1

1. THE CALL CENTER INDUSTRY: A PREVIEW

Carrying out transactions over the telephone has a long history, beginning with operator services and later, reservations lines, particularly for airlines. But in the last 15 to 20 years, the introduction of information technologies and telecommunications advances has expanded the types of work it is possible to undertake, while reducing costs. Concurrently, ideas of service and service relationships continue to be redefined as technology becomes increasingly ubiquitous, rendering the public more receptive to mediated service interactions. There are a variety of factors, which have led to the increase of telephone services, including the transformation of telephony by the development of digital exchanges, intelligent telephone networks and their integration with computer data bases; falling telephony costs and the introduction of toll-free numbers; the high degree of penetration and familiarity of telephone technology; and the ability to communicate complex information by phone in real time. In addition to technological progress and social advantages, another likely reason for the burgeoning of the call center industry in the early 1990s was a significant period of retrenchment in a number of business sectors, including a drive towards reducing costs and cutting staffboth of which can be accomplished by centralizing services, reducing branch offices close to the customer, and taking advantage of lower cost real estate and labor costs in locations outside main business centers. Call centers, of course, permit all of these activities.

Since the onset of globalization in India during the early 1990s, successive Indian governments have pursued programs of economic reform committed to liberalization and privatization. Till 1994, the Indian telecom sector was under direct governmental control and the state owned units enjoyed a monopoly in the market. In 1994, the government announced a policy under which the sector was liberalized and private participation was encouraged. The New Telecom Policy of 1999 brought in further changes with the introduction of IP telephony and ended the state monopoly on international calling facilities. This brought about a drastic reduction and this heralded the golden era for the ITES/BPO industry and ushered in a slew of inbound/outbound call centers and data processing centers. Although the IT industry in India has existed since the early 1980s, it was the early and mid 1990s that saw the emergence of outsourcing. One of the first outsourced services was medical transcription, but outsourcing of business processes like data processing, billing, and customer support began towards the end of the 1990s when MNCs established wholly owned subsidiaries which catered to the process off-shoring requirements of their parent companies. Some of the earliest players in the Indian market were American Express, GE Capital and British Airways. The ITES or BPO industry is a young and nascent sector in India and has been in existence for a little more than five years. Despite its recent arrival on the Indian scene, the industry has grown phenomenally and has now become a very important part of the export-oriented IT software and services environment. It initially began as an activity confined to multinational companies, but today it has developed into a broad based business platform backed by leading Indian IT software and services organizations and other third party service providers. The ITES/BPO market expanded its base with the entry of Indian IT companies and the ITES market of the present day is characterized by the existence of these IT giants who are able to leverage their broad skill-sets and global clientele to offer a wide spectrum of services. The spectrum of services offered by Indian companies has evolved substantially from its humble beginnings.

Today, Indian companies are offering a variety of outsourced services ranging from customer care, transcription, billing services and database marketing, to Web sales/marketing, accounting, tax processing, transaction document management, telesales/telemarketing, HR hiring and biotech research. Looking at the success of India's IT/software industry, the central government identified ITES/BPO as a key contributor to economic growth prioritized the attraction of FDI in this segment by establishing 'Software Technology Parks' and 'Export Enterprise Zones'. Benefits like tax-holidays generally enjoyed by the software industry were also made available to the ITES/BPO sector. The National Telecom Policy (NTP) introduced in 1999 and the deregulation of the telecom industry opened up national, long distance, and international connectivity to competition. The governments of various states also provide assistance to companies to overcome the recruitment, retention, and training challenges in order to attract investments to their region. The National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) have created platforms for the dissemination of knowledge and research in the industry through its survey and conferences. NASSCOM acts as an 'advisor, consultant and coordinating body' for the ITES/BPO industry and liaisons between the central and state government committees and the industry. The ardent advocacy of the ITES/BPO industry has led to the inclusion of call centers in the 'Business Auxiliary Services' segment, thereby ensuring exemption from service tax under the Finance Bill of 2003. These measures have led to a steady inflow of investments by large foreign companies such as Reuters, for establishing large captive ITES/BPO facilities across India. Moreover, the existing ITES/BPO operations of major multinationals are also being ramped up to cater to the ever increasing demand for better and speedier service. Almost all of India's top ITES/BPO giants have announced some form of expansion and are in the process of hiring manpower to fill the additional seats. India's competitive advantage lies in its ability to

provide huge cost savings thereby enabling productivity gains and this has given India an edge in the global ITES/BPO marketplace. Call centers are comparatively a recent introduction to the world of career options in India. The career avenues provided by Call centers is one of the best suited and growing option which even a fresher can opt for. With the opening up of the Indian economy and the advent of globalization more and more companies from abroad are basing or outsourcing their call center services to India, a trend started by GE (General Electronics) when it established a call center near New Delhi in 1998. India, crowned by businesses around the globe as the world's back office, employs 350,000 people in the outsourcing industry each year, adding 150,000 new jobs every twelve months. Just imagine them all stuffed in one single cubicle clonking phones together and you begin to approximate the sensation. The average call center can house fifteen hundred 20-year-old Indian technology graduates.

2. UNDERSTANDING - CALL CENTER

As a first step, it is useful to establish a definition of a call center. This is not a completely straightforward task, as there are considerable variations between types of call centers, which are spread across several sectors of the economy, and which perform different functions for different organizations, both within and across sectors.

The broadest definition in the call center literature is that provided by Norling, who states a call center is any communications platform from which firms deliver services to customers via remote, real-time contact. Callaghan and Thompson apply a similarly inclusive definition, stating that call centers may be "broadly defined as workplaces that integrate telephone and computer technologies". While these definitions usefully highlight the centrality of communication technology integration in the call center field, it leaves the boundaries of the industry somewhat ambiguous. Taylor and Bain narrow the definition by specifying the types of technologies used: we define a call center as a dedicated operation in which computer-utilizing employees receive inboundor make outboundtelephone calls, with those calls processed and controlled either by an Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) or predictive dialing system. The call center is thus characterized by the integration of telephone and VDU technologies.

Buchanan and Koch-Schulte include in their description the organizational rationale for establishing call centers: Call centers are a relatively recent phenomenon made possible by the dissemination of telecommunications and information technologies. The technology enables telephone service representatives to deal quickly and remotely with customer needs by connecting the representative to the customers account information on his/her computer as the call is relayed to the headset. As call centers can be centralized in locations far from the customers of a business, they allow firms to cut costs by reducing the number of local service outlets. In reviewing these definitions and descriptions, it becomes clear that although there are variations in stress placed on different elements, there is general agreement about which elements are the key ones. Borrowing from this accumulation, we might, therefore, define a call center as a specialized office where agents remotely provide information, deliver services, and/or conduct sales, using some combination of integrated telephone and information technologies, typically with an aim to enhancing customer service while reducing organizational costs.

TECHNOLOGY Call Centers use a wide variety of different technologies to allow them to manage the large volumes of work that need to be managed by the call center. These technologies ensure that agents are kept as productive as possible, and that calls are queued and processed as quickly as possible, resulting in good levels of service. These include:

ACD (automatic call distribution)

Agent performance analytics BTTC (best time to call)/ Outbound call optimization

IVR (interactive voice response) Guided Speech IVR CTI (computer telephony integration) Enterprise Campaign Management Outbound predictive dialer CRM (customer relationship management) CIM (customer interaction management) solutions (Also known as 'Unified' solutions)

Email Management Chat and Web Collaboration Desktop Scripting Solutions Outsourcing

Third Party Verification (Third party verification) TTS (text to speech) WFM (workforce management) VoIP Speech Analytics

CALL CENTER DYNAMICS Types of calls are often divided into outbound and inbound. Inbound calls are calls that are made by the consumer to obtain information, report a malfunction, or ask for help. These calls are substantially different from outbound calls, where agents place calls to potential customers mostly with intentions of selling or service to the individual. Call center staff are often organized into a multi-tier support system for a more efficient handling of calls. The first tier in such a model consists of operators, who direct inquiries to the appropriate department and provide general directory information. If a caller requires more assistance, the call is forwarded to the second tier, where most issues can be resolved. In some cases, there may be three or more tiers of support staff. If a caller requires more assistance, the caller is forwarded to the third tier of support; typically the third tier of support is formed by product engineers/developers or highly-skilled technical support staff of the product. Call centers have their critics. Some critics argue that the work atmosphere in such an environment is de-humanizing. Others point to the low rates of pay and restrictive working practices of some employers. There has been much controversy over such things as restricting the amount of time that an employee can spend in the toilet. Furthermore, call centers have been the subject of complaints by callers who find the staff often does not have enough skill or authority to resolve problems, while the dehumanized workers very often exhibit an attitude of apathy to even the most abusive customer. Owing to the highly technological nature of the operations in such offices, the close monitoring of staff activities is easy and widespread. Some people have argued that such close monitoring breaches human rights to privacy. Yet another argument is that close monitoring and measurement by quantitative metrics can be counterproductive in that it can lead to poor customer service and a poor image of the company, and an ability to keep within the "stats" while still doing horrible things.

