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Putting the human back into human resources?

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Putting the human back into human resources?

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Putting the human back into human resources | Mary Schaefer | TEDxWilmington

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Cassandra Williams is the founder of Career Talk With Cassandra, a career coaching brand dedicated to helping women find happiness and success in their careers.

**Key takeaways:**

The primary functions of a human resources (HR) department include recruitment and staffing, training and development, compensation and benefits, employee relations, legal compliance and corporate image.

Individuals who work in HR typically have strong people skills and enjoy helping others succeed.

Common HR jobs include records specialists, human resources assistants, compensation and benefits specialists, recruiting managers and human resources directors.

HR credentials range from a two-year associate degree in HR management to a Master of Science in Human Resources.

Human resources manages the employee life cycle, including recruiting, hiring, onboarding, training, performance management, administering benefits, compensation and firing. Regardless of a company's size, it needs an effective human resources department to manage workforce labor, company policies and ensure legal compliance.

In this article, we explain what human resources is, how an HR department operates, the skills needed to succeed in this area and common human resources jobs.

What is human resources?

Human resources is a department in a workplace that focuses on a company's most important asset-its employees-to ensure they're satisfied, engaged and have all the resources they need to perform as expected.

HR is the department responsible for maintaining a company's personnel, employee relations and workplace culture. This team manages recruiting, hiring, firing, training, skills development, policy implementation, benefits, payroll, government regulation, legal compliance and safety and often moderates and helps resolve conflicts and concerns between employees.

HR professionals help give a company structure and order and foster productivity and organizational success. HR partners with management to address personnel concerns as well as provide support and resources where needed so that managers can focus on running their department operations.

Choosing a career in human resources can be a rewarding experience both personally and professionally. According to Indeed salary data, HR managers earn an average of . For the most up-to-date salary information from Indeed, click on the link provided.

Key functions of human resources

A company's HR department serves many purposes and roles. Whether you're interested in pursuing a role in human resources or you're curious how HR will affect your job search and employment experience, it's important to understand what HR does. Here are some of the most important functions they oversee:

Recruitment and staffing

Human resources plays a significant role in determining a company's staffing needs, recruiting new employees and hiring well-qualified candidates. This responsibility includes critical tasks such as identifying qualifications and requirements for each position, writing job descriptions and placing job postings, evaluating resumes, conducting interviews, completing background checks and working with department managers to select ideal candidates.

The recruiting and hiring process is extremely important because hiring the right people will increase operational efficiency, improve business outcomes and decrease turnover rates.

New hire onboarding

After hiring employees, the human resources department guides new team members through their first days or weeks at the company. This process introduces new team members to the workplace culture and provides access to company resources that will help the employee navigate their employment journey and settle into their new role.

The HR staff is also responsible for developing and executing an onboarding plan to help new hires integrate into the workforce seamlessly and provides them with the information and tools they need to succeed in their roles. This guidance helps employees acclimate to their new position and workplace quickly and easily which benefits both the employees and the organization.

Training and development

Whether an employee is a new hire or a long-time contributor to the company, they need ongoing skill-building and career development opportunities to continue being productive and successful to meet personal and professional goals.

It is the HR department's responsibility to plan and oversee the training needs of employees. Career development courses and training may include education on new technology, employee relations or leadership training for current or prospective supervisors. Training can be one-on-one, through group meetings or via online courses and self-education.

Human resources might also recommend or support employees' professional development by helping them earn a certain higher education degree by developing a tuition assistance or reimbursement program.

Compensation and benefits

HR works with executive leadership to establish the organization's compensation philosophy. HR professionals often conduct market research to determine competitive pay rates and develop the compensation structure. They also work with insurance brokers to select health and welfare benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life insurance and 401(k) for employees. HR also oversees benefits administration including enrollment and processing.

Any questions employees have about their benefits, vacation and personal time or financial incentives should be directed to their human resources representative who is knowledgeable in these packages and programs.

Employee well-being

The human resource department helps support and improve employees' work-life quality as well as the company culture. They create and oversee programs such as daycare, health and wellness initiatives, paid time off and other efforts to keep employees happy, healthy and motivated.

The HR department should also gauge employee satisfaction through focus groups, opinion surveys and regular feedback and use this input to improve the workplace.

A well-run company should show concern for and care about each of its employees. The human resources department helps foster this supportive work environment which helps reduce employee turnover and enhance performance.

Employee relations

Human resources often acts as a mediator between employees and upper management or fellow employees. When employees face an issue at work, they should feel comfortable going to their human resources department for guidance, advice or to document concerns.

This system helps resolve potential workplace conflicts and disputes quickly, smoothly and professionally, as HR professionals are often trained in conflict resolution. If disciplinary action is required, the department will help manage this as well. Human resources also help improve employee engagement and job satisfaction. If a workforce is unionized, the department can also help interface between employers and labor unions.

