Automated Hotlines vs. Live Answering — That is the Question
Welcome to the 21st century and the world of automation.
We see algorithms doing work that would be otherwise be done by hundreds of people. In times when every technology is shifting towards automation, call centers are also part of that disruption.
As you can see on this page and one comparison that we covered before, the value of automated employee hotlines is growing. By providing a centralized phone number which your employees can use exclusively, they will be able to confidentially call in for a variety of reasons and/or concerns.
Some of the most popular hotlines in demand today include:
- Call-off hotlines
- Attendance hotlines
- Whistleblower hotlines
- Employee relations hotlines
- Ethics/compliance hotlines
- Harassment hotlines
At Employee Hotlines, we pride ourselves on assisting business owners and managers tackle some of the biggest modern challenges by automating their employee reporting processes and revolutionizing their business with effective automated employee hotlines.
Feature Comparison: The Difference Between Automated Hotlines and Live Answering?
In terms of live answering, by providing a centralized phone number for your employees that will be exclusively used by them, they will be able to confidentially call in and be redirected to the professional staff of agents, which will confirm the message details while gathering specific information based on the custom script that you choose.
The message details can be securely sent to groups including Managers, Supervisors and HR. In this manner, the message that an employee sends will be visible for everyone without the standard process of reorganizing it.
Independent Employee Hotlines Are Gaining Traction
Workplace misconduct, attendance, ethics, sexual harassment . . .
All of these issues have gained huge visibility. Automated hotlines are one of the most effective solutions to anonymously track this kind of behavior and prevent it from spilling out into the public. And potentially preventing legal activity.
The real benefit of confidential hotlines for ethics concerns is the fact that they give people a chance to take a stand and equip others to make informed and intelligent decisions. A recent article by Harvard Business Review shows the following statement:
“The board should ensure that the company has a well-publicized reporting system, so employees can report (anonymously or confidentially if they choose) ethical and compliance concerns. Using open-ended ethics questions on employee opinion surveys and exit questionnaires can also help the CECO and board monitor the workplace environment.”
This illustrates that by offering trust through anonymity, employees are more likely to use the outlets that are provided to them. In times when there are employee hotlines for many different areas of workplace misconduct, every company can set up an anonymous option for communicating concerns.
Encourage Direct Communication Today: Choose the Best Employee Hotline Solution for You
While in the past, there really hasn’t been an effective process for reporting employee misconduct, but the trend is changing.
Employees nowadays are encouraged to speak confidentially to an unbiased third-party service to bright to light to their concerns. A designated number can make this a reality for them. Information can be gathered and then sent to key decision makers and managers.
All in all, misconduct in the workplace is unacceptable. Even though most executives encourage direct communication, reporting issues can be a real challenge for many employees who don’t want to risk losing their jobs and experience retaliation.
If you are a manager for a medium to large organization, we encourage you to take control of employee communication and set up a confidential employee hotline. By doing this, you can reduce the worry and stress for your employees and enhance a positive corporate culture with increased morale.