3. STRESS - A MAJOR HUMAN ISSUE IN CALL-CENTER INDUSTRY

Stress exists in every call center. Call centers are stressful work environments. The demands of serving the customer in real-time helps to lay the foundation. Add to this factor, things such as job repetition, potential job dissatisfaction, poor ergonomics or low pay and the stress level climbs higher. If stress in the workplace (i.e. the call center) is not on the agenda the results of stress are revealed through higher absenteeism than other parts of the company, higher Worker's Compensation claims and ultimately in reduced customer satisfaction. For many employed in the call center sector, the daily experience is of repetitive, intensive and stressful work, based upon Taylors principles, which frequently results in employee burnout. Brown, more vividly, characterizes the work as repetitive brain strain. These descriptions are hardly surprising, in a way, given that call centers are established by organizations to create an environment in which work can be standardized to create relatively uniform and repetitious activities so as to achieve economies of scale and consistent quality of customer service. This means, in other words, that workplaces are organized in ways that weaken employee autonomy and enhance the potential for management control, and a loss of control is generally understood to be an important indicator of work-related stress. There is almost universal consensus that call center work is stressful. Even in studies that report the observation that some staff actually enjoys their work, 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 work.

10

WHAT IS STRESS? Let us try and understand what exactly we mean by stress. We all know that stress is something that doesnt feel good to us physically and emotionally. What is even more compelling is what happens below the surface each time we experience stress. Stress researcher Hans Selye, determined what happens internally each time we experience something as threatening or stressful. According to Selye, when we perceive a threat in the environment the thinking part of the brain sends an alarm message to the nervous system via the hypothalamus. The nervous system then makes changes in the body that prepare you to handle the perceived danger ahead. These changes include increases in heart rate and blood pressure as well as pupil dilation. In addition, there are hormones and chemicals secreted such as adrenaline that give the body the necessary push to be able to manage the threat ahead. Although there are situations in which these adrenaline surges are very helpful in helping us mobilize, the constant adrenaline surges due to repeatedly perceived threats have a toxic effect on the body. For example, recurrent adrenaline surges inhibit some of the other important functions in the body including growth and tissue repair, digestion and the immune response. Just as the thinking part of your brain is responsible for turning the stress response on, you can turn it off by changing the threatening appraisals you are making. Once you are able to determine that a threat does not exist or that it can be effectively managed, your thinking brain stops sending panic messages to the nervous system. As a result of this reappraisal, the hormones and chemicals cease to be released and the body returns to normal. Bringing the body back to an "un-stressed" state is very important since almost every system in the body can be damaged by stress. Although our bodies are adaptive and

11

can recover from periodic stressors, chronic stress has serious consequences. We experience the consequences of stress on three important levels; physically, emotionally and behaviorally. There are many different definitions but stress can be broadly defined as an individuals perceived inability to cope with the demands placed on them. The common expression for stress is tension One is said to be tense, when there is some anxiety, some fear of whether the desirable things may happen, whether something may go wrong, etc. It is a state of discomfort felt in the mind and experienced by the body. When there is tension, the body may become weak. In management literature, Stress is defined as a response of the human body to a felt need. When one is hungry and there is an urge to eat food, the body is in a state of stress, which disappears when the need is fulfilled. This definition suggests that stress is a desirable condition, making one move towards fulfillment of needs. This is partly true. Stress occurs also when the need arises out of fear and the urge is to run and escape. This may sometimes, be not possible. In that case, there is no movement, the need remains unfulfilled and the stress condition does not disappear. Stress in the Call Center will affect the agent, manager, director, or anyone in the call center when they let stress gain control. When 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 expectations, lack of communication, high call volume, inexperience, illprepared, to name a few. The effects are decreased productivity, anxiety, low morale, poor customer service levels, and increased turnover.

12

4. CATEGORIES OF STRESS

ACUTE STRESS

TRAUMATIC STRESS

STRESS

EPISODIC ACUTE STRESS

CHRONIC STRESS

Stress can be broadly classified in the following categories:

Acute stress is what most people identify as stress. It makes itself felt

through tension headaches, emotional upsets, gastrointestinal disturbances, feelings of agitation and pressure. It's easily treatable and can be brought under control in six to eight weeks.

Episodic acute stress is more serious and can lead to migraines, stroke, heart attack, anxiety, depression, serious

hypertension,

gastrointestinal distress. It's quite treatable, but it takes general life style readjustments, four to six months, and often requires professional help.

Chronic stress is the most serious of all. It's the stress that never ends. It

grinds us down until our resistance is gone. Serious systemic illness such as diabetes, decreased immunocompetence, perhaps cancer is its hallmark. It

13

can be treated, even reversed, but it takes time - sometimes two to three years-and often requires professional help.

Traumatic stress is the result of massive acute stress, the effects of

which can reverberate through our systems for years. Post traumatic stress disorder is treatable and reversible and usually requires professional aid. Stress is identified as of two kinds. One is called EuStress, which is the condition in which there is drive and effort to fulfill the needs. Motivation is high. Achievement is seen as possible. The situation is challenging. Stress disappears when the need is fulfilled. There is success. The other is DiStress, which is the condition when there is a sense of helplessness in being able to achieve. The feeling is of frustration. There is no success. May be, there is no attempt even, because success is seen as impossible. The stress condition remains. If one were to chart the level of stress and the level of effort put in to work, it would be an inverted parabola. EuStress would be in the ascending left side of the parabola. The challenge would be maximum at the hump. The latter half on the right side represents Distress. The problems of stress are caused by Distress, not by EuStress. EuStress is necessary for the person to be fully alert, for all his faculties to come into play to face the situation. For example, a goalkeeper in football or hockey will be totally relaxed when the ball is at the other end of the ground, but becomes extremely alert as the ball moved towards him. His body stiffens, the eyes begin to bulge, focusing on the ball and the movement of the players, picking up the slightest of movements and every nerve and muscle ready to respond to those movements. That is EuStress, without which the goalkeeper cannot be at his best. So also, EuStress is experienced by the batsman in cricket when the bowler is on the run, and by the tennis player when the ball is about to be served at the other end.

14

5. STRESS PATTERNS
Generally a call center employee undergoes the following two types of Stress Pattern

1. Normal Pattern This kind of stress is prevalent and inevitable among most of the call center employees. But this kind of stress does not have any serious repercussions on the health of the employees. In fact this kind of stress helps employees to work harder and achieve the required goals. 2. Crisis Pattern Stress under the crisis pattern is the most dreaded kind of stress pattern among call center employees. Once it is identified among employees, employers must take immediate remedial measures to ensure that it does not affect the work life and personal life of the employees, which will ultimately lead to low output from the employee.

15

6. VICIOUS CYCLE OF STRESS

High Stress

Erratic work timings

Increased work pressure

Stress full work culture

Rude callers

Nature of job

The vicious cycle of stress is an integral part of every call center employees work life. It starts with the erratic work timings that disturbs the normal body time of an individual. A call center employee takes a substantial amount of time to adapt to the new working environment that he or she is subjected to. The change in the sleeping hours (due to the different time zones of international customers) creates a negative effect on the individual; the effects may not be experienced immediately as the aftereffects develop gradually. This is the first instance of stress experienced by the call center employee.

16

The monotonous nature of the job gives the whole job a bland and static feel. This has an uncanny effect on the psychology of the employees. Dealing with phone calls one after other without enough breaks, leads the employees towards a mechanical mode of working. This kind of work environment is a perfect breeding place for stress. Adding to the monotonous job situation, employees also have to face the brunt of arrogant and rude callers that add to the desolation of the employees. Employees are trained to smother their emotions and are expected to continue with the job without any glitches. The human emotions of joy and sorrow are trivial. This leads to lower working morale and heightened work stress! Thus the vicious cycle of stress continues itself, casting a wrath on numerous call center employees who ultimately give in to such a situation and either develop some physical or mental uneasiness or simply quit!

17

7. KEY STRESS FACTORS IN CALL CENTERS

MONOTONOUS

JOB

WEIRD WORK TIMINGS

QUALITY Vs QUANTITY

VERBAL ABUSE HIGH VOLUME

HIGH VOIncrease

KEY STRESS FACTORS IN CALL CENTERS

INTENSITY

d work pressure
LUME

TOUGH TARGETS LACK OF COMMUNICATION

18

1. Monotonous Job The primary source of stress reported is inherent to the nature of the job: spending all day on the phone dealing with people one after another, day after day, is difficult. Doing it under constant pressure to keep call volumes up, with no time between calls to recover from an awkward call or from customer rejection is even more difficult. And doing it with very little authority or autonomy to rectify problems that arise is perhaps the most difficult of all. Many studies report agents as wanting to just get off the phones. For example, a study conducted by Investors in People, 2004 noted that, agents in all three sectors [financial services, IT, and third-party services] spoke of the phenomenon of burnout, caused by the pressure of working exclusively on the phones. In the same study, the issue of burnout was also recognized by some managers: It was pointed out that managers face an inherent conflict between the need to reduce staff boredom and labor turnover, and the pressure to concentrate staff energies on telephone based work. 2. Weird Work Timings No prizes, for guessing the most severe ailment afflicting employees, working in Indian call centers. Because of the time difference between India and the United States, Indian employees work graveyard shifts, arriving at the office in the early evening (6:30pm) and returning home shortly before dawn (3:30am). The adjustment to such odd hours is hitting India hard, and carrying with it a host of health problems: digestive disease, hair loss, back pain and stress to name just a few. Since this is a unique Indian problem, again, no solution appears in sight. Obviously this affects first timers more severely, as they take time to acclimatize their biological clocks, but even experienced people or managers are not able to completely escape from it. Some call centers are looking at devising innovative mechanisms like flexible shifts with sleeping arrangements in the office premises as possible solutions.

