BPO Stree ManagementOB

7/21/2019 BPO Stree ManagementOB

1/32

Introduction On Stress -

Todays age is called The Age of Anxietyand this century is called The Century

of Stress.Today vast majorities of people are in a state of Stress. Their fast-paced lifestyle

demands that they are raring to go always and are always under pressure to perform.

This pressure usually leads to Stress. Stress can be due to various reasons. And Stress in

many cases causes Tension, Depression, Aniety, etc.

A lot of research has been conducted into !stress over the last hundred years. Some

theories about it are now settled and accepted" others are still being researched and debated.

Hans Selyewas one of the founding fathers of research on stress. #e stated in $%&' that

Stress is not necessarily something bad it all deends on ho! !e ta"e it# The stress of

ehilarating, creative successful that of failure, humiliation or infection is detrimental. Since

then, a great deal of further research has been conducted on the subject, and new ideas have

come to light.

Stress is now viewed as a (bad thing(, with a range of harmful biochemical and long-

term effects. These effects have rarely been observed in positive situations. Stress is that

stress is a condition or feeling eperienced when a person perceives that demands exceed

the ersonal and social resources the indi$idual is able to mobili%e# )n short, it is what

we feel when we thin* we have lost control over events. There are very many proven s*ills

that we can use to manage stress. These help us to remain calm and effective in high-pressure

situations, and help us avoid the problems of long term stress.

Stress is something that occurs all the time and affects everyone one way or another at

least some of the time. Stress can be a good thing. )t can be a source of motivation to help get

something done or help one to react +uic*ly to a potentially dangerous situation.

1


2/32

&hat Is Stress'

ST()SS IS TH) *)+A,* +A*) .O, TH) A*A.TI/) CA.ACIT0 O1 +I,*

A,* 2O*0

--- *A/I* 1O,TA,A#

)t isnt easy to find a generally acceptable definition of stress. The word with

different people ta*es different meanings be it professionals, psychologists, doctors,

engineers, management consultants, all use the word in their own distinctive ways.

anagement consultants tal* in terms of organiational challenges, psychologists in terms

of human behaviour and doctors in terms of psychological mechanisms.

The !ord 3stress4 is defined by the Oxford *ictionary as a state of affair

in$ol$ing demand on hysical or mental energy5# A condition or circumstance /not

always adverse0, which can disturb the normal physical and mental health of an

individual. )n medical parlance 1stress1 is defined as a perturbation of the bodys homeostasis.

Stress is the 5!ear and tear5our bodies eperience as we adjust to our continually

changing environment" it has physical and emotional effects on us and can create

positive or negative feelings. As a positive influence, stress can help compel us toaction" it can result in a new awareness and an eciting new perspective. As a negative

influence, it can result in feelings of distrust, rejection, anger, and depression, which in turn

can lead to health problems such as headaches, upset stomach, rashes, insomnia, ulcers, high

blood pressure, heart disease, and stro*e. 2ith the death of a loved one, the birth of a

child, a job promotion, or a new relationship, we eperience stress as we read just

our lives. )n so adjusting to different circumstances, stress will help or hinder us depending

on how we react to it.

Stress is a fact of life. 3ut too much stress can brea* down a person1s physical,

mental, and emotional health. 4lanning can help people to manage stress in their lives. They

must begin to ma*e choices that support their values and develop a personal plan to ta*e

charge of their lives.

2


3/32

Tyes Of Stress -

)ST()SS - 5ustress is a type of short-term stress that provides immediate strength.

5ustress arises at points of increased physical activity, enthusiasm, and creativity. 5ustress

is a positive stress that arises when motivation and inspiration are needed. A gymnast

eperiences eustress before a competition.

*IST()SS - Distress is a negative stress brought about by constant readjustments or

alterations in a routine. Distress creates feelings of discomfort and unfamiliarity.

There are two types of distress.

1. Acute stress is an intense stress that arrives and disappears +uic*ly. Acute stress is the

most common form of stress. )t comes from demands and pressures of the recent past

and anticipated demands and pressures of the near future. Acute stress is thrilling and

eciting in small doses, but too much is ehausting. 3ecause it is short term, acute stress

doesn1t have enough time to do the etensive damage associated with long-term stress.

