The quality of performance monitoring done to contact centre agents isn't something that should be compromised, let alone neglected.
Without the proper monitoring in place, the quality of the support provided by contact centres are bound to decline. That being said, not only should performance monitoring be given emphasis, it should be considered as a way of life for contact centre agents.
However, while no one can question the value that performance monitoring can bring to call centre companies, there also needs to be a balance.
In a study conducted by Smith, Carayon, Sanders, Lim and DeGrande (1992), they surveyed the way telecommunication employees perceived their working conditions given the awareness of being monitored.
The results indicate that excessive monitoring of their employee's performance can dramatically increase their stress.
Here are 3 major reasons why excessive monitoring should be minimized in the workplace:
Excessive performance monitoring can constrain flexibility in carrying out tasks. In fact, it gives off an impression of dictatorship in the workplace.
As a matter of fact, a study conducted by Holman et.al (2002) suggests that monitoring is perceived as threatening when it is done out of proportion.
The idea is—the greater the intensity of monitoring means the higher tendency to work for compliance rather than out of sheer willingness and initiative.
Excessive monitoring can burden your workers by making them feel overly-conscious about their every move. It implicitly commands that output should be absolute—which means there's no room for mistakes.
Corrective action:
This key point does not suggest that monitoring should be completely removed.
Rather, give your employees a leeway in performing by monitoring them moderately and not excessively. Intensive monitoring will only constrain movements which lowers employee morale.
"What is the point of working if I can't decide for myself?"
Suddenly, the workplace feels like a cage and there's no sense in working at a meaningful level.
When employees are aware that they are being watched at every angle, this decreases the degree to which they are capable of deciding for themselves.
In other words, it reduces confidence, creativity and competency.
Of course, you wouldn't want that. You want to foster confident, creative and competent employees who can be trained to become future leaders.
Corrective action:
Therefore, challenge them and don't be an intruder. Allow them to think for themselves and just do their job. Workers need to feel that they are TRUSTED enough to deliver the output required of them.
Adding tension by intensively monitoring will not help the situation at all. It even hinders the potential of your employees to grow.
In truth, monitoring ceases to be useful when it pulls your employees down instead of bringing them up.
Some supervisors choose to be very nosy. They set unrealistic expectations on their subordinates and demand immediate output right before their very eyes.
This does not challenge, this discriminates.
Corrective action:
One word: DEVELOP.
Know that your employees already possess a reservoir of skills, knowledge and abilities—otherwise, you wouldn't have selected them in the first place.
Performance monitoring should be done for the purpose of developing this reservoir and not just diagnosing the gaps. Don't dwell on the mistakes committed. Focus on how you can resolve these for continuous improvement.
Are there suggestions or questions that you'd like to add? If you answered that with a "yes", please share your ideas in the comments section below.