With the skills requirements in contact centres shifting at a rapid rate, many roles are being redefined and there is a heightened demand for leaders, at every level.
Providing access to training at an early stage is crucial. The contact centre industry, to its credit, has known this for some time. According to this year’s CCMA Benchmark data, the average number of training hours contact centres provide to frontline colleagues is 24,736, up from 17,888 – equating to 70 hours per advisor compared to 69 the previous year.
However, there still remains the need for more leadership-specific training, especially when you consider that this year’s CCMA Benchmark data also highlighted that the team leader to frontline colleague ratio has increased in contact centres, from 11 to 11.6.
A study by the Center for Creative Leadership also reveals that 60% of managers never receive training for their first leadership role. This is despite evidence that highlights that organisations investing in frontline development see measurable improvements in team performance and retention.
The Internal Development Dilemma
So how do contact centres plug this gap and effectively build out their leadership pipeline? For organisations without dedicated learning and development resources, creating a comprehensive leadership programme can feel overwhelming. Harvard Business School research reveals this frustrating cycle: organisations recognise the need for leadership development but lack internal capability to deliver it effectively.
Traditional approaches – generic management courses or relying on on-the-job learning – can often fall short of addressing the specific challenges those in contact centre leadership roles face. This can create a ripple effect where at its worst, team morale, performance and, ultimately, customer experience are all affected.
The answer isn’t always about building something from scratch. Sometimes it’s about finding the right external resource to help ease the burden.
When External Development Programmes Work
When evaluating external leadership development options, look for programmes that understand the unique context of contact centre operations.
Effective solutions should offer industry-specific content addressing real challenges, practical application opportunities with peer learning, structured progression through logical development stages, ongoing support beyond initial training and measurable outcomes that demonstrate a clear return on investment.
The CCMA Futures: Leadership Programme exemplifies this approach, providing immediate access to industry-leading expertise. The programme combines in-person learning with practical application, allowing participants to develop skills while building valuable peer networks.
Participants work through real workplace challenges with experienced facilitators, gaining both practical tools and the confidence to apply them.
This structured approach ensures consistent development outcomes while accommodating diverse backgrounds and experience levels.
Making the Investment Decision
Ultimately, for contact centre, HR or talent leaders facing challenges to boost the leadership pipeline, partnering with established external programmes represents a strategic approach. It allows the provision of meaningful development opportunities without the time, resource and expertise requirements of building a programme internally.
And this investment isn’t just about getting a programme in place quickly – it’s also about creating a contact centre operation that develops the right people in the right way, and that is meeting the demand of the skills revolution currently taking place in the sector.