Acute stress can crop up in anyone1s life, and it is highly treatable and manageable.

2. 6hronic stress is a prolonged stress that eists for wee*s, months, or even years.

Someone who is constantly relocating or changing jobs may eperience distress. 6hronic

stress destroys bodies, minds and lives. )t wrea*s havoc through long-term attrition. )t1s

the stress of poverty, of dysfunctional families, of being trapped in an unhappy marriage

or in a despised job or career

H0.)(ST()SS - #yper stress occurs when an individual is pushed beyond what he or

she can handle. #yper stress results from being overloaded or overwor*ed. 2hen someone

is hyper stressed, even little things can trigger a strong emotional response. A 2all Street

trader is li*ely to eperience hyper stress.

H0.OST()SS - #ypo stress is the opposite of hyper stress. #ypo stress occurs when an

individual is bored or unchallenged. 4eople who eperience hypo stress are often restless

and uninspired. A factory wor*er who performs repetitive tas*s might eperience hypo

stress.

3


4/32

)ffects Of Stress -

The human bodys reaction to stress is natural. )t results from the need to resist a

stressful situation. 7or eample, when a person is nervous, there is an increase in his8her

pulse rate. This is a !fight or flight response. #owever, things can go out of control if too

much stress is present. The person can have a heart attac* or a nervous brea*down. Too much

of stress can tell upon a persons health. )f neglected, it can lead to serious health disorders at

a later stage.

.hysical )ffects 6

- )ncreased heart rate and blood pressure

- Sudden increase or decrease in weight /change in appetite0

- 7re+uent headaches, fatigue, and respiratory 4roblems

- 9ervous wea*ness / biting nails, too much sweating0

- )nsomnia

- :educed immunity to common colds and flu

- ;lcers and wea* digestive system

.sychological Affects 6

- Difficulty in concentrating

- ;nable to spend leisure time productively

- Always anious

- 3ad decision ma*ing

- ood swings

- )ncreased usage of food, cigarettes, alcohol and drugs

- Developing fears and phobias

- 7eeling out of control and confused

4


5/32

Strategies 1or Coing &ith Stress -

After understanding the sources of stress and the effects of stress on individuals, let us

discuss some strategies to fight stress.

Strategies to 1ight Stress

Some of the important strategies for managers to fight stress are prioritiing and

delegating wor*, laughing a lot, eercising regularly, practicing relaation techni+ues,

maintaining a good balanced diet, and having a good nights sleep.

.rioriti%e !or"

ulti-tas*ing is the buword these days. An individual re+uires special s*ills to

perform multiple tas*s simultaneously.


6/32

5ercise is another good stress-buster. )t *eeps an individual physically and mentally

alert. 2hen a person is nervous, tense, or angry, eercise is the best outlet for giving vents to

his8her emotions. :egular eercise lowers blood pressure, lowers pulse rate, boosts blood

circulation in the body, increases artery suppleness, lowers cholesterol, and reduces fatigue

and tension. These benefits help an individual to tac*le the physiological changes that occur

during stress. 5ercise should increase blood circulation to the heart.

(elaxation

The best strategy to reduce stress is to rela. :elaation is not being idle. )t is doing

what one wants to do, rather than what one shoulddo. )t is very important for a person to

schedule some time for relaation. This relaation time should disconnect the person from all

his8her tensions, worries. This is the time when the person rebuilds his8her energy levels.

:elaation techni+ues vary from person to person.

*iet

A good balanced diet plays a vital role in reducing stress. A person tends to neglect diet

when under stress. This may lead to overeating or under-eating. This improper eating results

in a wea* immune system and creates health problems. A well-balanced meal that is eaten on

time is very important to minimie stress.

Slee

Sleep is a weapon. During sleep, a person prepares himself8herself to face another day.

Stress ma*es a person sleepless or very sleepy. A stressed person may feel sleepy throughout

the day and awa*e during nights. -? hours of sleep

per day. Some may need more sleep or some less. After a good nights sleep, a person feels

fresh. An individual must adopt a bedtime routine that induces sleep li*e reading a boo* that

is soothing, and listening to music that is relaing.


7/32

editation is one of the most effective techni+ues in reducing and avoiding stress.

