Do call centres promote stress?

Why are call centres reputed hot-houses of stress? 

There is no doubt that abusive customers create a high level of stress.  Frequent exposure to abusive or aggressive customers will very quickly make a psychological impact on call centre workers.  Esteem and morale become damaged and stress levels increase.

Call centres are characterised by the repetitive nature of the work performed.  Repetitive work is not only boring.  It creates physical stress.  Repetitive key strokes and mouse use can cause Repetitive Strain Injury or Occupational Overuse Syndrome.  Long periods sitting at a workstation can cause muscle fatigue and lead to neck and back aches.  Such physical discomfort may not impact on an employee’s mental stress level, but it will certainly not enhance an overall sense of wellbeing.

Call centre managers are gradually realising their obligation to equip staff with better ergonomically designed workstations and equipment.  Training is also necessary to ensure best practice actually occurs.  The devil that undermines much of these gains is the practice of hot-desking.

Unlike office workers who usually have a dedicated workstation, call centre staff often have a different desk from one shift to the next.  Seat height, screen height and angle all need to be adjusted at the beginning of each shift.  Managers and supervisors must ensure these adjustments take place.  Reports indicate that muscle and soft-tissue injuries account for roughly 60% of Australian workplace injuries.  Recognition and good management of ergonomics will reduce physical stress on staff as well as the company’s insurance premiums.

The other major factor that pushes call centres into stress territory is monitoring.  Never in the history of the industrialised workforce have so many variables been scrutinised.  Call centre workers have been quoted as feeling they are “chained to the desk”.  Every element of a call is measured – answer time, talk time, handling time, wrap up time.  Post-call clerical work is measured, available time, unavailable time.  Some call centres even have a specific code for time taken in the bathroom!

The mountain of data produced is compared against corresponding performance targets.  The stress associated with being so closely monitored is then inevitably exacerbated with the call centre manager’s piste de resistance – The Performance Appraisal!

Stressed out workers are hoping like anything they’ve hit their targets for the month or quarter.  Of course, all that monitoring amounts to only one thing in their minds – money.  Targets and appraisals are inextricably linked and most centres today offer financial incentives for above target performance.  Below target performance will result in closer monitoring and higher stress.

However, the monster attributed with creating the most stress for call centre employees is the roster.  Evidence shows shift workers are more likely to feel stressed about their work, resentful over lost family time and experience disruption to their body’s circadian rhythms.

Our bodies are naturally synchronised to daytime activity.  Disturbing the balance in body temperature, hormone production and blood pressure places stress on the body and can lead to significant health problems.  Operations managers can help minimise the physical impact on staff by utilising a rotating roster model.

Many occupations have stressful elements to them.   However, in call centres, workers are handed the complete box and dice.