Call Handling with Empathy at Work

The Call Handling with Empathy at Work course helps individuals develop the skills and confidence needed to manage challenging or emotionally distressing conversations with callers.

Delivered by the British Red Cross, this CPD-accredited course focuses on improving communication skills, emotional resilience and empathy when supporting individuals who may be upset, anxious or frustrated.

Handling difficult calls can be demanding and may expose staff or volunteers to strong emotions such as anger, sadness or anxiety. This course provides practical tools to help learners manage these situations effectively while protecting their own wellbeing.

Participants will develop strategies to support distressed callers, de-escalate challenging conversations and build confidence when handling emotionally sensitive interactions.

Who Should Attend?

This course is designed for:

• Customer service teams handling challenging calls

• Support line staff and helpline operators

• Insurance or service professionals dealing with sensitive enquiries

• Volunteers supporting people in emotionally difficult situations

• Anyone responsible for handling difficult conversations over the phone

The course is suitable for organisations that want to improve customer interactions, support staff wellbeing and strengthen communication skills.

What the Course Covers

This course focuses on developing the communication and emotional skills needed to manage difficult calls and support distressed individuals.

Across two learning modules, learners will explore how emotional distress can affect callers, develop strategies for responding with empathy and learn techniques to protect their own wellbeing while managing challenging conversations.

The course helps learners build confidence when handling sensitive interactions and improves the overall experience for both callers and staff.

Course Modules

Dealing with Distressed Callers

This module focuses on recognising distress and responding appropriately during challenging calls.

Topics include:

• recognising signs of distressed callers and their behaviours

• managing difficult conversations using effective communication techniques

• identifying and responding to callers’ needs with empathy

• protecting your own mental wellbeing when handling challenging situations

• developing strategies to support callers experiencing emotional distress

Wellbeing Support

This module explores how to support individuals experiencing emotionally challenging situations while maintaining personal resilience.

Topics include:

• understanding different reactions to difficult situations

• recognising powerful emotions, feelings and ambiguous loss

• using the Red Cross CALMER framework in emotionally challenging situations

• developing effective communication and active listening skills

• identifying the needs of others and responding appropriately

• recognising resources and support strategies

• building resilience and improving wellbeing

Delivery Options

This course is delivered through trainer-led sessions and can be arranged to suit your organisation.

On-site training

The course can be delivered at your workplace anywhere in the UK. This allows teams to learn together and apply discussions directly to their working environment.

In-person sessions include group discussions, practical activities and real-life scenarios designed to help learners develop confidence when managing difficult conversations.

Virtual classroom training

Virtual training is delivered as a live trainer-led session, providing the same course content and discussions as in-person training.

Interactive elements are adapted for online delivery to ensure learners can participate in discussions and exercises.

Virtual training is particularly useful for organisations with teams located across different locations or working remotely.

What to Expect on the Course

Participants can expect a supportive and engaging learning environment where they can develop practical skills for managing challenging conversations.

Training may include:

• group discussions and shared experiences

• interactive exercises and visual learning activities

• scenario-based exercises related to real call-handling situations

• practical techniques for supporting distressed callers and maintaining personal wellbeing

Learners will leave with practical tools that can be applied immediately when managing difficult calls or emotionally sensitive conversations.