19

3. Quality/Quantity conflict This more nuance positioning may provide more insight into call center conditions, as it allows considering the response of employees forced to interpret the often contradictory demands management place upon them including contradictions over service quality versus the quantity of work output. Staff faces some fundamental contradictions over unity versus conflict, uncertainty versus certainty, quality versus quantity and these are at the heart of the reproduction of stress, resistance and control. This focus on the contradictory nature of demands strikes at the heart of the second inherent sources of stress in (primarily inbound) call center works: the quality/quantity conflict. Typically, organizational rhetoric in inbound call centers is concerned with customer care, or keeping customers happy (providing quality service), yet these goals are juxtaposed with an ongoing pressure to keep call times down and call volumes up. This can be easily understood as follows - Call centers are rooted in contradictory tensions and structural paradoxes, and confront a number of trade-offs on that basis. These set a context for attitudes towards the organization and can impose conflicting role requirements on agents. A core example is that of the pressure for quantity versus the aspiration for quality, the guiding logic of which is the conundrum of trying to get closer to the customer while routinizing, centralizing, reducing costs and prescribing standards. The dichotomy is not completely straightforward, it is important to note that part of providing quality service from a management perspective is making sure customers do not wait too long for their calls to be answered, even though the push to keep queue waiting times short is typically categorized as part of the pressure towards quantity. As pointed out in the study by Investors in People 2004, efforts to attain what is perceived to be the desired balance between the quantity and the quality of calls presents a perennial challenge.

20

4. Intensity Another stressor in call center work is its intensity. There is widespread consensus that call centers are a new, and particularly effective, manifestation of the increasingly capital intensive industrialization of service sector work, and work performed in them is highly intensive and routine.

Investor in People, 2004 quotes a call center employee describing the intensity of the job. Its almost like the army. Its much regimented. You punch in with a time clock. You come in and you sit down, and the numbers are all computerized. As soon as you finish a call, the minute you hang up another call comes up just this constant, all day, repetitious constant sort of like beating on a drum, but day after day , says call center employee. Descriptions such as exhausting, robotic, controlled, and agents discussing the nature of their work often used are machine-like. An organizational viewpoint of the situation is totally indifferent, they say: Call centers are information handling organizations. As currently characterized, the job of the agent is to be the voice of the organization, interfacing with the client or customer. The organization rehearses the things it wants said and feeds them through the agent. The agent is largely constructed as a mouthpiece rather than as a brain. A call-center worker who articulated his feelings about the organizations expectations of its agents in very similar terms, Rahul: You are standing waiting to be used by the technology, and its a physical embodiment of that. You are standing, waiting until that call comes in to use you to make money. And you are simply another part of that machine. When this feeling of being a cog in a machine which never stops as it grinds on, repeating the same actions over and over again, is combined with the cumulative emotional demands presented by the interpersonal nature of the work, stress is inevitable.

21

5. Targets A major feature of some call center work that may engender stress is performance targets. There are various types of targets, which may vary between inbound and outbound centers. Inbound centers typically have targets for call duration, wrap time, and daily call volume. Outbound centers often also have sales or completion targets, which are closely monitored and upon which pay may be partially based. In addition, in some sectors, inbound call centers are attempting to introduce the practice of cross selling, where agents attempt to sell additional products to the customers who call in for another purpose. In these centers, sales targets similar to those in outbound centers are often in place. According to behaviorists, targets are a significant source of stress for workers as more and more importance is placed upon meeting them in an increasingly competitive business environment. Sales targets, in particular, are difficult to accept, or meet, for staffs who often consider themselves as service personnel, particularly when they are set centrally and implemented locally: Crossselling is seen by employees, not as an opportunity to engage in creative work, but as an additional and acute source of pressure. This is especially the case when sales targets are parachuted in on top of service targets set originally when there was no pressure to produce sales. As a CSR in the study emphasizes: When somebody calls in for a balance you have to try to get a sale or get them interested as well as turning the call round in 155 seconds Even in centers that claim not to prioritize targets, researchers have found that staff often feels significant pressure. Targets simply intensify the stress produced by the quantity/quality debate, or, as one agent is quoted as saying, They say that theyre not really interested in numbers. They say that they are more into quality. Well, thats a lie. Theyre usually more into numbers than anything. It is important not to over generalize however. While most call centers do have some targets, they are a source of stress that is

22

directly under management control. Some call centers are managed in such a way that targets are set to realistically reflect local conditions, are interpreted in light of other, more subjective information, and are not used punitively or to intensify work. In some they are even used effectively to motivate and encourage staff. For example, Wipro and JP Morgan Chase describe a series of conversations with managers in their call center site where management consistently conceptualized their performance reports (for example, one commented that its human nature for productivity to drop before and after a holiday), and used their stats as an excuse to praise good performance and coach those who consistently had difficulty meeting targets: Our best bet is to develop the people we have got one manager is quoted as saying. 6. Lack of communication It is a call center disease that some call centers just gravitate to simply because everyone is too busy with their job duties and with doing someone else's jobs that communication is simply forgotten. Sounds harmless but if not addressed, it could slowly but surely drag down a center's morale, employees' self esteems, work life balance, job security, employees' productivities and the most important increase stress levels. 7. High volume This one is a little complex because the causes could be variety of different issues. The more common symptom of high volume is poor workforce mgmt. Simply put, the workforce team needs to be very proactive in correctly forecasting the volume for two weeks in advance (within 98% of the actual volume) and be ready with a staffing analysis of how efficient the CSR schedules are by day for the center. If a team leader can get this every week from its workforce team, the center will be well aware of its holes every day for the next two weeks and staffing decisions can be made before the day happens. If the workforce team is good, then the center will be better prepared to handle spikes/lull in the volume.

23 8. Verbal Abuse

60% call handlers may experience more verbal abuse than the typical office workers, because they spend more time on the telephone. The Health and Safety Executive's definition of work-related violence, 'any incident in which a person is abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work', explicitly states it includes verbal abuse. There are no clear criteria as to what constitutes an abusive call, as some call handlers may feel less threatened than others by callers shouting, swearing and making insulting and aggressive comments. Individuals may also vary over time as to how they cope with these kinds of calls and how long it takes them to recover. All these factors should be given careful consideration in a risk assessment. It is a known fact that the call center jobs available in India today are all uprooted from American countries. Cutting Edge cites a recent Wall Street Journal article, which states that approximately 170,000 new jobs have been created in India over the past few years, leaving the employees from the outsourcing countries redundant. This has caused a furor among the jobless international population; many of them end up making abusive calls. While earlier, abusive calls would usually come from drunken callers, now they come from sober people who are calling only to vent their feeling about their jobs being off shored, or 'Bangalored' as it is now called, says a Mumbai call center executive. Employees working in call centers in India report the highest volume of abusive and racist phone calls than ever before. "Earlier, people would get abusive if we didn't answer their questions satisfactorily. Now, I get calls on some days up to five a shift from people who are calling only to abuse," says a 22-year-old engineering graduate who works in a major call centre in Malad. This has caused many Indian employees to suffer from various emotional and physical stresses.

24

8. CONSEQUENCES OF UNMANAGED STRESS

1. ABSENTEEISM: Absenteeism is very high in calls centers. Employees

tend to be very irregular to the duty due to various reasons. The professional counseling services to such irregular employees on one to one basis will help to bring down the absenteeism. The counselor can educate and explain the importance of attending duties to earn the salary and also to meet the organizational goals. Each individual are unique and the problem they face are also different in nature. Only the professional counselors can understand, analyze and provide long lasting solutions for the individuals.
2. DEPRESSION: In last year's survey, this was not among the top disorders,

but this year it has climbed up the chart, affecting nearly one-fourth of the respondents. Not surprising, since, as the industry matures, the initial glitz and glamour wears away and the real problems come to the fore. Not only are there several health related issues, but, on top of that, the gradual realization that there is limited scope in developing a career owing to fewer growth opportunities is increasing the frustration levels. Coupled 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 Related Problems Continuing digestive problems lead to severe stomach disorders like gastroenteritis, as endorsed by more than 24% of the respondents. Even doctors in major cities agree-in recent times many of the patients with various stomach ailments are from call centers.

25 3. EYESIGHT PROBLEMS: Globally call center industry employees are

considered a high-risk group for eye-related problems. While the quality of monitors might impact these disorders, sitting continually without adequate breaks seems to be the truer reason. The number of people affected seems to be on the rise-last year only 19% complained; this year it has gone up to 23%. At some point of time, this problem might also afflict the IT services industry, but for the call center industry, no remedy seems to be in sight.
4. EAR PROBLEMS: More than 16% of the respondents inform that they

have hearing problems. Again, no surprises here, since a call center job involves taking calls throughout the shift, sitting with headphones. While quality of headphones does make a difference, it would not be correct to completely wish the problem away by thinking that changing headphones will solve it.
5. DIGESTIVE SYSTEM RELATED DISORDERS: Working long and

odd hours without any sleep, and eating food supplied by external caterers everyday, has led to 41.9% of the respondents suffering from digestive problems. Especially for the large number of girls working in the industry, the problem is even more severe. Many call centers are now taking additional care to ensure their caterers supply hygienic food; besides stipulating strict conditions to maintain the quality of the food they serve Other Stress related issues The result of intense, stressful work may be an effect on workers health. There are often high rates of absenteeism and sick leave reported in the literature, although there is relatively little exploration of these issues, particularly when compared to turnover. Most often, authors provide a brief list of known health issues. For example, Richardson, Belt and Marshall write that Health concerns have been expressed, including tension, sleeplessness, headaches, eye-strain, repetitive strain injury (RSI), voice loss, hearing problems and burn-out, but

26

they do not develop the point. More detailed descriptions of the causes and effects of these ailments can be found in industry and trades union reports. For example, the Trades Union Council (TUC) in its brochure targeted at call center workers, cites the main illnesses to which call center staff are prone: back strain and RSI, stress, eyestrain, and voice and hearing loss.

