Give Remote Agents the Career Opportunities They Deserve

Does remote working limit career opportunities? This question has sparked lots of debate in the past year – most notably by Steven Bartlett – with many suggesting that those working from home are at a long-term disadvantage when it comes to promotions, project opportunities, and recognition.

Here, we put this myth to bed! And bring together tried and tested methods from industry experts – Alex McConville, Marco Ndrecaj, Maria McCann, and Nerys Corfield – to showcase just how contact centre leaders can level the playing field and ensure their remote agents still have clear paths for career growth, no matter where they’re working.

Give Agents the Opportunity to Get Involved in Meaningful Business Projects

Agents gain visibility when they are actively involved in meaningful projects – so be mindful that recognition comes from contribution, not just physical presence in an office, and create opportunities for this to happen.

“A key part of giving remote agents visibility is understanding what they are already working on in their lives, so identify and leverage agents’ strengths and interests to benefit both the individual and the organization.

This mindset isn’t just about making sure everyone sees the next team leader posting; it’s about developing everyone’s skills, passions, and side hustles, and bringing those into the business.

Then you can start to match that with your roadmap as a business and boost their opportunities and visibility.” – Maria McCann, Co-Founder of Neos Wave

Create Virtual Social Spaces for Getting to Know Each Other and Celebrating Successes Along the Way (Just as You Would in the Office)

Of course, remote agents DO miss out on the informal “water cooler” moments that naturally happen in offices, which organically help boost their visibility and awareness of other teams and departments.

However, leaders can replicate this through virtual social sessions, giving employees a casual space to connect.

For example, hosting social Teams calls to chat about the weekend, play a little game, or just connect casually. These moments still matter, but they need to be more structured to bring remote workers together.

These efforts should extend to praise and recognition too, using dedicated communication channels to ensure achievements are noticed and celebrated, even asynchronously – including adding a shoutouts channel!

Carefully Select the Projects You Give to Your Fully Remote Workers

Yes, there’s no denying that remote work can unintentionally create a two-tier system, where visibility and career opportunities favour those in the office.

To address this, remote agents need to be given a bit more thought and consideration to align them with opportunities where they have an equal opportunity to excel. This is where proactive development plans and carefully selected projects for fully remote agents can make a big difference in levelling the playing field.

“We put accountability on the team leaders to make sure there is an up-to-date performance development plan in place for everyone – no matter where they work.

We also look at appropriate projects they can lead well in a remote role, and we’re proactive in giving people suitable opportunities to set them up for success.” – Marco Jetmir Ndrecaj, Director of Customer Experience Management at Shared Services Connected Ltd

Make Sure 1-to-1s Go Beyond Metrics and Scorecards

Career visibility for remote agents comes down to clarity around opportunities too. Without proactive guidance, agents may not know what roles or progression paths are available.

“The team leader’s role here should not be overlooked. They should know what their agent wants and put them forward for the right opportunities.

Otherwise, they risk ending up sat there at home thinking “I don’t know what’s out there or what this place can do for me.”

The team leader’s role is central to supporting career progression – wherever their team is working – and 1-to-1 meetings should go beyond metrics and performance reviews to include conversations about aspirations and development to keep up the momentum.” – Nerys Corfield, Director of Injection Consulting Limited

As agents rarely remain in the same role long-term, team leaders need to actively identify and nurture potential for wider business roles too – including into niche roles such as QM or WFM.

But these aren’t always obvious, so it’s down to the team leaders to make sure those pathways are visible and accessible and make sure talented individuals don’t get overlooked simply because they are remote.

For advice on improving your coaching in remote and hybrid environments, read our article: The Secrets to Coaching Remotely

Make Sure All Career Opportunities Are Communicated Digitally and Consistently

Beyond this, rethink how your core communications strategy maintains fairness by ensuring all internal vacancies are digital and universally accessible.

“Remote agents should never be forced to rely on informal updates from office-based colleagues to hear what career opportunities are coming through.

Everything must be digital! Even the smaller opportunities to get involved with a local charity and build up additional skills should go out on a well-maintained digital platform.” – Alex McConville, Contact Centre Consultant and author of ‘Diary of a Call Centre Manager’

After all, relying on individual team leaders to pass on every piece of information, or on ad hoc updates via Slack or Zoom team meetings can inadvertently create inequities in the long run! So, do everything you can to make sure your remote agents don’t miss out!

If you want advice on how to improve your contact centre communication, read our article: The 7 Cs of Effective Communication

It Is Possible for Remote Agents to Have Amazing Careers

Ultimately, combining structured processes, proactive leadership, personal accountability, and clear visibility ensures that remote agents aren’t left behind.

By fostering connection, recognition, and equal access to opportunities, organizations CAN support career growth for all agents – regardless of location.

However, visibility in a remote environment is a shared responsibility. Leaders can only facilitate so far, and agents must also actively participate to maximize on the opportunities being made available to them.

That being said, the long-term impact of remote working on career opportunities is still largely an unknown, and even with proactive support, it may take years to see whether fully remote agents truly advance at the same pace as their office-based colleagues. Watch this space!

What Have You Tried to Support Remote Workers in Their Careers?

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With thanks to the following people for sharing their thoughts for this article:

• Alex McConville, Contact Centre Consultant and author of ‘Diary of a Call Centre Manager’
• Marco Jetmir Ndrecaj, Director of Customer Experience Management at Shared Services Connected Ltd
• Maria McCann, Co-Founder of Neos Wave
• Nerys Corfield, Director of Injection Consulting Limited

For more information to develop career opportunities in your contact centre, read these articles next:

• How to Define Career Paths in Your Contact Centre
• What I’ve Learned – Driving Career Progression
• 10 Career Progression Opportunities to Offer Your Team

Author: Megan Jones