Performance reviews and promotions

The human resources department facilitates annual or semi-annual performance evaluations for all employees. A performance review process allows managers to check in with employees one-on-one to discuss performance, define performance criteria and measurements, set expectations and goals which align with business objectives and drive employee development while promoting fairness and transparency.

Based on performance, experience and seniority, an employee's manager and human resources might decide to promote an employee or present them with a salary increase. Generally, HR works with senior leadership to set company rules and expectations for promotions and reward top employees for their dedication and commitment to improvements.

Record keeping

Because human resources is responsible for the entire employee database, the department must organize and oversee confidential information such as contracts, wages, job responsibilities, disciplinary measures and performance reviews. Human resources staff must be extremely well-organized, meticulous, discreet and professional and keep information easily accessible at all times.

Legal compliance

The human resources department makes sure their organization adheres to labor, union, and federal and state laws. This helps keep businesses compliant with regulations like fair employment, workplace safety and much more. This responsibility is important because employee complaints of noncompliance or unfair or unsafe work conditions can affect workplace morale, productivity and profits. The HR staff also ensures employees can legally work for their company and handles complaints pertaining to discrimination and harassment.

Corporate image

By educating employees about company values and policies, the human resources department helps protect the company's corporate image and reputation. An effective HR team can also bolster a company's reputation as a top employer to work for which can help attract top talent.

Workplace safety

Human resources departments oversee workplace safety training and record employee injuries or illnesses that occur on the job, as required by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSHA). This act requires companies to provide safe, clean and healthy work conditions for staff, and human resources personnel should be well-versed in this legislation.

Often, human resources sets workplace policies and puts together safety training materials. They must manage employee compensation for safety issues or injuries.

What is a human resources department?

A human resources department can be comprised of a single generalist, an entire team of specialists or an outsourced service, depending on the company's needs. In most cases, full human resources departments are a necessity in larger companies with many employees and complex needs. A smaller company that doesn't need or can't afford a fully staffed, in-house human resources department might employ one generalist or outsource its HR responsibilities to a third-party service.

Types of human resources support

Here are the types of human resources support that companies might partner with:

In-house human resources department

With an in-house department, human resources professionals are on-site and intimately familiar with every aspect of a company's policies and employee relations. Staff can meet with employees in person at any time which helps resolve conflicts and ensures paperwork is processed quickly and efficiently. In-house HR staff also tend to have a more personal connection with employees and their success.

Employees typically feel comfortable approaching a trusted and unbiased in-house HR professional to discuss or settle issues or disputes at work, or talk about benefits and compensation.

Smaller companies may choose to partner with a professional employer organization (PEO) to manage HR needs. A PEO essentially employs the company's workforce, taking legal responsibility for them and overseeing all hiring, firing and compensation processes.

When smaller and even mid-size companies lack the budget or needs for an in-house HR department or manager, outsourcing those functions to PEOs or e-services might make the most sense. Human resources jobs within those organizations vary but require similar skill sets and a desire to improve people's work lives.

By HR definition, a BPO takes care of many company needs, including but not limited to human resources. This type of organization relies heavily on technology to streamline company processes and departments.

Application service providers (ASPs)

An ASP is an e-service-essentially a software program-vendors rent to companies to manage critical HR needs such as benefits, policies, compensation, record-keeping and more. Employees and leadership can access the web program and manage their preferences and complete tasks online, such as enrolling in benefits. Some ASPs also provide consultants that will help train and develop staff and resolve workplace conflicts on an as-needed basis.

Common human resources skills

Individuals who work in HR typically have strong people skills and enjoy helping others succeed. Here are a few of the skills and strengths necessary to excel in a human resources career:

Interpersonal skills: As the mediator in employee relations, it's important that HR professionals have excellent and can address employee concerns tactfully. They must be able to manage and between employees and, in some situations, employers.

Ability to adapt to new technology: Human resources professionals must be and Human Resources Information Software (HRIS) to manage payroll and other HR processes and keep workforce operations running smoothly and efficiently. They might also need to perform data analysis and projections.

Communication skills: Individuals who work in HR need excellent and for phone, email and in-person interactions. Good communication skills also include the ability to to employees' grievances and needs.

Public speaking: Some HR professionals are required to , departments or an entire company. They might speak on topics ranging from benefits packages to company policies.

Organization and project management: HR professionals must be able to and manage a variety of projects. They should have good and be able to prioritize responsibilities.

Discretion: Because HR teams handle many sensitive matters and confidential or private information, these individuals must be discreet to avoid legal and professional repercussions. They must approach tasks such as disciplinary action, employee complaints or disputes with care.

Common human resources jobs

Depending on the size of the company and its workforce needs, it might employ any number of HR professionals, ranging from a single specialist to an entire team of HR experts. Here are some of the most common human resources positions. For the most up-to-date salary information from Indeed, click on the link for each salary below:

Primary duties: Large companies may need an HR professional to manage and update employee files and data ranging from tax documents and compensation to performance reviews. This individual may also be responsible for data entry, tracking and employee leaves of absence, benefits administration and providing administrative support on special projects.

