Five "Musts" for Building Employee Engagement

Research consistently shows that organizations with highly engaged employees outperform others. Financial performance is stronger, quality improves, customer loyalty increases, and these organizations lead in employee retention.

That advantage has become even more critical as contact centers navigate constant change. Artificial Intelligence, new digital channels, remote/hybrid work models and rising customer expectations are reshaping the work almost continuously. In this environment, engagement is no longer just a cultural goal — it's a performance necessity. Engaged employees adapt more quickly, use new tools more effectively, and bring judgment and empathy to moments technology can't fully address.

I've found, without exception, that if you look inside any successful contact center, you'll find a culture that honors employees, encourages their insight and engages them every step of the way. As you map your priorities as a leader, there are five musts that consistently make the difference.

Engagement Is Not the Same as Satisfaction

Before diving into those musts, it's important to clarify what engagement actually means. Employee engagement is not the same as employee satisfaction. An employee can be satisfied for many reasons — geographic convenience, work-from-home flexibility, friendships, compensation, or scheduling — yet still feel disconnected from the work itself.

Engaged employees care about outcomes. They look for better ways to serve customers, spot problems before they escalate and are far more likely to embrace change.

Engagement goes deeper. It reflects the enthusiasm and emotional commitment an employee has to the organization and the work they do. Engaged employees care about outcomes. They look for better ways to serve customers, spot problems before they escalate and are far more likely to embrace change, whether that change involves AI, new workflows or evolving service expectations.

Purpose as the Starting Point

The first must for building engagement is reinforcing purpose. Do employees believe their work matters? Do they understand how what they do helps customers, colleagues or communities? Leaders play a critical role in making that connection clear and visible.

An employee at an insurance company once shared that she processed claims every day, but never knew what happened next. She didn't hear whether customers were frustrated, relieved or grateful, and over time the work began to feel mechanical.

After she raised the issue, the organization began sharing short customer testimonials; just simple stories from people explaining how timely claims support helped them recover after devastating losses. Those stories changed how employees viewed their work. Claims became more than transactions; they became moments that helped people get back on their feet. Purpose became visible and engagement followed.

Culture Shows Up in the Details

A second must is building a culture that directly supports the customer experience. Engagement thrives in environments where values are not just stated, but consistently reinforced through daily actions and decisions.

Hershey Entertainment & Resorts sets a great example on this. Most people know Hershey as the beloved chocolate company, but it's also a hospitality and entertainment organization where customer experience matters every day.

What stands out is how the organization uses its core values — service, teamwork, respect and stewardship of the Hershey legacy — to define quality standards, coach employees and guide day-to-day decisions. Those values shape how people are recognized and supported, helping them see how their work contributes to something bigger, which is a powerful driver of engagement.

Where Good Intentions Get Stuck

A third must is removing barriers that make it harder for employees to do the right thing. Leaders often underestimate how disengaging these obstacles can be.

Policies, metrics or systems that get in the way of great service quickly drain energy and motivation. Ask employees where those barriers exist. They might include rigid targets, approval requirements that slow resolution or tools that add work instead of reducing it. Then, work deliberately to remove them.

AI and automation can reduce friction, but only if leaders are willing to rethink outdated rules that no longer serve customers or employees. Removing barriers sends a clear signal of trust, and trust fuels engagement.

Growth as an Engagement Signal

A fourth must is providing meaningful development opportunities. Engagement fades quickly when people feel stuck or see no path forward.

Contact centers span many disciplines, including workforce planning, technology, analytics, quality and knowledge management. As AI reshapes roles, development becomes even more important. Successful leaders look for ways to help employees build skills, expand responsibilities and grow in directions that reflect where the work is headed. When people see a future for themselves, they are far more likely to stay engaged in the present.

Listening as a Leadership Discipline

The fifth must is listening consistently and deliberately. Listening is one of the most underestimated engagement tools leaders have.

Short surveys, informal conversations and stay interviews (conversations with employees who are still with you) can reveal what keeps people engaged and what might push them away. Listening doesn't mean every issue can be fixed, but it does mean employees feel heard and respected. Across ICMI research and decades of work with contact centers, one pattern is consistent: employees who feel listened to are far more likely to remain engaged, especially during seasons of change.

Engagement Is the Foundation

Employee engagement is the foundation on which effective contact center services are built. Tools will evolve, AI capabilities will expand and customer expectations will continue to rise. But engagement isn't a departmental initiative or a morale program. It’s a leadership responsibility.

Focus on these five musts, and you’ll create an environment where employees don’t just keep up with positive change — they help lead it.