FACTS ABOUT STRESS

Stress identified as one of the most serious health problems in IT industry, since 20th century This problem is particularly relevant to countries undergoing enormous economic and social changes like India, Kerala in particular. Burnout, depression, addictions, marriage breakdown, and deterioration of physical health are now commonly reported (U. S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 1998) Among Asian IT professionals the number is high (Asian Health Care Services, 2001) - about 30% a) Have weaker coping strategies b) Seek quick symptomatic relief in tranquilizers and antidepressants c) Feel the pressure of working in developed countries d) Unresolved psychological issues related to their unrealistic ambitions e) General reluctance to seek psychological help f) Possibility of drug dependence

27

9. MANAGING STRESS AMONG THE MIDNIGHT COOLIES

Companies can deal with the problems of stress on two levels: 1. Individual/Employee Level 2. Organisational Level It is better if the company tackles stress by considering the above two options in tandem so as to fight the evil of stress effectively and efficiently.
INDIVIDUAL/EMPLOYEE LEVEL

While dealing with the stress at the employees level companies can implement 2 effective strategies:
1. Stress Management Training

Stress management programs teach workers about the nature and sources of stress, the effects of stress on health, and personal skills to reduce stress-for example, time management or relaxation exercises. It also assists to improve the ability of workers to cope with difficult work situations. Stress management training may rapidly reduce stress symptoms such as anxiety and sleep disturbances; it also has the advantage of being inexpensive and easy to implement. However, stress management programs have two major disadvantages:

The beneficial effects on stress symptoms are often short-lived.

They often ignore important root causes of stress because they focus on the worker and not the environment.

28 2. Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Employee Assistance Program is of prime importance when employees need a thorough revision about the stress levels in their job. EAPs provide individual counseling for employees with both work and personal problems.
ORGANISATIONAL LEVEL

At the organizational level a call center needs to broaden its outlook, because under this approach instead of a single employee the firm focuses on dealing with stress in the entire organization. Under this approach the firm tries to reduce job stress by bringing in a consultant to recommend ways to improve working conditions. This approach is the most direct way to reduce stress at work. It involves the identification of stressful aspects of work (e.g., excessive workload, conflicting expectations) and the design of strategies to reduce or eliminate the identified stressors. The advantage of this approach is that it deals directly with the root causes of stress at work. However, managers are sometimes uncomfortable with this approach because it can involve changes in work routines or production schedules, or changes in the organizational structure. As a general rule, actions to reduce job stress should give top priority to organizational change to improve working conditions. But even the most conscientious efforts to improve working conditions are unlikely to eliminate stress completely for all workers. For this reason, a combination of organizational level change and employee level change is often the most useful approach for preventing stress at work.

29

DEALING WITH STRESS AT WORK: A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH

An organization as a whole

Organizational Stress Auditing (organization)

o

Before organizational stress is targeted, we need to know what is causing it. Workplace stressors should be identified and employees can guide with options to manage it.

Employee Stress Auditing (group or individual)

o

Through a range of easily applied, practical courses underpinned by widely accepted Stress Management theory, groups and individuals can increase their understanding of the causes of stress and through this, learn techniques for reducing and dealing with stress.

30

As the Manager As the boss, one can ensure that subordinates are not put under undue stress and also that they are helped to get out of stress situations as quickly as possible. The steps are

Recognize the stress levels Show concern Encourage talking Listen Empathize Explain and show how it can be done Provide support Discuss and involve them in decisions Show respect to the individuals Avoid insult, denunciation, abuse, reprimand, particularly in public Avoid manipulation, coercion, blaming

All the above, render support and help to reduce anxieties. It is not suggested that the demands on people should be lowered. People like challenges. They must be given challenging assignments. That is the only way to growth. But if there is a sensing of extreme stress, it should be managed through reassurance, not by withdrawing the assignment.

31

CONCEPT
NIOSH APPROACH TO JOB STRESS
On the basis of experience and research, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) favors the view that working conditions play a primary role in causing job stress. However, the role of individual factors is not ignored. According to the NIOSH view, exposure to stressful working conditions (called job stressors) can have a direct influence on worker safety and health. But as shown below, individual and other situational factors can intervene to strengthen or weaken this influence. An employees need to care for his/her ill mother is an increasingly common example of an individual or situational factor that may intensify the effects of stressful working conditions. Examples of individual and situational factors that can help to reduce the effects of stressful working conditions include the following:

Balance between work and family or personal life A support network of friends and coworkers A relaxed and positive outlook NIOSH Model of Job Stress

32

10. PREVENTING JOB STRESS - GETTING STARTED

No standardized approaches or simple "how to" manuals exist for developing a stress prevention program. Program design and appropriate solutions will be influenced by several factors-the size and complexity of the organization, available resources, and especially the unique types of stress problems faced by the organization. There can be various kinds of stress in call centers, like work overload, difficult interactions with the customer and an inflexible work schedule. Although it is not possible to give a universal prescription for preventing stress at call centers, it is possible to offer guidelines on the process of stress prevention in call centers. In all situations, the process for stress prevention programs involves three distinct steps: problem identification, intervention, and evaluation. These steps are outlined further. For this process to succeed, organizations need to be adequately prepared. At a minimum, preparation for a stress prevention program should include the following:

Building general awareness about job stress (causes, costs, and control) Securing top management commitment and support for the program Incorporating employee input and involvement in all phases of the program Establishing the technical capacity to conduct the program (e.g., specialized training for in-house staff or use of job stress consultants)

Bringing the employees and the team leaders together in a committee or problem-solving group may be an especially useful approach for developing a stress prevention program. Research has shown these participatory efforts to be effective in dealing with functional problems in the workplace, partly because they capitalize on employees' firsthand knowledge of faux pas encountered in their jobs.

33

STEPS TOWARD PREVENTION Low morale, health and job complaints, and employee turnover often provide the first signs of job stress. But sometimes there are no clues, especially if employees are fearful of losing their jobs. Lack of obvious or widespread signs is not a good reason to dismiss concerns about job stress or minimize the importance of a prevention program. Step 1 - Identify the Problem. The best method to explore the scope and source of a suspected stress problem in an organization depends partly on the size of the organization and the available resources. Group discussions among managers, labor representatives, and employees can provide rich sources of information. Such discussions may be all that is needed to track down and remedy stress problems in a small company. In a larger organization, such discussions can be used to help design formal surveys for gathering input about stressful job conditions from large numbers of employees. Regardless of the method used to collect data, information should be obtained about employee perceptions of their job conditions and perceived levels of stress, health, and satisfaction. The list of job conditions that may lead to stress and the warning signs and effects of stress

Hold group discussions with employees. Design an employee survey. Measure employee perceptions of job conditions, stress, health, and satisfaction. Collect objective data. Analyze data to identify problem locations and stressful job conditions.

provide good starting points for deciding what information to collect. Regardless of the method used to collect data, information should be obtained about employee perceptions of their job conditions and perceived levels of stress, health, and satisfaction. The list of job conditions that may lead to stress and the warning signs and effects of stress provide good starting points for deciding what information to collect.

34

Objective measures such as absenteeism, illness and turnover rates, or performance problems can also be examined to gauge the presence and scope of job stress. However, these measures are only rough indicators of job stress-at best. Data from discussions, surveys, and other sources should be summarized and analyzed to answer questions about the location of a stress problem and job conditions that may be responsible-for example, are problems present throughout the organization or confined to single departments or specific jobs? Survey design, data analysis, and other aspects of a stress prevention program may require the help of experts from a local university or consulting firm. However, overall authority for the prevention program should remain in the organization. Step 2- Design and Implement Interventions. Once the sources of stress at work have been identified and the scope of the problem is understood, the stage is set for design and implementation of intervention strategy. In small organizations, the informal

Target source of stress for change. Propose and prioritize intervention strategies. Communicate planned interventions to employees. Implement Interventions.

discussions that helped identify stress problems may also produce fruitful ideas for prevention. In large organizations, a more formal process may be needed. Frequently, a team is asked to develop recommendations based on analysis of data from Step 1 and consultation with outside experts. Certain problems, such as a hostile work environment, may be pervasive in the organization and require company-wide interventions. Other problems such as excessive workload may exist only in some departments and thus require more narrow solutions such as redesign of the way a job is performed. Still other problems may be specific to certain employees and resistant to any kind of

35

organizational change, calling instead for stress management or employee assistance interventions. Some interventions might be implemented rapidly (e.g., improved communication, stress management training), but others may require additional time to put into place (e.g., redesign of a manufacturing process). Step 3 - Evaluate the Interventions. Evaluation is an essential step in the intervention process. Evaluation is necessary to determine whether the intervention is producing desired effects and whether changes in direction are needed. Time frames for evaluating interventions should be established. Interventions

involving organizational change should receive both short- and long-term scrutiny. Short-term evaluations might be done quarterly to provide an early indication of program effectiveness or possible need for redirection. Many interventions produce initial effects that do not persist. Long-term evaluations are often conducted annually and are necessary to determine whether interventions produce lasting effects.

Conduct both short- and long-term evaluations. Measure employee perceptions of job conditions, stress, health, and satisfaction. Measure employee perceptions of job conditions, stress, health, and satisfaction. Include objective measures. Refine the intervention strategy and return to Step 1.

Evaluations should focus on the same types of information collected during the problem identification phase of the intervention, including information from employees about working conditions, levels of perceived stress, health problems, and satisfaction. Employee perceptions are usually the most sensitive measure of stressful working conditions and often provide the first indication of intervention effectiveness. Adding objective measures such as absenteeism and health care costs may also be useful. However, the effects of job stress

36

interventions on such measures tend to be less clear-cut and can take a long time to appear. The job stress prevention process does not end with evaluation. Rather, job stress prevention should be seen as a continuous process that uses evaluation data to refine or redirect the intervention strategy.