Primary duties: These professionals often hold entry-level positions to support HR managers and are typically responsible for filing, organizing documents and paperwork, updating spreadsheets and other administrative tasks critical to keeping the department efficient and organized. Excellent written and communication skills are the foundation for this job.

Primary duties: Training specialists, also known as staff coordinators, are team members who assess staffing needs as well as train employees and managers. They often oversee development and leadership programs, conduct orientation sessions and perform specific job skill training. Training specialists generally have excellent communication and interpersonal skills and are natural leaders.

Primary duties: These versatile individuals focus on a variety of critical tasks, including employee relations, policy implementation, benefits, recruiting and more.

Primary duties: These specialists handle payroll tasks (such as salaries, incentives and pensions) plus benefits packages (such as medical insurance, retirement options and time off). They are continually evaluating and adjusting benefits to meet employee expectations and drive employee satisfaction. These individuals are skilled in mathematics and data analysis, and they must have a strong understanding of local and federal labor laws.

Primary duties: These individuals handle all duties involved with the hiring process, including writing and posting job descriptions, evaluating resumes, checking references, identifying quality candidates and presenting job offers.

They may also be responsible for representing their company at job fairs. Recruiting managers-also known as hiring managers, recruiters or talent acquisition specialists-should have excellent communication skills, confidence and the ability to evaluate applicants and candidates. These individuals are particularly valuable to fast-growing companies that need to quickly find and hire the right talent.

Primary duties: Human resources professionals in this role work closely with staff to handle their needs and resolve issues. Employees approach these specialists with work-related questions, feedback or complaints, and the employee relations specialist helps find a resolution. These individuals have excellent communication and negotiation skills.

Primary duties: The role of this human resources professional combines communication skills with technology skills to oversee a company's HRIS. HRIS analysts are responsible for HR system performance and maintenance, ensuring security and improving process efficiency.

Primary duties: Companies that only need a small staff to handle their HR needs may rely on a general HR manager or consultant. Professionals in this role oversee all aspects of the department, from benefits and payroll to employee relations, training and legal compliance. These leaders often have an advanced human resources degree or another related business degree.

Human resources job outlook

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs for human resources managers and HR specialists are 9-10% from 2020 to 2030, about as fast as the average for all occupations. The job market is expected to add about 161,700 openings for HR managers each year and 674,800 openings for each year.

Human resources credentials

If you are interested in pursuing a career in HR, some positions require a college degree. Here are some examples of human resources degrees:

Associate degree in human resources management

With this two-year degree, you could apply for an entry-level position such as human resources assistant, generalist, training coordinator, benefits specialist or recruiter.

Bachelor's degree in human resources management

A four-year degree gives you a more thorough education in the HR industry. Training often includes many aspects of business, including accounting, finance, critical thinking, ethics, management theory and communication in addition to standard human resources courses.

Master's degree or Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Earning an advanced degree in human resources can prepare you for corporate leadership roles such as director or executive. Coursework and training at this level often provide you with the business and management skills you can use in any industry or career. You could go for a , or opt for a more general advanced degree like a with a concentration in human resources.

Certifications

You might also benefit from earning certificates from organizations such as the Human Resource Certification Institute, the Society for Human Resource Management or the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. Certification courses allow you to become well-educated in specialized areas such as employee relations or training and development. Some universities may allow you to transfer credits from certificate programs and apply them toward a human resources degree.

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Human Resources: Definition and How It Works

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Cassandra Williams is the founder of Career Talk With Cassandra, a career coaching brand dedicated to helping women find happiness and success in their careers. **Key takeaways:** The primary functions of a human resources (HR) department include recruitment and staffing, training and development, compensation and benefits, employee relations, legal compliance and corporate image.

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Reflecting and Asserting. Finding Confidence in Conflict

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Reflecting and Asserting. Finding Confidence in Conflict

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Finding Confidence in Conflict | Kwame Christian | TEDxDayton

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Being assertive: Reduce stress, communicate better

Assertiveness can help you control stress and anger and improve coping skills. Recognize and learn assertive behavior and communication.
By Mayo Clinic Staff
Being assertive is a core communication skill. Assertiveness can help you express yourself effectively and stand up for your point of view. It can also help you do this while respecting the rights and beliefs of others.

Being assertive can also help boost your self-esteem and earn others' respect. This can help with stress management. It may especially help you reduce stress if you tend to take on too many responsibilities because you have a hard time saying no.

Some people seem to be naturally assertive. But if you're not assertive, you can learn to be.

Why assertive communication makes sense

Because assertiveness is based on mutual respect, it's an effective and diplomatic communication style. Being assertive shows that you respect yourself because you're willing to stand up for your interests and express your thoughts and feelings. It also demonstrates that you're aware of others' rights and willing to work on resolving conflicts.

