VALDOSTA STATE MAGAZINE 51 IMPACT The problem is that the 650-person call center loses an average of 110 employees every month. “In a call center, especially an outbound call center, high turnover is common, but I don’t buy that just because people say that,” said Damon Sefa, director of the call center. “So I’m trying to figure out what we need to do to embrace and engage our employees so they stay and see us as a long-term career.” Sefa has already introduced many measures in an attempt to curb the turnover, including Lunch with Leaders, employee engagement workshops, award pins, and thank-you cards, just to name a few. However, the turnover problem persists. “I don’t want to lose anybody,” Sefa said. “I know some turnover is good, but it’s expensive to hire, so I need to figure out what we are missing to where maybe I only lose 80 people a month, or 50 people a month, or 20 people a month.” Through Andrea Schruijer, executive director of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Development Authority, Sefa was connected to Darrell Moore and the Center for South Georgia Regional Impact at Valdosta State University. Moore, backed by VSU’s strong commitment to serving as a resource for industries in South Georgia and supporting the region’s economic growth, assembled several professors to tackle the turnover issue — Dr. Keith Waugh, head of the Department of Adult and Career Education; Dr. Jeremy Bauer and Dr. Christopher Downing, assistant professors of psychology; and Dr. Jonathan Krispin and Dr. Marko Horn, assistant professors of management. Waugh, Bauer, Downing, Krispin, and Horn proposed something that had never been done in Sefa’s 11 years as director — an all- employee survey. Because of company politics Dr. Lai Orenduff It’s great to have community partners that are trying to help us solve one of our problems. — DAMON SEFA “ “