bpo stree managementob
TRANSCRIPT
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Introduction On Stress -
Todays age is called The Age of Anxietyand this century is called The Century
of Stress.Today vast majorities of people are in a state of Stress. Their fast-paced lifestyle
demands that they are raring to go always and are always under pressure to perform.
This pressure usually leads to Stress. Stress can be due to various reasons. And Stress in
many cases causes Tension, Depression, Aniety, etc.
A lot of research has been conducted into !stress over the last hundred years. Some
theories about it are now settled and accepted" others are still being researched and debated.
Hans Selyewas one of the founding fathers of research on stress. #e stated in $%&' that
Stress is not necessarily something bad it all deends on ho! !e ta"e it# The stress of
ehilarating, creative successful that of failure, humiliation or infection is detrimental. Since
then, a great deal of further research has been conducted on the subject, and new ideas have
come to light.
Stress is now viewed as a (bad thing(, with a range of harmful biochemical and long-
term effects. These effects have rarely been observed in positive situations. Stress is that
stress is a condition or feeling eperienced when a person perceives that demands exceed
the ersonal and social resources the indi$idual is able to mobili%e# )n short, it is what
we feel when we thin* we have lost control over events. There are very many proven s*ills
that we can use to manage stress. These help us to remain calm and effective in high-pressure
situations, and help us avoid the problems of long term stress.
Stress is something that occurs all the time and affects everyone one way or another at
least some of the time. Stress can be a good thing. )t can be a source of motivation to help get
something done or help one to react +uic*ly to a potentially dangerous situation.
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&hat Is Stress'
ST()SS IS TH) *)+A,* +A*) .O, TH) A*A.TI/) CA.ACIT0 O1 +I,*
A,* 2O*0
--- *A/I* 1O,TA,A#
)t isnt easy to find a generally acceptable definition of stress. The word with
different people ta*es different meanings be it professionals, psychologists, doctors,
engineers, management consultants, all use the word in their own distinctive ways.
anagement consultants tal* in terms of organiational challenges, psychologists in terms
of human behaviour and doctors in terms of psychological mechanisms.
The !ord 3stress4 is defined by the Oxford *ictionary as a state of affair
in$ol$ing demand on hysical or mental energy5# A condition or circumstance /not
always adverse0, which can disturb the normal physical and mental health of an
individual. )n medical parlance 1stress1 is defined as a perturbation of the bodys homeostasis.
Stress is the 5!ear and tear5our bodies eperience as we adjust to our continually
changing environment" it has physical and emotional effects on us and can create
positive or negative feelings. As a positive influence, stress can help compel us toaction" it can result in a new awareness and an eciting new perspective. As a negative
influence, it can result in feelings of distrust, rejection, anger, and depression, which in turn
can lead to health problems such as headaches, upset stomach, rashes, insomnia, ulcers, high
blood pressure, heart disease, and stro*e. 2ith the death of a loved one, the birth of a
child, a job promotion, or a new relationship, we eperience stress as we read just
our lives. )n so adjusting to different circumstances, stress will help or hinder us depending
on how we react to it.
Stress is a fact of life. 3ut too much stress can brea* down a person1s physical,
mental, and emotional health. 4lanning can help people to manage stress in their lives. They
must begin to ma*e choices that support their values and develop a personal plan to ta*e
charge of their lives.
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Tyes Of Stress -
)ST()SS - 5ustress is a type of short-term stress that provides immediate strength.
5ustress arises at points of increased physical activity, enthusiasm, and creativity. 5ustress
is a positive stress that arises when motivation and inspiration are needed. A gymnast
eperiences eustress before a competition.
*IST()SS - Distress is a negative stress brought about by constant readjustments or
alterations in a routine. Distress creates feelings of discomfort and unfamiliarity.
There are two types of distress.
1. Acute stress is an intense stress that arrives and disappears +uic*ly. Acute stress is the
most common form of stress. )t comes from demands and pressures of the recent past
and anticipated demands and pressures of the near future. Acute stress is thrilling and
eciting in small doses, but too much is ehausting. 3ecause it is short term, acute stress
doesn1t have enough time to do the etensive damage associated with long-term stress.