Of course, it's not just what you say - your message - but also how you say it that's important. Assertive communication is direct and respectful. Being assertive gives you the best chance of successfully delivering your message. If you communicate in a way that's too passive or too aggressive, your message may get lost because people are too busy reacting to your delivery.

Assertive vs. passive behavior

If your style is passive or nonassertive, you may seem to be shy or overly easygoing. You may routinely say things such as "I'll just go with whatever the group decides." You tend to avoid conflict. Why is that a problem? Because the message you're sending is that your thoughts and feelings aren't as important as those of other people. In essence, when you're too passive, you allow others to ignore your wants and needs.

Consider this example: You say yes when a colleague asks you to take over a project, even though you're already busy. The extra work means you'll have to work overtime and miss your daughter's soccer game. Your intention may be to keep the peace. But always saying yes can poison your relationships. And worse, it may cause you internal conflict because your needs and those of your family always come second.

The internal conflict that can be created by passive behavior can lead to:

Stress

Resentment

Seething anger

Feelings of victimization

Desire to exact revenge

Doubting or questioning our own judgment

Assertive vs. aggressive behavior

Now consider the other side. If your style is aggressive, you may come across as a bully who ignores others' needs, feelings and opinions. You may appear self-righteous or superior. Very aggressive people embarrass, intimidate and scare others and may even be physically threatening.

You may think that being aggressive gets you what you want. However, it comes at a cost. Aggression weakens trust and mutual respect. Others may come to resent you, leading them to avoid or oppose you.

Assertive vs. passive-aggressive behavior

Now consider passive-aggressive behavior. If you communicate in a passive-aggressive manner, you may say yes when you want to say no. You may be sarcastic or complain about others behind their backs. Rather than confront an issue directly, you may show your anger and feelings through your actions or negative attitude. You may have developed a passive-aggressive style because you're uncomfortable being direct about your needs and feelings.

What are the drawbacks of a passive-aggressive communication style? Over time, passive-aggressive behavior damages relationships and weakens mutual respect. This makes it difficult for you to get your goals and needs met.

The benefits of being assertive

Being assertive is usually viewed as a healthier communication style. Assertiveness offers many benefits. It helps you keep people from taking advantage of you. It can also help you from acting like a bully to others.

Behaving assertively can help you:

Gain self-confidence and self-esteem

Gain a sense of empowerment

Understand and recognize your feelings

Earn respect from others

Improve communication

Create win-win situations

Improve your decision-making skills

Create honest relationships

Gain more job satisfaction

Learning to be more assertive can also help you effectively express your feelings when communicating with others about issues.

Learning to be more assertive

People develop different styles of communication based on their life experiences. Your style may be so ingrained that you're not even aware of what it is. People tend to stick to the same communication style over time. But if you want to change your communication style, you can learn to communicate in healthier and more effective ways.

Here are some tips to help you become more assertive:

Assess your style. Do you voice your opinions or remain silent? Do you say yes to additional work even when your schedule is full? Are you quick to judge or blame? Do people seem to dread or fear talking to you? Understand your style before you begin making changes.

Use 'I' statements. Using I statements lets others know what you're thinking or feeling without sounding accusatory. For instance, say, "I disagree," rather than, "You're wrong." If you have a request, say, "I would like you to help with this" rather than, "You need to do this." Keep your requests simple, specific and clear.

Practice saying no. If you have a hard time turning down requests, try saying, "No, I can't do that now." Remember that no is a complete sentence and you don't need to explain why you choose to say no. Don't hesitate - be direct. If an explanation is appropriate, keep it brief.

Rehearse what you want to say. If it's challenging to say what you want or think, practice general scenarios you encounter. Say what you want to say out loud. It may help to write it out first, too, so you can practice from a script. Consider role-playing with a friend or colleague and asking for clear feedback.

Use body language. Communication isn't just verbal. Act confident even if you aren't feeling it. Keep an upright posture, but lean forward a bit. Make regular eye contact. Maintain a neutral or positive facial expression. Don't cross your arms or legs. Face the person. Practice assertive body language in front of a mirror or with a friend or colleague. In addition to what you say, your body language and facial expressions are also important.

Keep emotions in check. Conflict is hard for most people. Maybe you get angry or frustrated, or maybe you feel like crying. Although these feelings are typical, they can get in the way of resolving conflict. If you feel too emotional going into a situation, wait a bit if possible. Then work on remaining calm. Breathe slowly. Keep your voice even and firm.

Start small. At first, practice your new skills in situations that are low risk. For instance, try out your assertiveness on a partner or friend before tackling a difficult situation at work. Evaluate yourself afterward and adjust your approach as needed.

When you need help being assertive

Remember, learning to be assertive takes time and practice. If you've spent years silencing yourself, becoming more assertive probably won't happen overnight. Or if anger leads you to be too aggressive, you may need to learn some anger management techniques.

