People

Keep Your Finger on the Pulse of What Agents Think

A finger touches a ripple of glowing lights

Published On: 21st Oct 2026 08:00

Annual employee engagement surveys can provide valuable insight into how teams are feeling, but a lot can change in the months between them.

The challenge for many leaders therefore is finding simple, meaningful ways to stay connected with their agents on a more regular basis.

That’s why we asked our Reader Panel – featuring representatives from Citizens Advice, Simplyhealth, and Worcester Bosch – for the tips and techniques they’ve tried to keep their finger firmly on the pulse of engagement throughout the year.

Darran Crook senior leader in Customer Service and Customer Experience at Head of and Director level — Darran Crook

Constant feedback is crucial for us. Whether that’s on the plan of the day, a new priority, a challenging customer or a new process, we encourage the team to be as honest as they want (as long as it’s constructive!).

If they have any feedback, good or bad (sometimes it’s bad!), my stance is, if you don’t share with me or raise it, I can’t resolve it.

Read Between the Lines of Your Agents’ Online Messages

As well as structured meetings, we have regular check-ins throughout each day. We work remotely so these are super-important to show the team we’re there and ready to help when needed.

We post a lot of engagement conversations through the day that the team can choose to get involved with in between handling customers, and provide a regular stream of updates on what’s going on, things they need to know, etc…

We use these to gauge how people are feeling and it helps us read between the lines of individuals in the way they respond or engage.

Contributed by: Darran Crook, Customer Director at Connect Fibre

Create More Opportunities for Unscripted and Unplanned Chats

John Pearson, Contact Centre Manager at Citizens Advice Gateshead — John Pearson

For me, it is just about good, organic conversations – those unscripted and unplanned chats that give you that vital insight into the level of engagement and health of your workplace culture.

The value shines through in the little things! We still work as a hybrid organization, so we schedule office days for the teams to mix and mingle and spend a little time with each other.

These give people a chance to engage with colleagues that don’t see each other regularly and hear about the shared challenges and successes that the teams have had.

It’s in these moments where the benefit of those organic conversations that happen just because you stopped by someone’s desk can really pay off. If they are positive and enjoying everything, that’s great to get feedback on.

However, if you can probe within those conversations for the barriers that are causing pain in their day to day – and then take them away and fix them, you are sending a powerful message: that any feedback is great feedback and that your organization takes the time to fix the small things that eventually mount up and impact engagement exponentially.

Contributed by: John Pearson, Head of Advice Services (Non-regulated), Citizens Advice Gateshead

Encourage Two-Way Dialogue and Feedback With Senior Leader Q&A Sessions

We operate in a fully remote environment, so maintaining meaningful engagement beyond surveys is a key priority.

Some of the activities we undertake include:

Open and transparent communication – Regular Town Halls following Senior Leadership Team meetings keep colleagues informed of business priorities, while senior leader Q&A sessions encourage two-way dialogue and feedback.
Wellbeing support – Informal coffee catch-ups and access to Mental Health First Aiders provide colleagues with opportunities to connect, seek support, and feel heard in a safe environment.
Inclusion and employee voice – Colleague networking forums promote diversity, inclusion, and belonging, while our Customer Enablement Listening Group and People & Customer Partner ensure employee and customer feedback is represented in decision-making.

We keep engagement simple, visible, and consistent, focusing on regular conversations, clear communication, and creating opportunities for colleagues to connect and have their voices heard.

Contributed by: Lisa Lewis, Director of Customer Enablement, NHS Professionals

Make a Conscious Effort to Listen Carefully to All Feedback

Paul Cuglietta, Head of Contact, Claims & Operations at Simplyhealth — Paul Cuglietta

I regularly attend team meetings and huddles through informal sessions that I call Coffee and Chats. These sessions have no fixed agenda beyond sharing relevant business updates and creating an open forum for questions and discussion.

Over time, I have found that these conversations help colleagues feel increasingly comfortable and confident in raising questions and concerns that they may previously have been reluctant to voice.

A key objective of these sessions is to create psychological safety by fostering an environment where people feel valued, respected, and able to speak openly.

