By Jen Tait. Founder. Rise Learning Group.
It’s been a tough year for contact centres everywhere. The jump in employee National Insurance and the minimum wage rise back in January are still affecting budgets now. As a result, many contact centres are looking for ways to cut costs and unfortunately, training and development programmes are often the first to go.
But while trimming people-focused investment might seem like an easy win, for contact centres it almost always backfires. High attrition, low morale and inconsistent performance all become more costly than the savings made.
Now, more than ever, contact centres need to focus on retaining talent, boosting productivity and keeping people engaged, and that starts with managing the full employee journey. Cutting development may save money today, but the long-term cost of constant recruitment, disengagement and lower service quality far outweighs it.
Why Investing in the Contact Centre Employee Journey Matters More Than Ever
Operational costs are rising across the industry, from resource planning to tech stacks to payroll. With so much pressure, contact centre leaders need a motivated, capable and loyal team to sustain performance. Yet retention is a growing challenge, with employees moving on quickly when they don’t feel supported or see a career path.
Here’s why strengthening the contact centre employee experience isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s a business necessity:
1. Retention is more cost-effective than recruitment.
In contact centres, the cost of replacing an agent can reach up to twice their salary once recruitment, onboarding and reduced productivity are factored in. In an environment where every minute and metric counts, keeping skilled people is far more cost-effective than continually hiring and retraining.
2. Engaged agents drive better performance and customer outcomes.
Gallup research shows engaged employees are 22% more productive and innovative. In a contact centre, that translates directly into better call handling times, higher-quality conversations, improved compliance and stronger customer satisfaction scores. Investing in onboarding, skills development and career pathways boosts not only morale but also KPIs.
3. Today’s agents expect growth, even when pay freezes are unavoidable.
With rising costs, many contact centres can’t offer significant salary increases, but agents still want opportunities to develop. Skills progression, coaching, accreditation and clear routes into team leader or specialist roles help people stay motivated and committed. When contact centres invest in their people, loyalty increases, even in uncertain times.
How Contact Centres Can Keep Developing Their People on a Budget
At Rise Learning Group, we know contact centre leaders want to retain and grow their people, but financial pressures can make traditional training models difficult. Here are some practical, cost-friendly ideas:
- Host face-to-face team meetings or engagement evenings to rebuild connection and recognition.
- Increase communication from leaders to strengthen trust, transparency and a sense of belonging.
- Revamp your training plan by mixing delivery formats. Use webinars for consistency and scale, and save in-person time for deeper coaching and skills application.
Introducing Rise Learning Group’s Live, Interactive Webinar Series
We’ve launched a practical, contact-centre-focused series of webinars designed to support every stage of the colleague journey. These sessions provide actionable strategies that help retain talent, boost engagement and drive performance, without stretching the budget.
What you’ll gain from the webinars:
• Strategies to retain employees and reduce costly turnover
• Practical ways to increase engagement without raising salaries
• Insights into building a culture that attracts and nurtures great people
• Cost-effective approaches to training and development
Webinar Series Topics
- Onboarding: From Offer Stage to Passing Probation
- Customer Conversations: Communicating with Impact
- Vulnerable Customers: How to Communicate with Empathy
- Leadership: Confidently Managing Challenging Conversations
- People Development: Essential Skills for Contact Centre Trainers
- Supporting Bereaved Colleagues: A Compassionate, Practical Approach
Contact Jen.tait@riselearninggroup.com or go to www.riselearninggroup.com for more information.