Contact centre staff develop new skills with singing classes

Firstsource are using voice coaching techniques to develop their agents’ work-based skills.

The company brought in Sing and Inspire, which specialises in motivating people to make a difference in how they feel, communicate and behave through harnessing the power of their voices. They use voice coaching techniques and team-building exercises to develop work-based skills, as well as encourage the staff to form an outgoing choir.

It’s not a traditional choir but the group follows a format similar to that of the singing group in the hit television show Glee. Performing modern songs such as Jessie J’s ‘Price Tag’, Emeli Sande’s ‘Heaven’ and Queen’s ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’, the group is made up of staff from all levels and departments throughout the Firstsource Cardiff contact centre and currently has a waiting list of employees wanting to take part.

“We’ve noticed real benefits since the singing sessions started five months ago, including decreased stress, improved team-working, increased productivity and morale, reduced sickness, all of which are beneficial for general wellbeing – as well as our business,” said Kathryn Chivers, General Manager, at Firstsource Solutions Cardiff.

“There is such a great atmosphere and such enjoyment from these sessions that people go back to work really beaming from ear to ear, upbeat and energised and it is infectious with those working around them. We’ve even had people coming in on their days off to get the practice in.”