Acute stress can crop up in anyone1s life, and it is highly treatable and manageable.
2. 6hronic stress is a prolonged stress that eists for wee*s, months, or even years.
Someone who is constantly relocating or changing jobs may eperience distress. 6hronic
stress destroys bodies, minds and lives. )t wrea*s havoc through long-term attrition. )t1s
the stress of poverty, of dysfunctional families, of being trapped in an unhappy marriage
or in a despised job or career
H0.)(ST()SS - #yper stress occurs when an individual is pushed beyond what he or
she can handle. #yper stress results from being overloaded or overwor*ed. 2hen someone
is hyper stressed, even little things can trigger a strong emotional response. A 2all Street
trader is li*ely to eperience hyper stress.
H0.OST()SS - #ypo stress is the opposite of hyper stress. #ypo stress occurs when an
individual is bored or unchallenged. 4eople who eperience hypo stress are often restless
and uninspired. A factory wor*er who performs repetitive tas*s might eperience hypo
stress.
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)ffects Of Stress -
The human bodys reaction to stress is natural. )t results from the need to resist a
stressful situation. 7or eample, when a person is nervous, there is an increase in his8her
pulse rate. This is a !fight or flight response. #owever, things can go out of control if too
much stress is present. The person can have a heart attac* or a nervous brea*down. Too much
of stress can tell upon a persons health. )f neglected, it can lead to serious health disorders at
a later stage.
.hysical )ffects 6
- )ncreased heart rate and blood pressure
- Sudden increase or decrease in weight /change in appetite0
- 7re+uent headaches, fatigue, and respiratory 4roblems
- 9ervous wea*ness / biting nails, too much sweating0
- )nsomnia
- :educed immunity to common colds and flu
- ;lcers and wea* digestive system
.sychological Affects 6
- Difficulty in concentrating
- ;nable to spend leisure time productively
- Always anious
- 3ad decision ma*ing
- ood swings
- )ncreased usage of food, cigarettes, alcohol and drugs
- Developing fears and phobias
- 7eeling out of control and confused
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Strategies 1or Coing &ith Stress -
After understanding the sources of stress and the effects of stress on individuals, let us
discuss some strategies to fight stress.
Strategies to 1ight Stress
Some of the important strategies for managers to fight stress are prioritiing and
delegating wor*, laughing a lot, eercising regularly, practicing relaation techni+ues,
maintaining a good balanced diet, and having a good nights sleep.
.rioriti%e !or"
ulti-tas*ing is the buword these days. An individual re+uires special s*ills to
perform multiple tas*s simultaneously.
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5ercise is another good stress-buster. )t *eeps an individual physically and mentally
alert. 2hen a person is nervous, tense, or angry, eercise is the best outlet for giving vents to
his8her emotions. :egular eercise lowers blood pressure, lowers pulse rate, boosts blood
circulation in the body, increases artery suppleness, lowers cholesterol, and reduces fatigue
and tension. These benefits help an individual to tac*le the physiological changes that occur
during stress. 5ercise should increase blood circulation to the heart.
(elaxation
The best strategy to reduce stress is to rela. :elaation is not being idle. )t is doing
what one wants to do, rather than what one shoulddo. )t is very important for a person to
schedule some time for relaation. This relaation time should disconnect the person from all
his8her tensions, worries. This is the time when the person rebuilds his8her energy levels.
:elaation techni+ues vary from person to person.
*iet
A good balanced diet plays a vital role in reducing stress. A person tends to neglect diet
when under stress. This may lead to overeating or under-eating. This improper eating results
in a wea* immune system and creates health problems. A well-balanced meal that is eaten on
time is very important to minimie stress.
Slee
Sleep is a weapon. During sleep, a person prepares himself8herself to face another day.