If despite your best efforts you're not making progress toward becoming more assertive, consider formal assertiveness training. And if certain issues such as anger, stress, anxiety or fear are getting in your way, consider talking with a mental health professional. The payoff will be worth it. By becoming more assertive, you can begin to express your true feelings and needs more easily. You may even find that you get more of what you want as a result.

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Show references

1. Seaward BL. Simple assertiveness and healthy boundaries. In: Essentials of Managing Stress. 5th ed. Jones & Bartlett Learning; 2021.

2. Seaward BL. Healthy boundaries: Behavior modification. In: Managing Stress: Skills for Self-Care, Personal Resiliency and Work-Life Balance in a Rapidly Changing World. 10th ed. Jones & Bartlett Learning; 2022.

3. Bourne EJ. Being assertive. In: The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook. 7th ed. New Harbinger Publications; 2020.

4. Olpin M, et al. Social support, relationships, and communication. In: Stress Management for Life. 5th ed. Cengage Learning; 2020.

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Before, we were focused on products, and now we're focused on patients, which has led to a whole line of services that go beyond the pill, and it's taking off in the India business. Now there is a whole group of people constantly thinking about what can we do to make the patient journey better. What can we do with other things to make patients want to work with us. So those kind of things in effect are helping us and having an impact on the strategy.

The other part is that internally, the fact that empathy is being dialed up is helping people work together. The hope is that this thinking and dynamism gets ingrained in people. As we grow in size, we don't get paralyzed by bureaucracy. We'll be agile and build a unique culture. To a certain extent, it helps everybody to think very clearly now.

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In these difficult times, we've made a number of our coronavirus articles free for all readers. To get all of HBR's content delivered to your inbox, sign up for the Daily Alert newsletter.

Most managers are struggling to navigate the impact Covid-19 is having on their organizations, but how the pandemic is affecting different parts of the enterprise varies dramatically from one department to the next. Where finance is grappling with critical questions of cash management, HR is dealing with stark choices about furloughs and layoffs, sales is trying to convince customers to continue to buy even as budgets are drying up, and IT is scrambling to support employees to be productive as they work from home.

One of hardest-hit departments is often customer service. To better understand the impact of this crisis on customer service departments, our team at Tethr (an AI and machine learning venture) recently completed a study of roughly 1 million customer-service calls involving more than 20 companies representing a broad cross-section of industries. All of these calls took place between March 11, when Covid-19 was declared a pandemic by the WHO, and March 26.Our analysis used a proprietary 250-variable algorithm that allowed us to score the effort level of a customer's interaction - ranging from "difficult" to "easy" for the customer to accomplish their goal - as well as the underlying drivers behind those scores.

In short, the analysis paints a troubling picture for customer experience and customer service leaders.

In just two weeks, the average company in our study saw the percentage of calls scored as "difficult" more than double from a typical level of 10% to more than 20%. Issues related to the pandemic - from unexpected travel cancellations to appeals for bill payment extensions and disputes over insurance coverage - dramatically increased the level of customer emotion and anxiety in service calls, making a job that is hard for reps on a normal day far more challenging.

One company in our study saw financial hardship-related calls, among the most difficult for reps to handle, increase 2.5 times in the span of a week.

But the high effort level for customers of these Covid-related calls is only partly a function of customers' anxiety. Another big contributor is the fact that reps - most working from home for the first time - now find themselves without the infrastructure (like a reliable phone connection) or support (peers and managers available to lend a hand) they once enjoyed in the contact center. As a result, they may struggle more than usual to help customers. For instance, we measured a massive uptick in instances of both customers and reps saying, "I can't understand you," and some companies in our study saw hold times balloon by as much as 34 percent and escalations (calls sent up the chain of command) skyrocket more than 68 percent.

Such a dramatic increase in customer effort is bad news for managers as high-effort interactions are far more likely to lead to churn and far less likely to result in any sort of new sale. For one company in our study, difficult interactions had only a 6% chance of resulting in a cross-sell or up-sell, compared with a more than 80% chance that an easy interaction would. And, among customers threatening to defect, those who had had a difficult interaction had less than a 4% chance of accepting the company's "save offer" (a promotion to entice them to stay) as compared to a 20% probability for customers whose interactions were scored as easy.

So, what can companies do to help reps navigate this difficult situation? We've identified three tactics that savvy service leaders are pursuing.

1. Arm reps with techniques that help them reduce customer frustration.

Making an already difficult situation worse, many reps are still shackled by standard customer-service policies (such as rules about extending bill payments) that pre-date the pandemic. Thus they hide behind policy and indicate that they're "powerless to help" far more often than they would under normal circumstances. In fact, in our sample, we found that low-performing reps were 27% more likely to hide behind policy on Covid-19 related calls than their higher-performing peers. So it's critical to update policies to reflect the current reality and reduce opportunities for reps to use outdated policy to avoid solving customers' problems.