:egular meditation helps in stress reduction. )t

enables one to control the thought process

enables one to ta*e effective decisions

helps in physical and mental relaation

)mproves concentration

editation is a techni+ue to achieve a thoughtless or mindless state. )n this state, a

person has no thoughts. This *ind of state thus acts a stress reliever and a great rejuvenator.

0oga

@oga is another important stress reliever. @oga has been tried and tested since ancient

times. According to 4atanjali aharishi, yoga is the cessation of mind. )t is a state of no-

mind. @oga is not for bodybuilding. )t simply focuses on gentle postures that improve

circulation of blood to vital parts of the body. The increase in blood circulation rejuvenates

the organs and releases stress.

+aintaining !or"-life balance

2or*-life balance means a harmonious balance of wor* and domestic life. )t allows an

employee to fulfill all the roles in his8her life effectively and efficiently. :esearches have

proved that employees are at their best when they are contented and motivated both at wor*

and at home.

Achieving a wor*-life balance is not as easy as it seems. )n the corporate world, change

is constant and imminent. The impact of globaliation has further fuelled these changes. The

corporate world signifies uncertainties, too many responsibilities, and long wor* hours. These

changes in the environment disturb the balance between domestic and wor*-life of

employees. The increasing competition and demands of society further aggravate the

situation. All this adds up to stress.

Imortance of &or"-life balance

7


8/32

The corporate world is realiing the importance of the wor*-life balance. 6ompanies are

realiing the fact that the wor*-life balance of employees has a direct effect on the

productivity of their organiations. 5hibit & eplains the various practices that companies

follow to maintain wor*-life balance.

The imortance of !or"-life balance is due to the follo!ing reasons6

Changing social scene6

)n todays world, maintaining wor*-life balance is the greatest challenge employees

face. 5mployees have realied that their personal lives have an effect on their wor* life.

#ence, they are striving hard to maintain the balance.

Changing work culture6

There is a shift in the organiational wor* culture. Todays wor* culture provides

fleible wor* hours, focus on results, and recognition of achievements. #owever, this has

made the wor*place even more competitive as employees are epected to always give their

best, and this leads to stress.

Increased work time:

2ith globaliation, organiations are wor*ing '& days, BC hours, and > days a wee*

irrespective of time ones. 3usinesses are focusing more and more on customer care. 2ith

the coming of call centers, this focus has doubled. The technology has added to the speed of

wor* but the wor*load remains the same.

Dual income families6

The shift in attitudes, wor* styles, and cultures has disturbed the wor*-life balance.

2or*ing mothers have major responsibilities of managing both home and wor* place. This

ma*es it all the more important for them to balance wor* and life.


9/32

Achieving a wor*-life balance benefits both employers and employees. 2hile the

employers get the benefit of productive and active employees, the employees feel secure and

loyal. )t also improves confidence, concentration, self-esteem, and loyalty among the

employees. The concept of wor*-life balance is still fresh in )ndia. )ndian )T companies are

probably the first ones to provide a fun-wor* environment. Some companies are now

investing in recreational facilities at the wor*site.

Steps to achieve work-life balance:

To build up an awareness of the importance of wor*-life balance in employees,

companies should conduct regular wor*shops and programs on wor*-life balance.

The follo!ing measures ha$e to be ta"en by emloyers6

Discourage employees from wor*ing late

Ta*e a regular employee satisfaction survey that can identify the pitfalls in the wor*

pattern

4rovide vacations and encourage employees to ta*e brea*s

4rovide opportunities li*e wor* from home, flei times

Stress +anagement -

9


10/32

5very one wants stress-free life. @et, stress is ubi+uitous.


11/32


12/32

8ob stress is a conse9uence of t!o "ey ingredients6 a high le$el of :ob demands and

little control o$er one4s !or"#

-.A7 1(OI7A,*#

&or"lace Stress

&or"lace stressis the harmful physical and emotional response that occurs when there is a

poor match between job demands and the capabilities, resources, or needs of the wor*er.

Stress-related disorders encompass a broad array of conditions, including psychological

disorders /e.g., depression, aniety, post-traumatic stress disorder0 and other types of

emotional strain /e.g., dissatisfaction, fatigue, tension, etc.0, maladaptive behaviors /e.g.,

aggression, substance abuse0, and cognitive impairment /e.g., concentration and memory

problems0. )n turn, these conditions may lead to poor wor* performance or even injury. Fob

stress is also associated with various biological reactions that may lead ultimately to

compromised health, such as cardiovascular disease.