Stress ma*es a person sleepless or very sleepy. A stressed person may feel sleepy throughout
the day and awa*e during nights. -? hours of sleep
per day. Some may need more sleep or some less. After a good nights sleep, a person feels
fresh. An individual must adopt a bedtime routine that induces sleep li*e reading a boo* that
is soothing, and listening to music that is relaing.
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editation is one of the most effective techni+ues in reducing and avoiding stress.
:egular meditation helps in stress reduction. )t
enables one to control the thought process
enables one to ta*e effective decisions
helps in physical and mental relaation
)mproves concentration
editation is a techni+ue to achieve a thoughtless or mindless state. )n this state, a
person has no thoughts. This *ind of state thus acts a stress reliever and a great rejuvenator.
0oga
@oga is another important stress reliever. @oga has been tried and tested since ancient
times. According to 4atanjali aharishi, yoga is the cessation of mind. )t is a state of no-
mind. @oga is not for bodybuilding. )t simply focuses on gentle postures that improve
circulation of blood to vital parts of the body. The increase in blood circulation rejuvenates
the organs and releases stress.
+aintaining !or"-life balance
2or*-life balance means a harmonious balance of wor* and domestic life. )t allows an
employee to fulfill all the roles in his8her life effectively and efficiently. :esearches have
proved that employees are at their best when they are contented and motivated both at wor*
and at home.
Achieving a wor*-life balance is not as easy as it seems. )n the corporate world, change
is constant and imminent. The impact of globaliation has further fuelled these changes. The
corporate world signifies uncertainties, too many responsibilities, and long wor* hours. These
changes in the environment disturb the balance between domestic and wor*-life of
employees. The increasing competition and demands of society further aggravate the
situation. All this adds up to stress.
Imortance of &or"-life balance
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The corporate world is realiing the importance of the wor*-life balance. 6ompanies are
realiing the fact that the wor*-life balance of employees has a direct effect on the
productivity of their organiations. 5hibit & eplains the various practices that companies
follow to maintain wor*-life balance.
The imortance of !or"-life balance is due to the follo!ing reasons6
Changing social scene6
)n todays world, maintaining wor*-life balance is the greatest challenge employees
face. 5mployees have realied that their personal lives have an effect on their wor* life.
#ence, they are striving hard to maintain the balance.
Changing work culture6
There is a shift in the organiational wor* culture. Todays wor* culture provides
fleible wor* hours, focus on results, and recognition of achievements. #owever, this has
made the wor*place even more competitive as employees are epected to always give their
best, and this leads to stress.
Increased work time:
2ith globaliation, organiations are wor*ing '& days, BC hours, and > days a wee*
irrespective of time ones. 3usinesses are focusing more and more on customer care. 2ith
the coming of call centers, this focus has doubled. The technology has added to the speed of
wor* but the wor*load remains the same.
Dual income families6
The shift in attitudes, wor* styles, and cultures has disturbed the wor*-life balance.
2or*ing mothers have major responsibilities of managing both home and wor* place. This
ma*es it all the more important for them to balance wor* and life.
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Achieving a wor*-life balance benefits both employers and employees. 2hile the
employers get the benefit of productive and active employees, the employees feel secure and
loyal. )t also improves confidence, concentration, self-esteem, and loyalty among the
employees. The concept of wor*-life balance is still fresh in )ndia. )ndian )T companies are
probably the first ones to provide a fun-wor* environment. Some companies are now
investing in recreational facilities at the wor*site.
Steps to achieve work-life balance:
To build up an awareness of the importance of wor*-life balance in employees,
companies should conduct regular wor*shops and programs on wor*-life balance.
The follo!ing measures ha$e to be ta"en by emloyers6
Discourage employees from wor*ing late
Ta*e a regular employee satisfaction survey that can identify the pitfalls in the wor*
pattern
4rovide vacations and encourage employees to ta*e brea*s
4rovide opportunities li*e wor* from home, flei times
Stress +anagement -
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5very one wants stress-free life. @et, stress is ubi+uitous.