CONCEPT
EMOTIONAL LABOUR Emotional labor is defined as the effort expended (and the concomitant physiological arousal) to manage or regulate ones emotional reactions at work. This effort is necessary for exhibiting those performance behaviors valued by the organization, and suppressing the expression of less acceptable behaviors. Call center employees are particularly vulnerable to a demand for emotional labor, because their jobs generally require maintaining a friendly and positive demeanor despite job characteristics that may engender negative emotional reactions (e.g., irate customers, complex problem solving, or hectic work pace). Any work setting which engenders negative emotional reactions from employees, while requiring the suppression of certain behaviors associated with these emotions (e.g., yelling, abruptly hanging up the phone, or scowling), is fertile ground for emotional labor. The stereotypical customer service call center is such a work place.

37

11. STEPS TAKEN BY CALL CENTERS TO MANAGE STRESS

Blame the nature of the job, deadline pressure or customer expectations. Call center jobs undoubtedly involve high stress. But what is the industry doing about is it just sitting back and watching the show or lending a helpful hand to the employees to overcome their job tribulations? Well companies are taking an effort to put the stress at bay. Most of the call centers have a plan of attack that is general in nature, a more systematized and well planned out approach towards dealing with stress is yet to be experienced in the Indian Call Centers. Here let us have a look at the various practices adopted by some of the well known Call centers in India to deal with stress. Company Visits: 1. ICICI OneSource
2. 3Global, a Hutchison-Whampoa BPO 3. IBMDAKSH 4. Sutherland

1. ICICI OneSource:

38

ICICI OneSource (I-OneSource) is among India's leading BPO companies providing business process management services to global leaders in Banking & Financial Services, Telecom & Media and Healthcare. I-OneSource was ranked among Indias top 5 BPO companies by NASSCOM for the year 200506. They have consistently outperformed industry growth rates and are constantly on the look out for the right talent across levels and operational expertise. Headquartered in Mumbai, India, I-OneSource have client management teams in London and Colorado. I-OneSource have delivery centers across India and the US and is now opening new centers in the UK. ICICI One Source: THE VISIT Location: Mindspace, Malad Entry Mechanism for employees: You need to fill an application form and sit for a group discussion. Those who clear it are usually selected, though they still have to give an Aptitude test and sit for a personal interview with HR. Pay Scale: A fresher starts with Rs.9, 000/-, experience can get you up to Rs.15, 000/-. Focus Industries: Banking & Financial Services, Telecom & Media and Healthcare sector Processes/Projects: Lloyds, a British banking process, is the biggest project, Marks & Spencers and British Gas. Transport: There is home pick-up/drop from 8pm to 8am. Rest of the time, there's transport to and from Malad station.

MEASURES TAKEN TO OVERCOME STRESS

39

At ICICI OneSource everything gets measured and this puts employees under pressure. They are now making efforts to help their employees cope with stress because it is an occupational hazard. For example, night shifts are rotated on a regular basis. They organise various events like family gatherings and Valentines Day celebrations to lighten the atmosphere in the office. According to an HR manager at IOneSource, an employee could be stressed because of a tough supervisor or if he is not able to perform well in his job. So, there is a lot of emphasis on the training of team leaders (TL) and supervisors to avoid a strained relationship between the employee and the TL. ICICI OneSource has an executive who is required to spend at least two hours daily at the shop floor talking to employees about their day-to-day life. Other Facilities: One of the best cafes in call centers of Mumbai is at ICICI One Source. There is the usual carom board and a TV. Phone calls from the recreation room are free.

2. 3Global, a Hutchison-Whampoa BPO:

40

Associated with the Hutch-Whampoa Group, 3G caters to the UK and Australia. 3Gs suite of proven, end-to-end BPO solutions ensures that it stays focused on increasing profitability, gaining market share, delivering shareholder value and releasing capital back into the enterprise. 3G has a seasoned management and account level staff that contributes a deep understanding of the BPO business. It has one simple focus i.e. to enable an infrastructure with advanced technologies that not only delivers on performance, but also on investment. This company is rated as one of the top 5 places to work with by the employees. It is a favorite among employees who are seeking for a good career in the BPO sector. A nice and amiable makes it a leader among its competitors. 3Global: THE VISIT Location: Spectrum Towers, Mindspace, Malad. Entry Mechanism: Group Discussion (GD), Reading & Grammar Test, and personal interview. Finally a personal interview with the manager. Pay Scale: Offers around Rs.12, 000/-, for freshers. Goes up to Rs.19, 000/-, for experienced employees. Processes/Projects: Mobile phone projects - helping people activate their card, service, etc. Transport: Home pick-up/drop during the odd hours; rest of the time, you get transport from and to your nearest train station.

MEASURES TAKEN TO OVERCOME STRESS

41

3G arranges feel good activities like an outdoor picnic or an official dinner once in three months. This helps employees to talk to their senior management in an informal environment. Employees are also given recognition by being designated as employee of the week and employee of the month. 3Global, a Hutchison-Whampoa BPO, has also appointed an executive to arrange sports events on a monthly basis. An assistant manager (HR) of 3G says, We organise sports events like cricket tournaments to ensure that our employees are engaged in physical activities. The company recently concluded a cricket tournament where 300 employees participated (10 people per team). Other Facilities: Bright and well done up canteen. Conducts Voice & Accent and Product training simultaneously - 5 hrs are given to each, in a single day.

3. IBM Daksh:

42

IBM Daksh has worked with a pioneering group of global companies that have successfully used BPO and BTO to execute a broad range of strategies with strong results It was just over five years ago that IBM Daksh was created. An independent report in the US stated that more than two-thirds of online transactions were abandoned due to inadequate customer support. It was the first step in creating a new enterprise, in a new industry that had no history and no business model to follow. But what IBM Daksh did have was sound leadership, a focused vision and an undying passion. By 2003, the company employed around 5,000 people and was acquiring blue chip clients almost as quickly as it was attracting large numbers of ambitious and talented young staff. In April 2004, IBM Corporation acquired Daksh e-Services to serve as a global hub to manage business processes for clients from across the world. With 14 service delivery centers in India (4 in New Delhi (NCR), 4 in Bangalore, 1 in Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata and Chandigarh each) and 2 in Manila, Philippines, IBM Daksh is a key part of a network of more than 36 BTO centers around the world. Today IBM Daksh employs more than 20,000 people and has won several major awards for employee and customer satisfaction. IBM Daksh: THE VISIT Location: Magnus Towers, Mindspace, Malad Entry Mechanism: 1. Voice - Intro, Personal interview with HR Manager, Grammar Test, and Personal interview with Operations Manager. 2. Web - Grammar Test, Typing Test and Personal interview with HR. Outstation candidates are put up at company accommodation at Mira Road. Pay Scale: Expect a start of Rs.11K in a voice process, if you're a fresher. Rs.18K if you have experience. Offers Rs.10, 000/- to 14,000/- for web processes.

43

Processes/Projects: Their biggest project is Circuit City, which is for gadgets. It covers almost half of the 5th floor plus some space on the 4th floor. Other projects include Citibank, Wanadoo and UAL (United Airlines). There is 2 months of training. The only web process is eBay. Transport: Offers home pick-ups/drops from 10.30 pm to 8 am. Other timings have a station pick-up and a drop to Malad station. MEASURES TAKEN TO OVERCOME STRESS IBM Daksh has appointed fun officers whose job is to arrange a party or a movie for the entire office once in a month. Alongwith that it arranges employees basis. Other Facilities: There are 2 mini-cafeterias on both ends of the 5th floor. The recreation room consists of a TT table, a carom board and a punching bag. There are 3 computers with Internet and a TV. picnics on for the continual

44

4. SUTHERLAND Sutherland Global Services was founded in the year 1986. Headquarters in Rochester, New York. Oak Investment Partners and Standard Chartered Private are the investing companies. Sutherland has maintained quality standards like, COPC, Six Sigma, ISO 9001:2000, and ISO 27001:2005. Located in United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Mexico, Canada, India and Philippine. Sutherland as a BPO is less than 2 years old in Mumbai, although it's already a big name in South India. Sutherland: THE VISIT Location: Opp. Just Parathas, Malad, Mumbai Entry Mechanism: There's a Grammar Test, Technical Test, and two personal interviews - one with HR and the other with the Team Leader or the Operations Manager. Pay Scale: It pays around Rs.10, 000/-, for a fresher and about Rs.19, 000/-, for the most experienced candidate with troubleshooting and other technical certifications. Processes/Projects: HP, Dell and Symantec. Transport: The station transport is regular. Home pick-ups/ drops for those who work between 10.30pm to 6am.

45

MEASURES TAKEN TO OVERCOME STRESS Sutherland has adopted an interactive way of dealing with workplace stress. The managers make sure that they talk to their team members on a daily basis, which may not necessarily be about work. I do a lot of catching up with my team members, which helps me to understand them better, says an asst. manager. At Sutherland they conduct in-house workshops at frequent intervals in which employees rejuvenate themselves through yoga and meditation they also play games and indulge in activities like dumb charades and scrabble. Sutherland appoints professional counselors who talk to the employees about both professional and personal problems like long working hours and family demands. Besides teaching breathing exercises and yoga, the counselors help the employees to look at things from a different perspective. They are encouraged to take ownership and be accountable for their job in the organization.