I make a conscious effort to listen carefully to all feedback, act where possible, and where action cannot be taken, provide honest and transparent explanations.

This approach has been highly effective in building trust, strengthening engagement, and helping me stay closely connected to the experiences and perspectives of our teams.

Use a Bi-Monthly Anonymous Employee Engagement Survey

We use a bi-monthly anonymous employee engagement survey that enables colleagues to rate their level of engagement while also providing qualitative feedback and comments on each question.

This has proved to be an invaluable exercise, as it gives managers and leaders the opportunity to acknowledge feedback, demonstrate that employees have been heard, and respond in a way that encourages further anonymous dialogue.

By creating this two-way communication channel, we foster greater openness and transparency across the organization.

Contributed by: Paul Cuglietta, Customer Services Director, Simplyhealth

Lean Into Continuous Listening Through Structured Team Check-Ins

Susanna Baqué, Former Senior Director Global Customer Experience at SCIEX — Susanna Baqué

Between surveys, we’ve leaned into continuous listening through structured team check-ins, targeted listening sessions, and regular reviews of qualitative feedback.

These lighter-touch mechanisms allow us to stay close to emerging themes without creating survey fatigue, while reinforcing a culture of openness and shared ownership.

Ultimately, sustainable engagement is built in the rhythm of everyday leadership. Surveys provide directional insight, but it is consistent dialogue, transparency, and visible action that turn feedback into trust, and trust into performance.

Contributed by: Susanna Baqué, Former Senior Director Global Customer Experience, SCIEX

Host Quarterly Events for Open Discussion and a Sense of Belonging

Naomi Smith, Contact Centre Manager at Worcester Bosch — Naomi Smith

A key part of our engagement strategy is our quarterly Events Week. During these weeks, advisors attend a full day of activities on-site, creating one of our most valuable opportunities for face-to-face interaction.

As a largely remote workforce, these events play an important role in strengthening relationships, reinforcing company culture, and ensuring colleagues feel connected to both the business and one another.

The sessions combine business updates, recognition, team-building activities, and opportunities for open discussion, helping to create a sense of belonging and shared purpose.

Set Up Weekly “Connect & Chat” Sessions for More Relaxed Conversations

We host weekly “Connect & Chat” sessions via Microsoft Teams. These informal sessions provide team members with dedicated time to come together and have open conversations in a relaxed environment.

Discussions can range from current topics and business updates to hobbies, interests, and personal achievements. The aim is to encourage collaboration, strengthen team relationships, and support colleague wellbeing by creating regular opportunities for social connection and meaningful conversation.

Contributed by: Naomi Smith, Contact Centre Manager, Worcester Bosch

Don’t Just Ask People How They Feel Once a Year – Make Them Part of the Solution All Year Round

Fatemeh Fasihi

Many organizations collect feedback from employees, but not all feedback leads to meaningful change. When agents repeatedly share ideas without seeing results, they may begin to feel that their opinions have little value.

On the other hand, when suggestions are reviewed, implemented, and communicated back to the team, employees develop a stronger sense of ownership and connection to the organization.

I remember one example from our contact centre. During a discussion about an operational process, one of our agents asked a simple question: “Why are we making a phone call at this step when we could send an SMS instead?”

At first, it seemed like a small suggestion. However, after reviewing the process, we realized that using SMS could reduce handling time, lower operational effort, and create a more convenient experience for some customers.

For me, engagement is not just about asking people how they feel once a year. It is about making them part of the solution. When employees see that their ideas can influence processes, tools, and decisions, they feel heard, valued, and genuinely connected to the success of the team.

Contributed by: Fatemeh Fasihi, Contact Centre Supervisor, Snappfood

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What Have You Tried to Feel More Connected to Your Team?

If you are looking for more information on improving your relationship with your team, read these articles next:

Author
Megan Jones

Megan Jones, Editor, Call Centre Helper

Megan interviews inspiring people across the contact centre industry to capture these amazing voices and turn them into best practice articles – covering all elements of what it takes to deliver truly outstanding employee and customer experiences.

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