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8ob stress is a conse9uence of t!o "ey ingredients6 a high le$el of :ob demands and
little control o$er one4s !or"#
-.A7 1(OI7A,*#
&or"lace Stress
&or"lace stressis the harmful physical and emotional response that occurs when there is a
poor match between job demands and the capabilities, resources, or needs of the wor*er.
Stress-related disorders encompass a broad array of conditions, including psychological
disorders /e.g., depression, aniety, post-traumatic stress disorder0 and other types of
emotional strain /e.g., dissatisfaction, fatigue, tension, etc.0, maladaptive behaviors /e.g.,
aggression, substance abuse0, and cognitive impairment /e.g., concentration and memory
problems0. )n turn, these conditions may lead to poor wor* performance or even injury. Fob
stress is also associated with various biological reactions that may lead ultimately to
compromised health, such as cardiovascular disease.
Stress is a prevalent and costly problem in today1s wor*place. About one-third of wor*ers
report high levels of stress.
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conditions as the *ey source of job stress, and for job redesign as a primary prevention
strategy.
Signs of &or"lace Stress
ood and sleep disturbances, upset stomach and headache, and disturbed relationships with
family" friends and girlfriends or boyfriends are eamples of stress-related problems. The
effects of job stress on chronic diseases are more difficult to see because chronic diseases
ta*e a long time to develop and can be influenced by many factors other than stress.
9onetheless, evidence is rapidly accumulating to suggest that stress plays an important role in
several types of chronic health problems-especially cardiovascular disease, musculos*eletal
disorders, and psychological disorders.
.re$ention
A combination of organiational change and stress management is often the most useful
approach for preventing stress at wor*.
#ow to 6hange the
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(educe your stress
$. 8ob analysis6 - 2e have all eperienced that appalling sense of having far too much wor*
to do and too little time to do it in. 2e can choose to ignore this, and wor* unreasonably long
hours to stay on top of our wor*load. The ris*s here are that we become ehausted, that we
have so much to do that we do a poor +uality job and that we neglect other areas of our life.
5ach of these can lead to intense stress.
The alternative is to wor* more intelligently, by focusing on the things that are important for
job success and reducing the time we spend on low priority tas*s. Fob Analysis is the first
step in doing this.
The first of the action-oriented s*ills that we loo* at is Fob Analysis. Fob Analysis is a *ey
techni+ue for managing job overload I an important source of stress.
To do an ecellent job, you need to fully understand what is epected of you. 2hile this may
seem obvious, in the hurly-burly of a new, fast-moving, high-pressure role, it is oftentimes
something that is easy to overloo*.
3y understanding the priorities in your job, and what constitutes success within it, you can
focus on these activities and minimie wor* on other tas*s as much as possible. This helps
you get the greatest return from the wor* you do, and *eep your wor*load under control.
Fob Analysis is a useful techni+ue for getting a firm grip on what really is important in your
job so that you are able to perform ecellently. )t helps you to cut through clutter and
distraction to get to the heart of what you need to do.
B. (ational ; ositi$e thin"ing6 -
@ou are thin*ing negatively when you fear the future, put yourself down, criticie yourself
for errors, doubt your abilities, or epect failure. 9egative thin*ing damages confidence,harms performance and paralyes mental s*ills.
;nfortunately, negative thoughts tend to flit into our consciousness, do their damage and flit
bac* out again, with their significance having barely been noticed. Since we barely realie
that they were there, we do not challenge them properly, which means that they can be
completely incorrect and wrong.
Thought Awareness is the process by which you observe your thoughts and become aware of
what is going through your head.
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#ave you planned, prepared and rehearsed enoughK )f you have done all of these,
you1ve done as much as you can to give a good performance.
&orries about erformance during rehearsal6)f some of your practice was less
than perfect, then remind yourself that the purpose of the practice is to identify areas
for improvement, so that these can be sorted out before the performance.