Other rep behaviors that increase customer effort include conveying uncertainty, using negative language and thoughtlessly routing customers elsewhere. A "redirect" is when a rep passes the buck - for instance, saying "I suggest you try contacting..." or "I can't help you but maybe they can." Redirects require customers to wait and then explain their problem again, a seeming waste of time. In our study, low-performing reps were 38% more likely to use "redirect" language on Covid-19 related calls than high performers were.

The clear answer to these challenges is to empower reps to make exceptions in order to solve the customer's problem, but changing service organization culture and policies can be a long journey. In the meantime, equipping reps with language techniques to reduce customer effort, even if they can't make exceptions, can lead to better outcomes.

Techniques such as "advocacy" can convey that the rep is on the customer's side. Saying something as simple as "Let's see if we can figure this out together" can make all the difference in whether a customer leaves an interaction frustrated and disloyal or not. In prior research, advocacy language reduced customer effort by as much as 77%.

One home services provider we work with used targeted coaching of reps on advocacy and similar techniques and saw customer frustration and effort abruptly fall. On March 10, more than 40% of their Covid-related calls conveyed customer frustration; by March 23, just 7% did. Similarly, the percentage of calls scored as difficult dropped from more than 20% to 7% in the same period.

2. Prevent managers from reverting to bad coaching behaviors.

Progressive service organizations have long since moved away from the sort of "structured" coaching that once dominated contact centers. Instead of finding an hour a week to review a handful of calls with each rep (which can be seen as punitive by reps and disconnected from their day-to-day work), managers today look to weave their coaching into daily workflow. This "integrated coaching" happens in short bursts - before, immediately after and even during customer calls - and research shows that it can improve team performance by 12%. In fact, the best managers spend more than 75% of their coaching time on this type of coaching.

With reps no longer on the contact center floor, however, managers lack the visibility they once had into their reps' work patterns (who is on a call, who has a free minute to connect, etc.), making it hard to find moments to engage in integrated coaching. The tendency, then, is for managers to revert to bad habits and old behaviors, namely scheduling one-on-one time for each rep once a week and focusing on metrics such as call length rather than behaviors.

The good news is that integrated coaching can be done virtually. A home products manufacturer we work with has made a significant commitment to this type of coaching and was initially concerned that their forced work-from-home environment would scuttle any progress. However, they found that with a few small-but-important adjustments, they were able to prevent managers from reverting to old behaviors. As one leader explained, "We had to make sure our managers were doing more open-ended questioning with their reps to find out how their calls were going - what they were feeling good about and what they were struggling with - and scheduling several mini-check ins across the day with their people using video conferencing to mimic the cadence and structure of integrated coaching sessions."

3. Use collaboration tools to help reps tap into the wisdom of their peers.

We've written previously about the importance of fostering collaboration between reps. Service organizations like T-Mobile's that enable and encourage reps to tap into one another's expertise perform 50% better than organizations that force reps to stick to the script and seek answers only from management.

Creating this sort of "network judgment" climate, however, is difficult under normal circumstances and even harder when reps are no longer sitting side by side in the contact center. Fortunately, modern collaboration tools like instant messaging and Slack can create workspaces for reps to connect in near-real time to get advice and perspective from colleagues.

Managers at one travel-and-leisure company in our study told us that the first thing their reps do at the beginning of their shift is to start up a group chat on the company's collaboration platform. "The traffic on that channel is constant - from the first minute of the shift to the last, reps are peppering one another with questions and offering suggestions." The company's VP of service also reported that reps are quick to correct misinformation if anyone gives incorrect guidance to a peer, helping the company to avoid costly compliance failures.

The Covid-19 pandemic has put service reps, managers and leaders under pressure they've likely never experienced before. But with a focus on the right skills and support from able managers and peers, there's no reason that service organizations can't successfully navigate and even flourish during these trying times.

If our content helps you to contend with coronavirus and other challenges, please consider subscribing to HBR. A subscription purchase is the best way to support the creation of these resources.

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Supporting Customer Service Through the Coronavirus Crisis

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Among the company functions that are hardest-hit by the Covid-19 pandemic is customer service. An AI analysis of more than 1 million customer service calls showed dramatic increases in customer anxiety and frustrations, and reps struggle to effectively respond.

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Today, there are more ways than ever to connect with customers. There’s email, social media, mobile, meetings, focus groups, trade shows. The list goes on. But which ways are the most effective? CIO.com asked dozens of business owners, managers and customer relationship experts to find out. Following are their top 14 recommendations for how to connect with customers–and what makes those methods effective.

Note: The success of a method depends largely, if not entirely, on the business you are in and who or where your customers are. While social media sites–e.g., Facebook, Twitter, YouTube–may work great for some organizations, they may not be the best option for others. Similarly, while some customers may prefer to be contacted via email, others may want or appreciate a phone call or a face-to face meeting.

