Call Center Scheduling Featured Article
Municipal Call Centers Struggling to Find Staff During COVID-19 Pandemic
Municipalities all over the U.S. are struggling to keep vital call centers staffed, thanks to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Police and emergency services departments are strained by understaffing and high demand by the public.
In Minocqua, Wisconsin, the police recently announced an initiative to replace three positions in the town’s dispatch center, which is staffed round-the-clock. Current staffing levels call for four full-timers and four part-timers. While all full-time positions are filled, they have only two part-timers on board, with a third person being trained for part-time work, according to local news channel WXPR. Staff vacations and family obligations are straining the call center.
“Something has to change,” Police Chief David Jaeger told the town board recently. The department is considering replacing one of the part-time positions with a full-timer. As with many emergency dispatch centers, the challenge is finding trained individuals to fill the positions.
“We’re not the only agency that’s going through this,” he said about finding qualified personnel.
In Georgia, Chatham County is facing similar problems because of a critical workforce shortage at the 911 center, according to local news source WTOC. The county is telling callers to be patient and stay on the line.
“If you have a critical shift shortage or personnel shortage then that will further tax the resources that are available,” Dianne Pinckney, the center’s director, said. “What we would tell the public is to stay on the line until somebody answers because if you hang up and dial us back, that might be a further delay.”
Chatham has been fighting the staffing shortage for months. The department has 73 communication officer positions; however, one in four is vacant.
“In this industry, there’s a huge turnover rate nationwide,” said Russ Palmer, the center’s deputy director. “We’re not the only that’s faced with a crisis or staffing problem.”
Edited by Maurice Nagle