Stress is a prevalent and costly problem in today1s wor*place. About one-third of wor*ers

report high levels of stress.


13/32

conditions as the *ey source of job stress, and for job redesign as a primary prevention

strategy.

Signs of &or"lace Stress

ood and sleep disturbances, upset stomach and headache, and disturbed relationships with

family" friends and girlfriends or boyfriends are eamples of stress-related problems. The

effects of job stress on chronic diseases are more difficult to see because chronic diseases

ta*e a long time to develop and can be influenced by many factors other than stress.

9onetheless, evidence is rapidly accumulating to suggest that stress plays an important role in

several types of chronic health problems-especially cardiovascular disease, musculos*eletal

disorders, and psychological disorders.

.re$ention

A combination of organiational change and stress management is often the most useful

approach for preventing stress at wor*.

#ow to 6hange the


14/32

(educe your stress

$. 8ob analysis6 - 2e have all eperienced that appalling sense of having far too much wor*

to do and too little time to do it in. 2e can choose to ignore this, and wor* unreasonably long

hours to stay on top of our wor*load. The ris*s here are that we become ehausted, that we

have so much to do that we do a poor +uality job and that we neglect other areas of our life.

5ach of these can lead to intense stress.

The alternative is to wor* more intelligently, by focusing on the things that are important for

job success and reducing the time we spend on low priority tas*s. Fob Analysis is the first

step in doing this.

The first of the action-oriented s*ills that we loo* at is Fob Analysis. Fob Analysis is a *ey

techni+ue for managing job overload I an important source of stress.

To do an ecellent job, you need to fully understand what is epected of you. 2hile this may

seem obvious, in the hurly-burly of a new, fast-moving, high-pressure role, it is oftentimes

something that is easy to overloo*.

3y understanding the priorities in your job, and what constitutes success within it, you can

focus on these activities and minimie wor* on other tas*s as much as possible. This helps

you get the greatest return from the wor* you do, and *eep your wor*load under control.

Fob Analysis is a useful techni+ue for getting a firm grip on what really is important in your

job so that you are able to perform ecellently. )t helps you to cut through clutter and

distraction to get to the heart of what you need to do.

B. (ational ; ositi$e thin"ing6 -

@ou are thin*ing negatively when you fear the future, put yourself down, criticie yourself

for errors, doubt your abilities, or epect failure. 9egative thin*ing damages confidence,harms performance and paralyes mental s*ills.

;nfortunately, negative thoughts tend to flit into our consciousness, do their damage and flit

bac* out again, with their significance having barely been noticed. Since we barely realie

that they were there, we do not challenge them properly, which means that they can be

completely incorrect and wrong.

Thought Awareness is the process by which you observe your thoughts and become aware of

what is going through your head.

14


15/32


16/32

#ave you planned, prepared and rehearsed enoughK )f you have done all of these,

you1ve done as much as you can to give a good performance.

&orries about erformance during rehearsal6)f some of your practice was less

than perfect, then remind yourself that the purpose of the practice is to identify areas

for improvement, so that these can be sorted out before the performance.

.roblems !ith issues outside your control6 #ave you identified the ris*s of these

things happening, and have you ta*en steps to reduce the li*elihood of them

happening or their impact if they doK 2hat will you do if they occurK And what do

you need others to do for youK

&orry about other eole


17/32

&orries about erformance6() have prepared well and rehearsed thoroughly. ) am

well positioned to give an ecellent performance.(

.roblems issues outside your control6() have thought through everything that might

reasonably happen and have planned how ) can handle all li*ely contingencies. ) am

very well placed to react fleibly to events.(

&orry about other eole


18/32

The Call Center Industry -

There has been some dispute amongst researchers as to whether it is appropriate to

refer to such a thing as the call center industryE. As 3ain and Taylor point out, despite

similarities in the integration of computer and telephone technologies, centers differ in

relation to a number of important variablesLsie, industrial sector and mar*et, compleity

and length of call cycle time, nature of operations /inbound, outbound or combined0, the

