Stop Gaslighting Your Agents

Contact center leaders, are we still holding onto the idea that pizza parties are the answer to agent engagement? (I've hosted my fair share – slice in hand.) Or is it higher pay? It may surprise you to know that while higher pay is always welcome, it’s not the magic fix we often assume it to be.

Frontline agents are telling us what they need. They want predictable schedules, clear communication, and tools that support, not sabotage, their work. And yet, too often, those needs are overlooked in favor of short-term perks or one-size-fits-all incentives.

Let’s talk about what really matters to agents today and what you can do about it.

Why Predictability is The Real Retention Strategy

Agents don’t need fewer hours. They need hours they can plan around. Whether it’s arranging childcare, managing a second job, or simply having a life outside work, schedule instability makes everything harder and fuels turnover.

Schedules released late on a Friday or changed without notice create a cycle of frustration for workers. According to research from Harvard's Shift Project, even published schedules are often unreliable. Harvard’s research revealed that many employees experience last-minute shift changes (57%), face shift cancellations (13%), or are assigned on-call shifts (27%) requiring them to remain available without a guaranteed work opportunity.

Predictability isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s the foundation of a functioning workforce.

Transparency Matters

Predictability means little without transparency, and transparency must extend beyond policies to include the systems agents interact with every day.

Agents are expected to perform with precision. But when KPIs change without explanation, adherence rules shift arbitrarily, or new tech is rolled out with no context, trust breaks down.

Only 27% of employees say their company consistently delivers on its promises, according to Gallup.

In contact centers, this trust gap takes a serious toll. Deloitte reports an average 52% annual turnover in our industry.

That. Is. Staggering.

And it’s not just a statistic – it’s a signal. A signal that expectations are being missed, promises broken and loyalty eroded. If we want to fix retention, we have to start by fixing trust.

Transparency doesn’t just mean open-door policies. It means being clear about expectations, honest about change, and communicative about how decisions, especially around AI and performance data, affect your people.

If your dashboards feel more like surveillance than support, don’t be surprised when your agents disengage.

The Agent Experience Is the Customer Experience

It’s 2025. Agents should not still be switching between five systems, copy-pasting case IDs or rebooting frozen dashboards during live calls.

Today’s WFM platforms promise automation, forecasting and scheduling intelligence. But when requesting time off requires a maze of clicks, or systems collapse during peak volume, those promises fall flat.

Digital investments alone won’t solve agent burnout if the tools remain fragmented and hard to use. When agents are under-supported, customers feel it immediately.

Great tools empower. Poor tools drain. And frustrated agents don’t stick around.

Understand the Perception Gap

It’s not malice. Leaders often invest in bonuses, swag or social events because those are visible efforts. But agents are asking for something quieter and more powerful: a sense of control, clarity and competence in their daily work.

Research shows that career growth, manager quality and communication are more predictive of retention than compensation alone. Pay matters, but it won’t fix broken workflows or lack of trust.

Agents don’t need to be dazzled. They need to be supported.

What to Do Instead

If you're ready to improve agent experience, skip the gimmicks and focus on what works:

1. Make scheduling predictable.
   Publish it early. Build in flexibility. Let agents manage swaps and PTO on their terms.
2. Communicate with purpose.
   Explain the “why” behind metrics and tools. Keep agents informed and involved.
3. Invest in tools that work for agents.
   Prioritize usability. Reduce clicks. Eliminate friction in daily workflows.

Final Thoughts

Agents aren’t asking for more perks. They’re asking for less pain.

Clarity. Consistency. Tools that actually work. If that sounds radical, the issue isn’t with them. It’s with the system they’re navigating.

If you want to reduce attrition, improve performance, and build a team that thrives, not just survives, start by listening.

And quit it with the pizza.