We all know that happy agents do their best work. When agents feel secure in their workplace, supported in their growth, and empowered in their roles, they deliver better customer experiences. That part is easy to agree on. The harder question is how to actually create that environment in a way that is more than just opinion or management philosophy.
Fortunately, there is research to guide us. The report Making Call Center Jobs Better, published for the Communications Workers of America, analyzed survey data from more than 2,000 agents. Its findings highlight what really moves the needle on stress, satisfaction, and performance. The ideas shared here are drawn from that report and reflect evidence-based research, not personal speculation.
1. Give Agents More Autonomy
The study found that stress was significantly lower when agents had more discretion in their calls. Rigid scripts and inflexible rules increased burnout, while giving agents room to problem-solve and use their judgment improved both satisfaction and performance. For remote teams, this means trusting agents with decision-making power in areas like resolving billing issues or adjusting policies within clear guardrails. Autonomy helps them feel respected and capable.
2. Invest in Ongoing Training that Works for Remote Teams
One of the strongest predictors of lower stress was high-quality training. Agents who felt prepared for customer interactions were less anxious and more effective. While the research highlighted in-person training as particularly effective, most contact centers today are remote or hybrid. That means rethinking delivery, not abandoning the principle. Interactive virtual workshops, role-playing scenarios in video sessions, and well-designed microlearning modules can provide the same sense of preparation and confidence that in-person training once did. The key is to keep training practical, frequent, and connected to real challenges agents face.
3. Use Monitoring to Coach, Not Punish
Monitoring is a reality in every contact center, but how it is used makes all the difference. Agents reported much higher stress when monitoring data was used primarily for discipline. When it was used as a coaching tool, paired with constructive feedback, stress levels dropped and job satisfaction improved. Remote environments make this even more important. Supervisors should treat monitoring as a way to spot growth opportunities, celebrate wins, and provide individualized support, rather than a mechanism to enforce compliance.
At the end of the day, the evidence is clear. Agents do their best work when they are trusted with autonomy, supported with meaningful training, and guided through coaching rather than punishment. For contact centers that want to improve the customer experience, focusing on these evidence-based practices—sourced directly from the Making Call Center Jobs Better report—is one of the most reliable paths forward.