46

12. EMPLOYEE STRESS SURVEY

A small survey was conducted in order to gauge the exact conditions in a call center. The study was conducted on targeted respondents that included the young population employed in the outsourcing business and with undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate education and who had changed their job at least once in the past three years. Details of the sample size are given in the following table: Number of people surveyed Occupation Location Age group Sex 60 Employees in call centers Call centers in the suburbs of Mumbai 20-28 years Male and Female

Brief Results of the Employee Stress Survey:

Indian call centers need to adopt a holistic approach towards dealing with the menace of stress among its employees. Stress is a subjective issue, it is not necessary that a particular situation will trigger the same amount of stress among a certain number of employees. Respondents were overwhelmingly in favour of better career growth opportunities and improved company policies. An overwhelming 75 per cent of the respondents were financially independent of their families. Yet, a sizeable section among them turned to their families for support if they felt the need to quit their jobs. This cushion provided by the social support system often drove the respondents to quit their jobs at the first hint of any inconvenience on the job.

47

Percentage of call center workers who feel quite a bit or extremely stressed at work
20% 40% 60% 75% 80% 100%

75% of call center employees experience stress at least at one point or the other during their jobs. This depicts the high levels of stress prevalent in call centers.

Percentage of call center workers who feel often or very often stressed out at work
20% 40% 60% 62% 80% 100%

62% of employees feel stressed out number of times, hence elevating the dangers of stress all the more.

According to the survey the main reason why employees leave call center jobs are as follows:

48

Reasons why employees leave Call center jobs 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Stress Lack of further scope Low pay Bad quality packages of working life 17% 10% 45% 28%

The workplace environment plays an important role in the professional life of a call center employee. It is the environment which can either boost or break an employees morale.

Workplace Environment 10% 45% Good Average 20% Satifactory Bad

25%

According to the findings the main factors which strike off stress among the call center employees are as follows

49

Factors that create stress among call center employees 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 37% 27% 26%

8% 2% Weird Verbal Tough Fake Lack of work abuse targets accent job timings security

The respondents had taken a stress test which clearly showed their stress levels according to the test taken. The results are given in the diagram.

Are You STRESSED OUT at work?

10%

Yes

Prevalence of Stress management in Indian Call No Centers 53% Cant say 37%
YES NO

10
0% 50%

90
100% 150%

50

incorporated in their companies and most of them treat it with minute gravity. In short STRESS MANAGEMENT is still in its nascent stage in the Indian scenario.

13. SUGGESTIONS TO BUST THE STRESS

1. HANDLING THE ABUSE Agents handle an average of 110 calls a day, and 80 percent of the calls that come in have some level of emotion. Usually a caller is calling in because they're frustrated, angry, upset, concernedsomething has happened and they're 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 sake of their workers and their callers. In these situations the task should become how to handle this type of emotional call rather than instantly labeling it "abusive" and not acceptable.

51

2. JOB ROTATION Job sharing/intern program cam be instituted in a call center. CSRs who meet or exceed job expectations are eligible to do a rotation for three months in other groups. CSRs work half a day on the phones, the other half in the Correspondence Dept, or in the Research Dept, Work Force Management, or Quality Assurance. This breaks up their day, teaches them new skills, & provides us with a pool of trained staff whenever needed. Thus it is suggested to have a job rotation program that alternate telephone staff to do administrative tasks to break up the day to day grind. 3. SPORTS ACTIVITIES Call centers can observe a sports week wherein the agents and their supervisors are asked to organise and also take part in the same. This will bring a change in their working performance as it will lead to a fresh and energetic mind and body for work. Hence companies should organise something that will allow the agents change their daily routine and do something new.

4. BUDGET FOR ACTIVITIES To reduce the employee turnover team leaders can prepare a budget for employee activities / incentives. Infact companies can have an activity committee that plans birthday decorating, holiday potlucks, contests, etc. The staff should be involved to join and participate in the committee. 5. WEEKLY EMPLOYEE FOCUS GROUP Any employee can come to a weekly or bi weekly focus group with the call center manager. Questions from the employees and the date that the issues were addressed should be posted publicly. Over time, these focus groups that start with very serious issues will slowly evolve to sessions that are more like rap sessions - more fun and less serious.

52

6. MONTHLY NEWSLETTER FROM THE COMPANY This is a time consuming endeavor but if done right and done consistently, could be a great medium to communicate new/revised policies, reward employees/teams, train employees, and build strong team spirits.
7. DAILY DEPARTMENT HUDDLE

Each team/department should be highly encouraged to have a quickie huddle daily with their employees. This goes a long way in building a strong bond between employees and supervisors and the team leaders can also use this time to communicate. 8. MONTHLY LETTER FROM THE BOSS It could be from the VP of Ops, or it could be from the CCM. The point is, the company will have an opportunity every month to speak to the workforce.

10. HUMOUR A very unconventional way of dealing with abusive calls is to inculcate HUMOUR in the office! It is nothing but, agents using humorous (or rude) gestures towards the phone, or making faces at colleagues to defuse stress over angry or abusive callers, and making jokes to combat the tedium of the day. Some of the companies adopt a social approach to reduce tension, whereby the staff often laughed and joked with one another in intervals between calls, with managements approval. More formally, some call centers include stress management as a component in training programs, and many have, or claim to have, team de-briefings which permit staff to vent frustrations while discussing difficult calls or dissatisfactions with elements of work.

53

11. INFORM THE PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYEE At the hiring stage itself, companies need to make the prospective employee aware of what the job exactly entails and make an assessment of the potential response of the candidate in such job settings. Some other general suggestions would be: Conduct specific workshop covering stress Let the employees voice their specific stressors and develop actions to overcome them and resolve what is inhibiting their performance

CONCEPT
STRESS PUNCHERS
Many International companies have started adopting this innovative method of introducing stress punchers or stress balls to the employees. Now employees can vent out their feelings, anger, and emotion all on a stress ball. These stress punchers are soft and squishy and can be distorted into any shape.

54

15. CONCLUSION
Call Centers are booming avenues in terms of jobs to the novice and revenue to the economy. But as every coin has two sides similarly this sun shine sector also has its own setbacks. In the process of achieving success India needs to keep in mind the importance of implementing fair practices to protect its man power. As stress management is in its nascent stage of development in India we have a strong opportunity to set the right standards and methods to initiate a great work environment for call center employees. In India there are no regulations that govern employees of call centers. Thus there are no mechanisms for labour inspectors to conduct inspections to check the working

55

hours and the general working conditions of the employees. Hence it is the moral responsibility of the organizations to implement appropriate practices to help the employees which ultimately lead to the success of a company. To deal with stress it is desirable to employ professional HR Professionals with knowledge of Human Psychology in BPO units/call centers. The services offered by professionals may not be felt in the initial stages. Companies like Tata, L&T, MICO and few others have employed professionals in their factories. The professionals can do wonders in BPO sectors as well. People are the backbone of BPO industry and it is certain that professional HR or Human Psychologist can make inroad in this emerging organization and facilitate the growth of organization in an immense way. The need of the hour is to pay heed to the problems faced by the call center employees; they need to be treated as humans rather than just a clog in a gruesome machine. This has to be done not only by the HR (Human Resources) department but by the entire organization as a whole. Innovation is the key word here, new and innovative techniques have to be pioneered in order to give a fresh air to the existing systems.

ANNEXURES
1. Stress hits executives
Monday, July 14, 2003 "THESE days large number of young people in the age group of 18-21 years are seeking counselling and out of that 10 - 15 per cent cases are those who work in call centres", says Dr Jitendra Nagpal, Consultant Psychiatrist, Vidyasagar Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (VIMHANS) here. "Burnout Stress Syndrome or BOSS syndrome is seen commonly among youngsters working in call centres. The symptoms of this syndrome include chronic fatigue, insomnia and complete alteration of 24-hour biological rhythm of the body", says Nagpal. Gastrointestinal problems are inevitable for those working at nights as the body is put under chronic stress. A potentially fatal increase in heart rhythm can result in severe chronic gynaecological problems in women and sleep disorders in both men and women, he adds.

56
Although most of these cases do not require medication, guidance about physical and mental coordination to meet the demands of a call centre job is necessary. While good money, weekend parties, bubblegum culture, chick and ultra-modern decor of the offices does lend call centres a glamorous image, its certainly not easy to adjust to their work culture, those in industry say. Continuous night shifts, monotonous and stressful back-office work and working according to an American and British holiday schedule leaves employees lives completely out of sync. "Once in a call centre your life becomes restricted to that place only because you hardly get any time to spend with your family. The whole day is spent sleeping and at night you rush to office", says Deepika Maini, working with a leading call centre here. Social life is the worst hit and married women find it even more difficult to cope. "At times people find it difficult to convince friends and family that what they are doing is respectable. It is strange to adopt an American accent and answer to Anglicised names, which often leads to a strange loss of identity in some cases", says Nagpal. Vandana Ranganathan, Head, Corporate Communication, Daksh, a leading call centre in Gurgaon avers that health concerns of the employees working at call centres cannot be ignored." The call centres, while acknowledging that they were looking for counsellors to have tete-e-tete with their employees facing stress problems, however, refrain from employing them on permanent basis. "Also, large number of organisations are recognising the importance of open culture among management and employees, which is effective as a destressing tool. Besides, team building exercises like mock rock climbing, contests, parties at regular intervals do help in combating work-related stress", Ranganathan adds.

India Call Centers Suffer Storm of 4-Letter Words

By Rama Lakshmi Special to The Washington Post Sunday, February 27, 2005; Page A22 NEW DELHI -- Rohail Manzoor thought he had what it took to work in a telephone call center. All he had to do was pick up the phone and answer queries from American customers about their long-distance bills. He was armed with lessons on how to speak English like the Americans -- adjust the r's, say "zee" instead of "zed," "mail" instead of "post." He even called himself "Jim," and figured he would pretend to be an American customer service agent. But nothing prepared him for the shower of curses that came his way when he picked up the phone one night on the job.