So before you invest too much money or time in one particular method of customer outreach, ask your customers how they prefer to be contacted or engaged. As for prospective customers, all the experts we queried suggested organizations try multiple forms of outreach and track which one(s) worked best.

1. Survey your customers. “Surveys allow businesses to identify user needs directly,” says Reuben Yonatan, CEO, analyst and editor-in-chief of GetVoIP, which provides guidance and assistance to voice over IP consumers.

“Once customers’ needs are known, companies can steer their offerings towards filling these needs,” he says. “Surveys are also a good tool to bring in prospective customers who are on the fence about a product/service–i.e. surveys can be used as a platform for prospective customers to voice their wants/needs,” Yonatan says

2. Use newsletters. “Send out a newsletter about 10 times per year,” says Stan C. Kimer, president, Total Engagement Consulting by Kimer. “It should have a table of contents up front so people will at least take three seconds to scan it, and the five to six articles should be short (two to three sentences) and include links to useful resources.”

“We segment our [newsletters] according to business verticals and construct targeted content to those verticals,” says Maciej Fita, SEO director, Brandignity, an Internet marketing services company. “Our newsletters are filled with free information,” not lots of advertising, he adds. “It is a good way to stay on people’s radar screens.”

“And don’t forget to integrate social media functionality!” adds Keith Trivitt, director of Marketing and Communications, MediaWhiz, a performance marketing agency. Include “share” buttons for Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest, whichever are relevant. “Not only will you increase the social shares of your content but you’ll give your customers and prospects an easy way to spread your company’s expertise,” he says.

3. Blog. “One of the best ways to connect with customers is by blogging,” says Deborah Sweeney, CEO, MyCorporation.com, an incorporation and trademarking service. “If you actively keep up a quality blog, not only will your customers read your blog, but they will respond to your blog,” she notes. “This creates a positive flow of communication”–and helps build customer loyalty.

4. Pick up the phone. “There’s nothing more direct than picking up the phone to call a customer or client,” states Gil Effron, cofounder, The Growth Team, a coaching and consulting firm. “Whether following up on a delivery, apologizing for something that went amiss, or wondering why you haven’t received an order in a while, there’s no better way to build or strengthen a relationship,” he says. Moreover, “in a world saturated with one-way communication, the phone provides instant feedback.”

5. Go visit. “In a recent study SAS sponsored we asked marketers ‘What are your company’s most effective channels for customer engagement both now and in three years?'” says Jonathan Moran, product marketing manager at SAS, which provides business analytics and business intelligence software. “The top response: ‘face to face,’ from 59 percent of respondents.” That said, when visiting customers, it is critical to listen–and not walk in the door trying to sell them something.

6. Respond to email. “At our company, we make it our goal to respond to customer emails within five minutes, and the response we receive from our customers is usually something like ‘Wow, that was fast’ or ‘Fastest response I’ve ever received. Thanks so much,” says Giancarlo Massaro, the cofounder of ViralSweep, which provides businesses tools to create giveaways on their website. “How has this helped us? People love amazing customer service and in turn have been referring people to our service, all because of our customer service.”

7. Send a personalized note or a postcard. “I love sending personalized cards by snail mail to let customers know I’m thinking of them,” says Kathy DalPra, the owner of Bride Appeal Web Design & SEO.

“Physical mail is so uncommon these days, it’s remembered,” DalPra says. “When customers receive a card from me, they know I’ve put thought and time into it, which translates into feeling valued. And when customers feel valued, they buy and refer their friends.”

8. Be active on Twitter and Facebook. “One of the best ways to connect with customers is through social media, such as Facebook and Twitter,” says Ian Aronovich, cofounder and president, GovernmentAuctions.org, a site that compiles and provides information about government auctions of seized and surplus merchandise from all over the country.

“With social media, you can reach out to your customers at any moment rather than wait for customers to send you emails or phone calls with feedback,” Aronovich says. Use your company’s Facebook fan page or Twitter account to “engage your followers and keep conversations going. Social media can also be used as a form of customer service, where company representatives can directly answer customer questions and concerns,” he says.

“It’s critical to have a social media listening post to quickly respond to each issue that arises,” notes Chuck Wall, founder and CEO, Customer CEO Consulting. “You may not be able to solve their specific problem, but don’t ignore them. They will give you credit for listening and acknowledging their situation.”

Similarly, a great way to connect with customers at trade shows and events is to “participate in any ‘Twitter parties’ using the event hashtag,” says Niquenya Fulbright, the president and CEO of Building Bridges Chicago LLC, a small business consulting and executive coaching firm.

“Tweet quotes from the speakers as well as your own tips and advice–and respond to and engage others who are also tweeting,” Fulbright says. Why is this important–and how can it help you connect with prospective customers? “One, it establishes you as an expert on the subject, and two, it connects you to potential customers who you can follow-up on later.”