.roblems !ith issues outside your control6 #ave you identified the ris*s of these
things happening, and have you ta*en steps to reduce the li*elihood of them
happening or their impact if they doK 2hat will you do if they occurK And what do
you need others to do for youK
&orry about other eole
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&orries about erformance6() have prepared well and rehearsed thoroughly. ) am
well positioned to give an ecellent performance.(
.roblems issues outside your control6() have thought through everything that might
reasonably happen and have planned how ) can handle all li*ely contingencies. ) am
very well placed to react fleibly to events.(
&orry about other eole
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The Call Center Industry -
There has been some dispute amongst researchers as to whether it is appropriate to
refer to such a thing as the call center industryE. As 3ain and Taylor point out, despite
similarities in the integration of computer and telephone technologies, centers differ in
relation to a number of important variablesLsie, industrial sector and mar*et, compleity
and length of call cycle time, nature of operations /inbound, outbound or combined0, the
nature and effectiveness of representative institutions including trade unions, and
management styles and prioritiesE. To this list of variables, 6allaghan and Thompson would
add the degree of product compleity and variability and the depth of *nowledge re+uired to
deal with the service interactionE. 3ain and Taylor argue that it is more appropriate to use the
term sectorE, as call 6enters are found across a wide range of industries and may be similar
primarily in terms of their core technologies. They do note, however, that there is a
professional literature and a collective identity that is maintained and developed through
conferences and forums. 3elt, :ichardson and 2ebster /BMMM0 agree that call centers are not
an 1industry1 as the term is generally defined, but rather represent certain ways of delivering
various services using the telephone and computer technologies across traditional industry
boundaries. #owever, these authors provide three strong reasons defending the practice ofreferring to call centers as an industryJ
7irst, the call center community often defines itself as an industry, with numerous
national and international call center conferences and wor*shops ta*ing place each year,
industry journals and call center forums organied at local levels.
Second, the labor force re+uirements of call centers are often the same across sectors.
This means that many, though not all, call centers share a common labor pool.
Third, the organiational templates and technologies used tend to be very similar, regardless
of the sector.
To this one might add the remar*able similarities that international researchers have
found between technologies used, wor* practices and *ey issues including monitoring,
control, training, and labor demographics for wor*ers in countries as diverse as Germany,
Fapan, Australia, Greece, 6anada, the ;S, the ;N and the 9etherlands.
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Issues In Call-Center Industry -
7or many employed in call center sector, daily eperience is of repetitive, intensive
and stressful wor*, based upon Taylorist principles, which fre+uently results in employee
burnoutE. 3rown characteries wor* as repetitive brain strainE. These descriptions are
hardly surprising, in a way, given that call centers are established by organiations to create
an environment in which wor* can be standardied to create relatively uniform and
repetitious activities so as to achieve economies of scale and consistent +uality of customer
serviceE. )n other words, that wor*places are organied in ways that wea*en employee
autonomy and enhance potential for management control, and a loss of control is generally
understood to be an important indicator of wor*-related stressE.
There is almost universal consensus that call center wor* is stressful. 5ven in studies
that report the observation that some staff actually enjoys their wor*, mention of stress is still
the norm, and a significant portion of the call center literature is devoted to detailing the
sources of stress in call center wor*.
1our =ey Stressors
- 3Can !e get off the hone for a !hile'4
The primary source of stress reported is inherent to the nature of the jobJ spending all
day on the phone dealing with people one after another, day after day, is difficult. Doing it
under constant pressure to *eep call volumes up, with no time between calls to recover from
an aw*ward call or from !customer rejectionE is even more difficult. And doing it with very
little authority or autonomy to rectify problemsE that arise is perhaps the most difficult of all.
any studies report agents as wanting to !just get off the phones.
>uality?>uantity Conflict
Typically, organiational rhetoric in inbound call centers is concerned with !customer
care, or !*eeping customers happy /providing +uality service0, yet these goals are
jutaposed with an ongoing pressure to *eep call times down and call volumes up. 6all
centers are rooted in contradictory tensions and structural paradoes, and confront a number
of trades-offs on that basis. These set a contet for attitudes towards the organiation and can
impose conflicting role re+uirements on agents.