57
You Indians suck!' an American screamed on the phone," recalled a soft-spoken Manzoor, 25. "He was using a lot of four-letter words, too. He called me names left, right and center." Call center executives and industry experts say abusive hate calls are commonplace, as resentment swells over the loss of American jobs to India. According to a survey in November 2004 by an Indian information technology magazine called Dataquest, about 25 percent of call center agents identified such calls as the main reason for workplace stress. The survey said the calls often were "psychologically disturbing" for workers. "When some callers are unhappy with the service, their frustration often turns racist," said Amit Narula, 25, a call center agent. "They would say, 'This is why you should not handle our work. Indians are not good enough.' " As a result, the call center workers are feeling stressed. Manzoor said he developed high blood pressure and chest pain in November, and quit his job. But in two months, he was back in another call center processing credit card applications for an American company. The outsourcing industry earns $5.1 billion a year and employs more than 350,000 people, according to the National Association of Software and Services Companies, and is projected to grow 40 percent in the coming year. The vast pool of low-cost, Englishspeaking and tech-savvy Indian workers has attracted back-office service operations of companies such as American Express, Sprint, Citibank, General Electric, Ford, HewlettPackard, IBM and firms that process U.S. tax returns and welfare benefits. Some of the offices serving these companies hold stress-management workshops, set up gyms and pool tables, and even offer classes in meditation, breathing techniques and yoga. "This is a high-stress business, and most of our agents are between 22 and 25 working during the graveyard shift. I have noticed a sudden plunge in their confidence level after an irate, abusive or racist caller," said Rohit Gadhoke, a senior quality analyst with Daksh call center, a subsidiary of IBM, adding that such calls were routine. "They begin to fumble with words and get nervous. I counsel them not to take it personally." Although a handful of call center companies now encourage agents to reveal their real name and location when an American calls, many fear backlashes and still do not allow it. In Bangalore, Ankur Jaiswal, 22, whose phone name is "Mike," answers calls from Americans who need technical support with their computers. "Many callers refuse to speak to Indians and ask for an American right away," Jaiswal said in a telephone interview. "So I tell them, 'I am an Indian but I live in America.' They ask, 'Where in America?' I tell them I cannot disclose my location. But they are still suspicious and start asking about the weather." Industry watchers say some call centers have giant TV screens showing the weather in different U.S. cities, the scores from latest New York Knicks game or news about the latest play on Broadway. The agents use the information on the screen to make small talk with the caller and mask their location in India. The training given to the call center aspirants not only involves diction, but also a crash course in American culture. Maneesh Ahooja, a voice and accent trainer for call center employees in Bombay, often makes them watch popular TV shows such as "Friends" and "Dharma and Greg."

58
"I also teach them about the nuances of American lifestyle," Ahooja said. "I explain to them that unlike India, young people live on their own in America and not with their parents, that in times of crisis they depend on friends more than family." But many agents confessed that they empathized with the pain and anguish of the angry callers. "I would be mad too if somebody took away my job," said Vidya Ramathas, 24, who works in a Bangalore call center servicing an American Internet company. "I love my job. It has brought me freedom. I moved out of my parents' home. I don't ask them for money anymore. I do what I want to. I don't ask for their permission." Ramathas, whose uses "Amanda" as her phone name, added: "In that sense, I am like an American." http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A56474-2005Feb26.html

3. Abuse rattles Indian call centre staff

By Zubair Ahmed BBC News, Mumbai Shane Fernandes in Mumbai was recently speaking to a customer in the US about a credit card scheme. He thought he had won over the customer, but just at the last minute the American learnt the young, sweet-talking agent was calling from a call centre in India. "He just refused to deal with me because he found out I was an Indian," recollects Mr Fernandes. Others working in India's burgeoning call centers have been verbally abused and accused of taking jobs formerly carried out in Europe or the US. Many Indian call centre workers are relatively young, having joined straight from college, and they are not used to and often find it hard to cope with the abuse. Some leave, others have their confidence sapped.

59

True, tantrums by customers in the services industry are not uncommon in any country. But it is the racial overtones that worry young professionals in India's multi-billion-dollar Business Processing Outsourcing industry. "Some customers will ask us if we use electricity and watch TV," says Madhavi, a call centre worker who declined to give her surname and who spoke to the BBC on the condition that her company's name would not be mentioned. "You may keep smiling, but it leaves a bad taste in your mouth," says Gaurav Mantri of Transworks, a Mumbai-based call centre. "You won't believe it. Once a customer asked one of my colleagues if he goes to work on a bullock cart." An Indian organisation of professionals, called The Young Professionals Collective, recently compiled a report after talking to many call centre agents in Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Delhi and Bangalore. The body has urged the country's labour ministry to look into the complaints of racial abuses and prejudices heaped on India's young workforce. Mumbai-based lawyer Vinod Shetty, who formed the collective, says most of the abuses reflect the frustrations of the jobs being shifted to India. "Mostly they say Indians are dirty and that they don't have brains and they are illiterates," he says. "Sometimes, the abuses reflect their prejudices and anger at job losses [in their own countries]." Answering back "Once a US customer called, after I read the welcome script he asked immediately where I was located. When I said India he said he didn't wish to continue and he hung up," says Mahal, who believes the problem starts when a customer is genuinely upset about a product or when he doesn't understand the heavy Indian accent. Team leader Nikhil urges his junior colleagues to take it on the chin and keep smiling. But Mr Fernandes answers back. "I don't keep quiet on calls like these, but I make sure I don't cross the limits of decency." Mr Fernandes is lucky. Others who have answered back have been sacked. But customers who misbehave are in the minority. "Yes we get loads of callers who don't think well of us, but in my experience 80% of callers are pleasant and they even say how much they love India and the Taj Mahal," says Madhavi, who has been working at a call centre for 18 months.

4. HR dept in call centres has its hands full

Source: The Hindu Business Line MUMBAI, June 15 FOR an industry with 40 per cent of its operational costs in people, a 25 per cent attrition rate is no small problem. The ITES industry - small but growing at 50 per cent yearly - is confronting its HR issues head-on. At the recent Nasscom ITES-BPO summit, HR managers said that though the ITES industry has a pool of millions of graduates to choose from, it has a high turnover rate, it is facing a shortage of skilled labour and is looking at ways to make itself an attractive employer. With an average employee age of 23, the stillto-mature industry has equally inexperienced youngsters for staff. Considering the night

60
shifts they face and the impatient or angry customers they interact with, employees have high stress levels, one in two smoke too much and many of them quit the industry due to stress, according to Mr. Aadesh Goyal, Executive Vice-President and GM, Hughes BPO services. "They do not consider it a career option." "To grow the industry to a million plus jobs, over the next few years, we have to accept the problems we face," says Mr. Goyal. Yet, these are not unique to India, says Mr. Martin Conboy, President, Callcentres.net, a Sydney-based industry body. Call centers in the West too face similar problems. Admittedly, the average age of the employee is higher in the West, people consider it as a career option and are taught workplace stress management. "Simply because they are older, call centre employees in the West will have acquired the life-skills to deal with different types of customers," Mr. Conboy says. "A typical Indian call centre agent is just out of college and, with a less than 4 per cent focus during training on stress management in the sector today, is ill-equipped to handle an irate, or downright rude customer on the phone," asserts Mr. Conboy. There are also the physiological problems of night-time work, irregular eating habits and the effect of the timings on their personal life, says Mr. Goyal. Hiring should result in only `stress hardy' candidates being chosen for the job, according to Mr. Conboy. "Psychometric profiling of candidates will soon be adopted in the industry," he says. There are literally hundreds of psychometric profiling techniques in the market, it is advisable for the industry to evaluate their suitability before accepting them, adds Mr. Suren Singh Rasaily, Sr. VP NIIT Ltd and head, Planetworkz, and heading Nasscom's ITES-BPO HR initiative. The industry is also facing the admittedly controversial issue of poaching employees, agree HR managers. "That is only to be expected in an `overheated industry'," says Mr. Prakash Gurbaxani, CEO, TransWorks Information services. Not only does the average HR manager need 500 people suddenly, he needs them up-to-speed and delivering immediately. This can only happen if you hire from the existing pool of call centre employees. While there is the example of Daksh eServices and Wipro Spectramind agreeing not to hire from each other, not only are such pacts impossible on an industry scale, but also undesirable, agree HR managers. Measures such as training graduates and college students in language and communication skills have been suggested by Nasscom and by several Governments keen on attracting callcenters to their States. These are too `long term' in nature, says Mr Gurbaxani. "Someone in the call centre industry today needs to worry about what he is doing tomorrow. One way could be for call centers to move to B cities such as Indore, Ahmedabad, Mysore or Coimbatore to reduce costs and attrition as well as to tap their most valuable and expensive resource - people. http://www.hinduonnet.com/businessline/2003/06/16/stories/2003061601560200.htm

5. Indian Call CentersNot a Bed of Roses Booming nascent industry is plagued by a high turnover rate
SOURCE: India currents SAIKAT CHAKRABORTY, Sep 26, 2003 Mani was a normal 21-year-old till he got a job a year ago. Now, he is suffering from health problems usually associated with people twice his ageinsomnia, fatigue, and indigestion. Recently, things have worsened. He has started exhibiting signs of a split personality. This