nature and effectiveness of representative institutions including trade unions, and

management styles and prioritiesE. To this list of variables, 6allaghan and Thompson would

add the degree of product compleity and variability and the depth of *nowledge re+uired to

deal with the service interactionE. 3ain and Taylor argue that it is more appropriate to use the

term sectorE, as call 6enters are found across a wide range of industries and may be similar

primarily in terms of their core technologies. They do note, however, that there is a

professional literature and a collective identity that is maintained and developed through

conferences and forums. 3elt, :ichardson and 2ebster /BMMM0 agree that call centers are not

an 1industry1 as the term is generally defined, but rather represent certain ways of delivering

various services using the telephone and computer technologies across traditional industry

boundaries. #owever, these authors provide three strong reasons defending the practice ofreferring to call centers as an industryJ

7irst, the call center community often defines itself as an industry, with numerous

national and international call center conferences and wor*shops ta*ing place each year,

industry journals and call center forums organied at local levels.

Second, the labor force re+uirements of call centers are often the same across sectors.

This means that many, though not all, call centers share a common labor pool.

Third, the organiational templates and technologies used tend to be very similar, regardless

of the sector.

To this one might add the remar*able similarities that international researchers have

found between technologies used, wor* practices and *ey issues including monitoring,

control, training, and labor demographics for wor*ers in countries as diverse as Germany,

Fapan, Australia, Greece, 6anada, the ;S, the ;N and the 9etherlands.

18


19/32

Issues In Call-Center Industry -

7or many employed in call center sector, daily eperience is of repetitive, intensive

and stressful wor*, based upon Taylorist principles, which fre+uently results in employee

burnoutE. 3rown characteries wor* as repetitive brain strainE. These descriptions are

hardly surprising, in a way, given that call centers are established by organiations to create

an environment in which wor* can be standardied to create relatively uniform and

repetitious activities so as to achieve economies of scale and consistent +uality of customer

serviceE. )n other words, that wor*places are organied in ways that wea*en employee

autonomy and enhance potential for management control, and a loss of control is generally

understood to be an important indicator of wor*-related stressE.

There is almost universal consensus that call center wor* is stressful. 5ven in studies

that report the observation that some staff actually enjoys their wor*, mention of stress is still

the norm, and a significant portion of the call center literature is devoted to detailing the

sources of stress in call center wor*.

1our =ey Stressors

- 3Can !e get off the hone for a !hile'4

The primary source of stress reported is inherent to the nature of the jobJ spending all

day on the phone dealing with people one after another, day after day, is difficult. Doing it

under constant pressure to *eep call volumes up, with no time between calls to recover from

an aw*ward call or from !customer rejectionE is even more difficult. And doing it with very

little authority or autonomy to rectify problemsE that arise is perhaps the most difficult of all.

any studies report agents as wanting to !just get off the phones.

>uality?>uantity Conflict

Typically, organiational rhetoric in inbound call centers is concerned with !customer

care, or !*eeping customers happy /providing +uality service0, yet these goals are

jutaposed with an ongoing pressure to *eep call times down and call volumes up. 6all

centers are rooted in contradictory tensions and structural paradoes, and confront a number

of trades-offs on that basis. These set a contet for attitudes towards the organiation and can

impose conflicting role re+uirements on agents.

19


20/32

Intensity

The third central stressor in call center wor* is its intensity. As 3ain /BMM$0 argues,

far from being either in terminal decline or on the wane, TaylorismLin conjunction with a

range of other control mechanismsLis not only alive, well and deeply embedded in the call

center labour process, but its malevolent influence appears to be spreading to previously

uncharted territoryE. There is widespread consensus that call centers are a new, and

particularly effective, manifestation of the increasingly capital intensive !industrialiation of

service sector wor*, and wor* performed in them is highly intensive and routineE.

Targets

There is a fourth feature of some call center wor* that may engender stressJ

performance targets. There are various types of targets, which may vary between inbound and

outbound centers. )nbound centers typically have targets for call duration, !wrap time, and

daily call volume.


21/32

2or*ing long and odd hours without any sleep, and eating food supplied by eternal

caterers everyday, has led to C$.%O of the respondents suffering from digestive problems.

