How to Prevent and Overcome Call Centre Burnout

Call centre agents often face intense pressure from high call volumes, demanding customers, and performance targets, making them particularly vulnerable to burnout.

When left unaddressed, this prolonged stress can severely impact both the wellbeing of agents and the overall success of the contact centre. In this article, we’ll explore what call centre burnout is, how stress affects agents, and practical strategies to prevent and overcome it.

What Is Call Centre Burnout?

Call centre burnout is a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged exposure to stress in the workplace.

It often results from excessive workloads, high call volumes, unrealistic targets, and constant pressure to meet performance metrics. Symptoms can include fatigue, irritability, reduced focus, and feelings of detachment from work.

If left unchecked, burnout can lead to poor performance, absenteeism, and high staff turnover – all of which can negatively affect your contact centre’s overall success.

Ways Stress Affects Call Centre Agents

Prolonged stress can have serious consequences for call centre agents, impacting both their personal wellbeing and professional performance. Here are six common effects:

• Emotional Exhaustion – Agents may feel drained, overwhelmed, and emotionally detached from their work, making it harder to engage positively with customers.
• Increased Irritability and Frustration – Stress can reduce patience, causing agents to become short-tempered with both customers and colleagues. This can lead to conflicts and a decline in service quality.
• Reduced Productivity and Focus – Stress affects cognitive function, making it harder for agents to concentrate, follow processes, or retain key information. This can result in mistakes and slower resolution times.
• Higher Absenteeism – Burnt-out employees are more likely to take sick days or request time off to cope with stress. Over time, this can place added pressure on remaining staff.
• Lower Job Satisfaction – Chronic stress often leads to disengagement, causing agents to lose motivation and feel indifferent about their role.
• Increased Staff Turnover – When stress remains unresolved, agents are more likely to leave their role in search of less demanding work, resulting in recruitment costs and knowledge loss for the business.

How to Prevent and Overcome Burnout in Call Centres

Addressing burnout requires a proactive approach that focuses on both individual wellbeing and workplace improvements. Here are key strategies to help reduce stress:

1. Optimize Workloads

Distributing workloads effectively is crucial in preventing burnout. Use workforce management tools to forecast call volumes accurately and schedule staff accordingly to maintain a balanced workload.

Avoid assigning excessive calls or complex cases to the same agents, as this can lead to mental exhaustion. Implement task rotation strategies to vary responsibilities, giving employees a chance to switch between different types of calls or administrative duties.

2. Provide Ongoing Training and Support

Ongoing training is essential for reducing burnout by equipping agents with the skills and confidence they need to manage challenging situations.

Regular coaching on handling difficult customers, de-escalation techniques, and time management can help employees feel more prepared and less overwhelmed. Providing access to knowledge bases, updated resources, and support from team leaders ensures agents have the tools they need to succeed.

Additionally, creating a supportive environment where employees feel comfortable asking for help or talking about any concerns can reduce anxiety and build resilience.

For advice on how to provide training to agents, read our article: 50 Call Centre Training Tips

3. Encourage Breaks and Downtime

Encouraging regular breaks is vital to help agents recharge. Short, frequent breaks throughout the day allow agents to reset mentally, improving focus and reducing fatigue.

Designate comfortable break areas where employees can unwind, and promote activities that help them relax, such as mindfulness exercises, stretching, or casual social interactions.

Encouraging employees to step away from their desks, even for a few minutes, can significantly improve mood and energy levels. Ensuring agents take their full lunch breaks and use their vacation days also plays a crucial role in helping them recharge and avoid prolonged stress.

4. Promote a Positive Work Environment

Creating a supportive and uplifting workplace can significantly reduce burnout. Create open communication where agents feel comfortable sharing concerns or seeking help without fear of judgement.

Recognize achievements regularly, whether through public praise, rewards, or simple words of appreciation, to help employees feel valued.

Encourage teamwork by organizing teambuilding activities or collaborative projects to strengthen connections among staff.

5. Offer Mental Health Resources

Providing access to mental health resources is essential in helping agents manage stress and prevent burnout. Implement Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) that offer confidential counselling, therapy, or mental health support.

Consider hosting workshops on mindfulness, stress management, and emotional wellbeing to equip staff with coping strategies. Managers should be trained to recognize signs of burnout and know how to guide employees toward appropriate support.

For more on helping agents with mental health in the contact centre, read our article: A Guide to Improving Mental Health in the Contact Centre

6. Empower Agents With the Right Tools

Equipping agents with efficient tools and technology can significantly reduce frustration and fatigue. Implement user-friendly software that streamlines tasks like call logging, customer information retrieval, and ticket management.

Automation tools can help reduce repetitive tasks, allowing agents to focus on more meaningful interactions. Additionally, providing clear scripts, knowledge bases, and real-time support resources can boost confidence and improve decision-making.

This article is a revised version of Call Centre Burnout, Depression Symptoms and How to Overcome, originally published by Scorebuddy.

For more on agent burnout and how to avoid it, read these articles next:

• 8 Ways to Avoid Call Centre Agent Burnout
• How to Avoid Employee Burnout
• Tips to Tackle Agent Burnout in Contact Centres

Author: Hannah Swankie
Reviewed by: Megan Jones