going back to the office is a big step. Consequently, the main focus appears to be on the workforce where and how they would like to work, contracts that support the chosen approach and in doing this keeping the morale high to ensure good continuous service to clients, maintain productivity and ensure consistent flow of revenue.

    According to the conversation with my client this was exactly what was happening in their company and because of this focus, the thought that clients might come to the office had not entered into the discussion, therefore planning to meet and greet appropriately. Sounds strange, but easy to make this mistake, when your trusted receptionist does not want to come back to working in the office combined with the fact that most of us have not seen a client or colleague in person for approximately two years!

    This reminds me of pre-opening processes for the many hotels I was privileged to plan and conduct pre-opening training to support the overall complex process of building, fitting out, stocking and opening a new or newly renovated hotel. Remembering all the things that are taken for granted and that are easily overlooked if no one has it in their sights or Peter thinks that Paul is responsible and Paul thinks that Sara will take care of it when in the end, no one does.

    Perhaps broader internal communication amongst colleagues and external communication with customers is needed at this time? This would be further supported by a simple checklist of actions (at the risk of sounding old!) to ensure the image you want to present not only to external, but internal customers with nominated responsible persons, is agreed.

    Reducing anxiety and creating that feeling of being welcome is as important for team members at this time as it is for customers and clients. Taking a few moments to switch the lights on, start the coffee machine, strategically place some fresh flowers and being there to greet returning colleagues and customers goes a long way to creating a pleasant, calm atmosphere and lasting positive impression.