5specially for the large number of girls wor*ing in the industry, the problem is even more

severe. any call centers are now ta*ing additional care to ensure their caterers supply

hygienic food" besides stipulating strict conditions to maintain the +uality of the food they

serve.

*eression

)n last year1s survey, this was not among the top disorders, but this year it has climbed

up the chart, affecting nearly one-fourth of the respondents. 9ot surprising, since, as the

industry matures, the initial glit and glamour wears away and the real problems come to the

fore. 9ot only are there several health related issues, but, on top of that, the gradual

realiation that there is limited scope in developing a career owing to fewer growth

opportunities is increasing the frustration levels. 6oupled with growing mental fatigue and

increasingly punishing physical environments, depression is the obvious end result. Some call

centers have now devised different stress management programs mainly to counter

depression. Severe Stomach :elated 4roblems6ontinuing digestive problems lead to severe

stomach disorders li*e gastroenteritis, as endorsed by more than BCO of the respondents.

5ven doctors in major cities agree-in recent times many of the patients with various stomach

ailments are from call centers.

)yesight .roblems

Globally call center industry employees are considered a high-ris* group for eye-

related problems. 2hile the +uality of monitors might impact these disorders, sitting

continually without ade+uate brea*s seems to be the truer reason. The number of people

affected seems to be on the rise-last year only $%O complained" this year it has gone up to

BO. At some point of time, this problem might also afflict the )T services industry, but for

the call center industry, no remedy seems to be in sight.

)ar .roblems

21


22/32

ore than $'O of the respondents inform that they have hearing problems. Again, no

surprises here, since a call center job involves ta*ing calls throughout the shift, sitting with

headphones. 2hile +uality of headphones does ma*e a difference, it would not be correct to

completely wish the problem away by thin*ing that changing headphones will solve it.

Some other Human Issues in Call-Centers !hich need Immediate Attention .ersonal

habits6

The young eecutives are getting more than five figure salaries per month in an early

age. They tend to develop certain bad habits such as alcohol, smo*ing etc. )t is not easy to

identify such individuals. )t is also very sensitive to tal* to them. The professional counselors

can conduct group-counseling, wor*shops, educative film shows in order to create awareness

on effects of bad habits. Such actions will enable individuals to realie the importance of

good habits and they could see* one to one 6ounseling sessions to solve their problems.

*isciline and beha$ioral issues

6all centers provide ecellent wor*ing environment, free food and transportation.

There is always a situation where individual or group of youngsters tend to commit mista*esand abuse the freedom. They start behaving li*e in college campus where they have more

freedom. #owever, the call center eecutives have more responsibility and accountability,

they need to follow discipline and do well in the job. The most common behavior is misuse of

food, behave erratically in vans, and smo*e in public places, misuse of telephones and other

resources of the company. The supervisors always concentrate on performance and achieving

targets. They do not have time or interest to go deep into these matters and find out the

reasons for such behavior.

Inter-ersonal relationshi and friendshi

5ecutives develop friendship +uic*ly and sometime the friendship brea*s and there

will be misunderstanding among the team members and naturally affects the team

performance. The supervisors and counselors can play a major role to sort out the

interpersonal relationship and develop team spirit. #ealthy relationship among the team

members has always helped the team to out perform. 2hen the relationship fails the

individuals will also brea* down mentally. They either absent for duties or fall ill or the

22


23/32

performance will come down. )t is also true that due to misunderstanding and brea* in

friendship they change jobs +uic*ly.

7o$e affair and marriages

7ew of the boys and girls fall in love +uic*ly. They maintain the healthy relationship,

behave in a matured manner, plan the future course of action and such persons have got

married with the consent of their parents. They wor* together in the same organiation for

longer duration. There are instances, where lovers fall apart, start disli*ing, creating troubles

to each other and vitiating the atmosphere. They are immature, ta*e instant decisions to brea*

or unite and sometimes go to an etent of damaging others reputation.

Absenteeism

Absenteeism is very high in calls centers. 5mployees tend to be very irregular to the

duty due to various reasons. 4rofessional counseling services to such irregular employees on

one to one basis will help to bring down absenteeism. 6ounselor can educate and eplain the

importance of attending duties to earn salary and also to meet organiational goals. 5ach

individual are uni+ue and the problem they face are also different in nature.

