As a result of the sometimes damaging single-mindedness with which business is run these days, it is easy to overlook the positive consequences of building emotional connection between people in the workplace. As a leader, learning to take advantage of the benefits reaped by your contact center’s emotional connection is one of the best tools available.
Empirical and anecdotal evidence proves that employees work harder. They also provide better outcomes when they feel fulfilled and accepted in the workplace. There is no better way to accomplish this goal than by building strong relationships.
Let’s explore four of the most important benefits that come as a result of increased emotional connection in contact centers, and what that can mean for all of us in the industry going forward.
Your Contact Center’s Emotional Connection Fulfills Intrinsic Needs
At the end of the day, people are people. As long as human society has existed, it has centered around the emotional connections that people make with one another.
This central truth of human nature does not change once we go through the doors to our workplace. People spend so much time these days at work. It is vital that we recognize it as a place where empathy can blossom and people can be themselves.
Another intrinsic need that humans have is to be part of a culture or subculture. We define ourselves and our actions based around the culture around us. Building a culture in your workplace that is conducive to both hard work and happiness can help work out many of the individual problems that you might encounter leading a team. The ability to create a work culture that is unique, friendly and inviting is only possible coming from a place of emotional connection and openness.
Finally, it is important for everyone to feel that though they are contributing something important. Certain employees serve different functions. It can be difficult for everyone to feel as though they are on the same footing. Emotional Connection helps people to see their role as a part of a whole.
Makes emotional intelligence more actionable
Emotional intelligence is one of the most important “soft” skills that you can have as a leader in business. The problem is, not all workplaces develop an atmosphere where emotional intelligence can be activated to its full potential.
A contact center work environment that succeeds in enabling those with emotional intelligence to use it to their full potential is one where emotion is uplifted rather than suppressed. Once workers begin to feel like they are encouraged to be open and honest about how they feel, emotional intelligence begins to play a much more central role in success both on the business side of things and between peers.
Your Contact Center’s Emotional Connection Creates Psychological Safety
What leads to poor performance and behavior at work? For many people, the problem has less to do with what they are capable of than what they think they are capable of. As stressful situations come up at work day after day, anxiety can be a serious impediment. This is the case even for those who are trying their best to function at full capacity.
A great deal of this anxiety is the result of a lack of communication. That isn’t to say there is a lack of interaction per se with peers and bosses, but rather that there is no emotional connection and no feeling that it is okay to express discontent.
A psychologically healthy workplace is one that continuously promotes emotional connection between workers, so that they can draw on the collective energy of the group when their personal energy is exhausted. Needless to say, this can have hugely positive effects on both employee morale and productivity.
Drives discretionary effort
One of the major causes of discontent on the job is going through the day on auto pilot. This non-thinking attitude encourages people to just put their head down. They wish to get through the day with as little conflict as possible.
This kind of thinking is toxic to the workplace. All of the best innovation is possible when everyone applies discretionary, purposeful effort.
Employees who feel an emotional connection with one another are much more likely to mindfully give an effort every day. Given enough time, a culture of communication can give workers the toolkit to put their mind to tasks in a way that was previously impossible. For leaders, this is the best case scenario. This is because it means much less time invested in pushing others. Employees learn to push themselves and work autonomously.
The importance of emotional connection
Emotions are the center of any business. For a business to exist someone had the desire to start that business. You will find that all areas of business are driven by emotion. It is important to acknowledge this and invest in ensuring that each employee is in touch with their own emotions as well as the emotions of other team members. Things like empathy come from emotional connection. As a leader there are several ways you can build emotional connection in your team. This includes doing team building exercises and training that allow your team to form that emotional connection.
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Jim Rembach is the Editor in Chief of the Customer Service Weekly and it’s Podcast host. He is President of CX Global Media and the creator of the Call Center Coach Virtual Leaders Academy. As the host of the Fast Leader Show Podcast, he has interviewed hundreds of experts, authors, academics, researchers, and practitioners on various angles, viewpoints, and perspectives for improving the customer experience. He has held positions in retail operations, contact centers, customer support, customer success, sales, and measured the customer experience. He is a certified Emotional Intelligence practitioner, Employee Retention Specialist, and recipient of numerous industry awards.