9. Use Instagram. “Instagram helps us stay connected and engaged with our customers and fans,” says Julie Pocino, co-owner and director of Communications & Development at Barnabas Clothing Co.

“We can post pictures and information regularly, and post contests and giveaways,” she says. “For our contests and giveaways, we ask our followers to repost and hashtag to enter,” Pocino says. “When our followers tag us, we can then go and comment on their posts too. It has been a great way to interact with our fans, and it allows us to post new pictures and content about our brand frequently.”

10. Offer webinars. “Webinars–seminars delivered over the Internet–are a great way to keep the spice in your customer relationship,” says Marc Gutman, chief meeting officer, Lighthouse Conferencing, the provider of audio, video and Web-based conferencing services. To get customers interested, “invite a well-known speaker in your industry to present on a topic your customers want to hear.”

11. Empower salespeople. “Salespeople can make or break the retail experience,” says Joseph Cecere, president and chief creative officer, Little & Company, a provider of design services. “Empowering them with access to real-time answers and information beyond what the consumer can find online provides value that brings shoppers back to the store again and again,” he says. “Concierge-like services and expert advice create truly personalized experiences, which are the hallmark of the brick-and-mortar experience. In truth, sales associates are underleveraged store assets.”

12. Provide exceptional customer service. “One of the most powerful tools an organization has to connect with its customers is its employee base,” says Rick DeMarco, managing director, West Coast Operations, Inward Strategic Consulting, a marketing, branding and positioning firm.

“Every interaction between a customer and employee, whether that is pre-sale, the actual sales process, after sales support or billing, provides an opportunity to either add or detract from the equity of your brand and company,” DeMarco says. “Significant empirical evidence exists that makes a direct connection between employee engagement and satisfaction and customer satisfaction and loyalty.” So one of the best ways to connect and engage with customers, he says, is to “turn your employees into company ambassadors and brand advocates who deliver on your brand promise and business strategy at every single customer touch point.”

13. Go mobile. “Almost everyone is carrying some kind of mobile device today–92 percent of Americans have a mobile phone,” says Nur Sharina Shariff, cofounder, Mobile Sales Systems. And “the use of SMS/text messages is instant, cost effective and a tried and tested communication medium that every mobile phone user knows about and knows how to use,” she adds.

“In our modern mobile society one can reach with SMS almost anyone at anytime and anywhere in the world within seconds, making text messaging an easy way for a local businesses to connect with their customers,” she says.

“What better way to connect with loyal customers than with a branded app that integrates location technology, allowing automatic, personalized delivery of messages to consumers near stores?” asks Eric Newman, vice president of products and marketing at Digby, a mobile commerce and marketing technology solutions provider. “Location-aware apps open an entirely new channel for customers and brands to personally connect before, during and after a shopping experience.”

14. Monitor review sites. “Whether it’s Yelp, TripAdvisor or Angie’s List, find out what customers are saying about your business [on review sites],” says Lisa Parkin, president of Social Climber, LLC, a social media consultancy.

“Responding to customer reviews on these popular sites shows that your company is aware of any problems and is willing to fix them,” Parkin says. However, she urges caution when replying to negative comments. Instead of being defensive or picking a fight, try to understand and offer to fix the problem or provide an inducement for the customer to try your product, service or establishment again.

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14 Proven Ways to Connect With Customers

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There are many ways to connect with customers, but which ways are the most effective? Business owners and managers as well as customer relationship experts share their tips on how and where to best engage with existing and prospective customers.rn

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Trust in Teams. Which Phase Matters Most?

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Trust in Teams. Which Phase Matters Most?

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Team effectiveness is enhanced by a team's commitment to reflection and on-going evaluation. In addition to evaluating accomplishments in terms of meeting specific goals, for teams to be high-performing it is essential for them to understand their development as a team. Most of us are familiar with the concept of "the terrible twos" in early childhood; understanding that developmental stage makes it easier to accept the constant stream of "No No No No No" that we might hear from a two-year old.

Teams go through stages of development. The most commonly used framework for a team's stages of development was developed in the mid-1960s by Bruce W. Tuckman. Although many authors have written variations and enhancements to Tuckman's work, his descriptions of Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing provide a useful framework for looking at your own team.

Each stage of team development has its own recognizable feelings and behaviors; understanding why things are happening in certain ways on your team can be an important part of the self-evaluation process.

The four stages are a helpful framework for recognizing a team's behavioral patterns; they are most useful as a basis for team conversation, rather than boxing the team into a "diagnosis." And just as human development is not always linear (think of the five-year old child who reverts to thumb-sucking when a new sibling is born), team development is not always a linear process. Having a way to identify and understand causes for changes in the team behaviors can help the team maximize its process and its productivity.

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Team effectiveness is enhanced by a team's commitment to reflection and on-going evaluation. In addition to evaluating accomplishments in terms of meeting specific goals, for teams to be high-performing it is essential for them to understand their development as a team.