Higher education and art time :obs

)t is possible to do higher education while wor*ing in 34< units. 7ew organiations

encourage and offer support services to pursue higher education. #owever, time management

by the eecutives is crucial to go forward in education as well as to maintain performance and

career growth. 4rogrammes on time management, tips to study, tips to *eep fit and such other

programmes can be offered. These steps would help to see* the loyalty of employees to

organiations and helps greatly for retention of employees.


24/32

;nderstanding that the StressE is a major concern for all 6all-6enter 5mployees, it is

a duty of #:-heads of 6all-6enters to address it properly.

Some of the common signs and symtoms of stress

Although we all eperience stress in different ways, there are certain signs that are

most fre+uently reported. These signs fall into two major categories" physical8behavioral

signs and emotional signs. )f we become aware of our own stress symptoms, we will be more

effective in dealing with them sooner rather than later. 2hat follows is a list of some of the

most eperienced symptoms of stress.

The physical8behavioral symptoms include" muscular tension, muscle spasms and tics,

rapid heart beat, shortness of breath and high blood pressure, cold hands and feet, bac*aches,

headaches and nec* aches, stomach problems, indigestion, irritable bowel and ulcers, feeling

fatigued, irritable, decreased ability to concentrate, insomnia and changes in eating behavior.

Since these physical symptoms may be related to physical problems, you should consult with

your medical doctor before you assume that your symptoms are purely stress-related.

The emotional symptoms include" aniety in a variety of situations not limited to the

stressful situation, depression, hopelessness and a strong urge to cry without specific incident,withdrawal from social interactions and avoidance of previously enjoyed activities,

powerlessness and decreased self esteem, hostility, anger and resentment, fears, phobias and

unwanted thoughts.

=earning to become more aware of your own stress symptoms is the first major step

in the stress management and healing process. )t is often helpful to monitor your daily

symptoms in a stress diary where you match the stressful events with the symptom

eperienced. 7or eample" you made find that if you are stuc* in early morning traffic you

may eperience irritability and headaches. )n this case it will be important to use these

symptoms as a cue that you have to begin managing that stress more effectively when it

happens.

+anaging Stress -

24


25/32

Since stress is an inevitable fact of life that we cant always prevent, our efforts need

to be focused on coping with stress more effectively. 2hat follows is a description of a three

pronged approach to stress management which includes behavioral8practical techni+ues,

relaation techni+ues and cognitive8thin*ing techni+ues.

The behavioral8practical approaches to stress management include eercise and eating

a healthy, balanced diet, which includes selections from the basic food groups. )n addition, it

is recommended that one avoid the ecessive use of alcohol, caffeine and sugar, which

contribute to fatigue and vulnerability to mood swings. )t is also important to allow the body

to rest and replenish to help inoculate the body against future stress. 3uilding this stress

resistance also includes scheduling time for leisure and pleasure, which provides for a more

balanced, fulfilling life. Anticipating and preparing for recurrent stressors by managing time,

setting priorities and limits, delegating responsibility, and not procrastinating are helpful

stress reducing strategies. These techni+ues are effective stress management tools because

their utiliationis within our control.

The relaation approaches to stress management include a variety of techni+ues

designed to help you effectively manage the body8mind tension. 4rogressive muscle

relaation is an active form of relaation where you individually contract the major muscle

groups of your body for about five seconds and then you rela the individual muscle groups

for a five second holds. The contrast eperienced by this eercise relieves muscle tension and

relaes the body. Some of the more passive relaation approaches include listening to music,

reading and using saunas and hot tubs to relieve tension. Techni+ues used to rela the mind

include meditation and visual imagery. editation teaches you how to clear the mind of

stressful and distracting thoughts by focusing the mental energy on positive coping thoughts.

Hisual imagery is designed to help the individual visualie him8herself coping effectively

with a stressor that was previously eperienced as overwhelming. The behavioral and

relaation approaches described above are necessary but not sufficient conditions for stress

management. The third prong to stress management, the cognitive or thin*ing approach, is

essential to effective coping with stress.