61
is because his job requires him to pretend to be Matthew and speak in a false American accent for eight hours a day. Mani works in one of Indias call centers, which have mushroomed in the last couple of years because of the outsourcing of back-office jobs from the U.S. and Britain. And while there is much heartburn among workers in the Western countries who are afraid that their jobs may soon be shipped off to the developing world, those who work in these ventures in India are facing health and social problems of a much more serious nature. While cases like Manis may be rare, continuous night shifts, high work targets, and irregular mealtimes are taking a toll on the health of the workers. Not just that, working according to American and British holiday schedules wreaks havoc with their social life. We are constantly on night shifts because then it is day in the U.S. and Britain, says Sudha Bajpai, who works in a leading call center in New Delhi. So we return home only in the mornings and sleep through the day. Then it is time to go back to the office. We also do not get holidays on festivals like Holi and Diwali but on Fourth of July! As a result, we hardly get to spend time with even our families. Most call centers expect their workers to make up to 250 calls a day on an average, which can be very demanding. Many are unable to cope, and psychological problems are becoming increasingly common among workers of Indian call centers. These days, the number of people between 18-21 years who visit psychiatrists has gone up significantly. Of them, almost 15 percent work in call centers, says Jitendra Nagpal, consultant psychiatrist, Vidyasagar Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (VIMHANS) in New Delhi. Many of them exhibit symptoms of burn-out stress syndrome (BOSS) like chronic fatigue and insomnia. Perhaps that is one reason why the attrition rate in call centers is as high as 35 percent, according to estimates by the National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM), Indias apex association of information technology software and service companies. Because of the night shifts they face and impatient or angry customers they have to sometimes deal with, employees have high stress levels, Aadesh Goyal, executive vice president and general manager, Hughes BPO Services commented at a recent seminar on outsourcing. Half of them smoke too much and many quit the industry due to stress. Not everyone agrees with this hypothesis, though. Candidates know what kind of schedule they will have to follow once they join. Many also undergo formal training in institutes before joining large call centers. Therefore, stress cannot be the only reason for the high attrition rate, opines Vandana Ranganathan, head of corporate communications at Daksh eServices, one of the countrys leading call centers. Which job today does not involve stress and deadlines? Do people keep resigning for this? One reason call center employees are unable to handle the stress could be their relatively young age. Most of them are between 19-21 years and without specific training in stress management, they are ill equipped to handle rude customers on the phone. In the U.S., on the other hand, the average age of call center agents is between 26-29 years so they tend to be more mature. Several call centers have begun to address the problem by introducing stress management sessions and appointing counselors. Despite that, problems like Manis split personality continue to be largely ignored because they are rare. Management admits that agents are told to introduce themselves with an Anglicized name to the calling parties, but they say this is only to put the customer at ease and ensure that time is not wasted by them trying to clarify the pronunciation of Indian names. As for the put-on American accents, Wipro Spectramind Chief Executive Officer Raman Roy says: All we do is ask our people to neutralize Indian accents and remove any Indianisms that may get in the way of easy

62
conversation. Psychiatrists, however, warn that the workers may begin to relate more to their on-the-job personalities over time. For the moment, industry watchers do not believe such phenomena are responsible for the high attrition rates. They say a primary reason for so many people leaving could be the lack of opportunity to move up the job ladder as the management pyramid is very narrow at the top. They do not consider it a career option, says Goyal. Yet another reason for the high turnover rate could be that call centers are increasingly employing young women. This is because they find them better suited for voice-based projects. The women, on their part, are attracted by starting salaries of Rs.120, 000 per year (approx $ 2,600) plus incentives, which is fairly decent by Indian standards. Today, women form 30 to 60 percent of the industrys work force, according to ICE World, a trade publication. While this may seem to be balancing the scales in favor of women who have faced disadvantages in the job sphere for so many years, trouble starts when these young women get married. The in-laws of many of them usually do not take too well to their all-night work schedules, forcing them to quit. The industry has woken up to the fact that employing women also entails developing a relationship of trust with their relatives. We try to reassure relatives of our women employees by organizing family days on a regular basis, says Zia Sheikh, chief operating officer of Infowavz International, a Mumbai-based call center. Besides, pick-up and drop facilities are the norm for all those working night shifts. Then there is the inevitable poaching by rival companies as the $1.6 billion Indian call center industry expands. To offset poaching and give their employees avenues to let out their stress, leading call centers provide them with in-house gymnasiums, pool tables, subsidized medical care and five-star food. Weekend parties and tastefully decorated work places are the norm. Despite this and the facts that India has a huge pool of English-educated graduates and rampant unemployment, the industry is unable to attract sufficient talent. It is clear, therefore, that things are not yet right as far as employee satisfaction goes. The Indian call center industry has to gear up to meet these challenges. Research firm Gartner Inc. of Stamford, CT predicts that the global offshore Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) market is expected to reach $1.8 billion this year and grow to $24.23 billion by 2007. India is likely to attract a major chunk of these projects. The Indian BPO industry must realize that to keep growing, it must keep not only its customers but also its employees happy. http://indiacurrents.com/news/view_article.html? article_id=2ba79f90c71d60ebddc033fdeebf24ce

6.

Source: TIMES OF INDIA 20th September 2006

63

64

7. SAMPLE OF EMPLOYEE STRESS SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE - 1

NAME_______________________________________________________________ AGE________ GENDER: M/F_______ QUALIFICATION_____________________________________________________ NAME OF THE COMPANY_____________________________________________ QUESTIONNAIRE 1. Nature of your operation Inbound call handling service 2. You deal with International calls Domestic calls Outbound call handling service

3. Since when are you working with your current company? _____________________________________________________________________ 4. How long was your training period? _____________________________________________________________________ 5. What are your shift timings? _____________________________________________________________________ 6. The shifts are Permanent Rotational Flexible

7. How many breaks do you get? _____________________________________________________________________ 8. How long is each break? _____________________________________________________________________ 9. Facilities provided by the company. (Can tick more than one option) Recreation room Gym Canteen Library Pick and Drop Any other_____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ 10. Your company organizes parties/ picnics/ events Regularly Occasionally Never 11. Your Team leader/ Boss is Approachable Short tempered Demanding Understanding Motivating Panicky Any other_______________________

12. Your relationship with your boss/ team leader is-

65 Very Good Good Satisfactory 13. Your normal day at work is Good Exciting Easy going Hard 14. The environment of your workplace is Very Good Good Satisfactory Poor 15. How are you rewarded for your good performance? _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ 16. According to you, your work targets set by the company are Achievable Hard to achieve Impossible to achieve 17. In case of inability to achieve the targets your TL/ Boss Has a talk with you Screams at you Gives you another chance 18. Suggestions given by the employees are acknowledged by the management. Yes Somewhat No 19. What is it that makes your company different from others? _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ 20. Would you refer this company to your friend as a good place to work in? Yes Maybe No 21. What is that you would like to change or include in your workplace? _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ 22. Which is your dream company? _____________________________________________________________________ Bad Boring

Thank you for spending your precious time!

66

8. SAMPLE OF EMPLOYEE STRESS SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE 2

Rate the frequency with which you have experienced each of these items listed below. Take the last two weeks as your time frame. Use the following rating scale: 0= Never 1=Sometimes 2= Often 3= Very often 1. Loss of appetite 2. Tendency to overeat (Especially in response to stressful situations) 3. Fluttering motion of the eyes 4. Tightened muscles in the neck/jaw 5. Cold hands 6. Sweating of palms 7. Excessive sweating of the body 8. Tightness of body muscles 9. Strained voice usually high-pitched 10. Hunching posture 11. Headaches 12. Trembling 13. Dryness of mouth 14. Tendency to be frightened or startled easily 15. Feelings of depression _____ 16. Irritability 17. The desire to escape from people or things or situations 18. Inability to think clearly 19. Inability to make decisions 20. Inability to solve simple problems 21. Impatience 22. Tendency to be critical of others _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____

67 23. Tendency to be a perfectionist 24. Tendency to lose temper 25. Feelings of mild panic 26. Fear of death 27. Fear of being alone 28. Inability to cope with criticisms 29. Inability to get along with others 30. Low concentration 31. Feeling of inability to cope with problems and frustrations 32. Inability to freely express emotion, especially anger 33. Inability to confide problems or concerns in another person 34. Weakness and fatigue 35. Dizziness 36. Tendency to faint easily 37. Difficulty in falling asleep 38. Inability to sit still 39. Tendency to tire easily 40. Inability to cry 41. Tendency to burst into tears 42. Nail biting 43. Excessive drinking 44. Excessive smoking 45. Excessive spending 46. Excessive drug or medication use 47. Aching neck or shoulders 48. Frequent absence from work 49. Forgetfulness 50. Worrisome thoughts YOUR SCORE 0-20 21-40 41-60 61-80 _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ YOUR COMPARATIVE RATING Lower than average Average Moderately higher than average Much higher than average

68 80 and above Harmful level of stress

69

BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Strategic Stress Management - By Valerie J. Sutherland & Cary L. Cooper. 2. Managing Stress - By Donald H. Weiss. 3. ABCs of Human Mind 4. Stress Management & Relaxation Strategies 5. Building Call Center Culture - By Dan Coen By Epstein

70

WEBLIOGRAPHY

1. www.outsource2india.com 2. www.tribuneindia.com 3. www.indiatogether.org 4. www.researchnews.osu.edu/archive/dispemot.htm

5. www.cdc.gov 6. www.rotten.com/library/culture/indian-call-centers/ 7. www.tmcnet.com/channels/call-center-training/articles/.htm 8. www.callcenterops.com/topic-stress.htm 9. www.thecheers.org/article1810.html 10. www.iseva.com/news-events/downloads/iSeva-The-preferredemployer.pdf 11.www.indiacurrents.com/news/.html 12. www.enterblog.com/200503010314.html 13. www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A56474-2005Feb26.html 14. www.stress.about.com/od/understandingstress/a/stress_basics.htm 15. www.youroffice.com