The cognitive or thin*ing approaches are an integral part of coping effectively with

stress and now the primary focus of many stress management programs. Since it has been

determined that we can turn off the stress response by changing our threatening8dangerous

25


26/32

event appraisals to appraisals that help us view these events as manageable challenges, we

have a direct lin* to controlling the stress response. The first step in the cognitive approach is

to identify our thoughts or internal dialog that is negative, perfectionist, blac* and white, rigid

and demanding. )n other words, you are more li*ely to eperience stress if you believe that

you, the world and other people (should or must( behave in a manner consistent with your

demands and standards. 7or eample, you are li*ely to eperience stress if you believe that

the world and your life should be stress free and that you do not have the resources to handle

stress if it does occur. )n addition, demands of perfection on yourself and on others important

to you, increases the chance of feeling stressed since these epectations are unrealistic and

rigid. After identifying your stress producing thoughts you are then able to move onto the

second step in the cognitive approach" recogniing the conse+uences of this negative, rigid

dialog.

The motivation to change the stress-producing dialog comes from the determination

that there are serious conse+uences that result form these negative, rigid thoughts. 2hen you

tal* to yourself in a defeated, pessimistic or rigid way, you deny your ability to cope and are

not li*ely to manage situations effectively or meet goals you set. )n addition, perfectionist

demands are eperienced as appropriately unrealistic and contribute to a (why bother(

attitude. This attitude reduces the li*elihood that you will address these demands since it is arealistic fact that no one or nothing is ever perfect.


27/32

Stress in the 6all 6enter will affect the agent, manager, director, or anyone in the call center

when they let stress gain control. 2hen this happens, they lose self control and have the

feeling of being overwhelmed. The first step in gaining control is and identifying what the

stressors are and understanding the causes and effects. Stress is caused by many things. Time

pressures, high epectations, lac* of communication, high call volume, ineperience, ill-

prepared, to name a few. The effects are decreased productivity, aniety, low morale, poor

customer service levels, and increased turnover. 2hen faced with these stressors, training is

the tool to resolve the issues. @ou must go to your training programs and processes and as*

yourself if the training you are providing the call center employees delivers the tools re+uired

for them to accomplish their goals without the negative stress. Approach dealing with the

stress in the 6all 6enter with assertiveness and confidence.


28/32

Another symptom of high volume is poor attendance8retention - if you consistently

don1t have the reps that you planned for, then you might as well stay home too. )ssues li*e

these are harder to address because the root causes are never the same. @ou have to go the

employees and find out why they are not coming to wor* or why they are leaving you.


29/32

Agents handle an average of $$M calls a day, and ?M percent of the calls that come in

have some level of emotion. ;sually a caller is calling in because they1re frustrated, angry,

upset, concernedLsomething has happened and they1re not happy.

Therefore, it is crucial that agents and especially the call center manager note these

occurrences and become better prepared and informed on handling them for the sa*e of their

wor*ers and their callers. )n these situations the tas* should become how to handle this type

of emotional call rather than instantly labeling it (abusive( and not acceptable.

8ob rotation

2e instituted job sharing8intern program in our call center. 6srs who meet or eceed

job epectations are eligible to do a rotation for three months in other groups. 6srs wor* half

a day on the phones, the other half in the correspondence dept, or in the research dept, wor*

force management, or +uality assurance. This brea*s up their day, teaches them new s*ills, P

provides us with a pool of trained staff whenever we need it. #ave a job rotation program that

alternate telephone staff to do administrative tas*s to brea* up the day to day grind.

Sorts acti$ities

)n our call center, what we followed recently is that we organised a sports wee* where

we as*ed the agents and their supervisours to organise and also ta*e part in the same. This

has brought a change in their wor*ing performance as far as we can see. ) personally feel that

you should organise something that will allow the agents change their daily routine and do

something routine.

2udget for acti$ities

)f employee turnover is a major problem, you may want to budget money for

employee activities 8 incentives. ) have a activity commitee that plans birthday decorating,

holiday potluc*s, contests, etc. )nvolve the staff to join and participate in the commitee.

&ee"ly emloyee focus grou

29


30/32

Any employee can come to a wee*ly or bi wee*ly focus group with the call center

manager and human resource manager. Questions from the employees are posted publicly

and the date that the issues were addressed.


31/32

2I27OB(A.H0

o www.mindtool.com

31


32/32

o

Documents

BPO Stree ManagementOB