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Intensity
The third central stressor in call center wor* is its intensity. As 3ain /BMM$0 argues,
far from being either in terminal decline or on the wane, TaylorismLin conjunction with a
range of other control mechanismsLis not only alive, well and deeply embedded in the call
center labour process, but its malevolent influence appears to be spreading to previously
uncharted territoryE. There is widespread consensus that call centers are a new, and
particularly effective, manifestation of the increasingly capital intensive !industrialiation of
service sector wor*, and wor* performed in them is highly intensive and routineE.
Targets
There is a fourth feature of some call center wor* that may engender stressJ
performance targets. There are various types of targets, which may vary between inbound and
outbound centers. )nbound centers typically have targets for call duration, !wrap time, and
daily call volume.
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2or*ing long and odd hours without any sleep, and eating food supplied by eternal
caterers everyday, has led to C$.%O of the respondents suffering from digestive problems.
5specially for the large number of girls wor*ing in the industry, the problem is even more
severe. any call centers are now ta*ing additional care to ensure their caterers supply
hygienic food" besides stipulating strict conditions to maintain the +uality of the food they
serve.
*eression
)n last year1s survey, this was not among the top disorders, but this year it has climbed
up the chart, affecting nearly one-fourth of the respondents. 9ot surprising, since, as the
industry matures, the initial glit and glamour wears away and the real problems come to the
fore. 9ot only are there several health related issues, but, on top of that, the gradual
realiation that there is limited scope in developing a career owing to fewer growth
opportunities is increasing the frustration levels. 6oupled with growing mental fatigue and
increasingly punishing physical environments, depression is the obvious end result. Some call
centers have now devised different stress management programs mainly to counter
depression. Severe Stomach :elated 4roblems6ontinuing digestive problems lead to severe
stomach disorders li*e gastroenteritis, as endorsed by more than BCO of the respondents.
5ven doctors in major cities agree-in recent times many of the patients with various stomach
ailments are from call centers.
)yesight .roblems
Globally call center industry employees are considered a high-ris* group for eye-
related problems. 2hile the +uality of monitors might impact these disorders, sitting
continually without ade+uate brea*s seems to be the truer reason. The number of people
affected seems to be on the rise-last year only $%O complained" this year it has gone up to
BO. At some point of time, this problem might also afflict the )T services industry, but for
the call center industry, no remedy seems to be in sight.
)ar .roblems
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ore than $'O of the respondents inform that they have hearing problems. Again, no
surprises here, since a call center job involves ta*ing calls throughout the shift, sitting with
headphones. 2hile +uality of headphones does ma*e a difference, it would not be correct to
completely wish the problem away by thin*ing that changing headphones will solve it.
Some other Human Issues in Call-Centers !hich need Immediate Attention .ersonal
habits6
The young eecutives are getting more than five figure salaries per month in an early
age. They tend to develop certain bad habits such as alcohol, smo*ing etc. )t is not easy to
identify such individuals. )t is also very sensitive to tal* to them. The professional counselors
can conduct group-counseling, wor*shops, educative film shows in order to create awareness
on effects of bad habits. Such actions will enable individuals to realie the importance of
good habits and they could see* one to one 6ounseling sessions to solve their problems.
*isciline and beha$ioral issues
6all centers provide ecellent wor*ing environment, free food and transportation.
There is always a situation where individual or group of youngsters tend to commit mista*esand abuse the freedom. They start behaving li*e in college campus where they have more
freedom. #owever, the call center eecutives have more responsibility and accountability,
they need to follow discipline and do well in the job. The most common behavior is misuse of
food, behave erratically in vans, and smo*e in public places, misuse of telephones and other
resources of the company. The supervisors always concentrate on performance and achieving
targets. They do not have time or interest to go deep into these matters and find out the
reasons for such behavior.
Inter-ersonal relationshi and friendshi
5ecutives develop friendship +uic*ly and sometime the friendship brea*s and there
will be misunderstanding among the team members and naturally affects the team
performance. The supervisors and counselors can play a major role to sort out the
interpersonal relationship and develop team spirit. #ealthy relationship among the team
members has always helped the team to out perform. 2hen the relationship fails the
individuals will also brea* down mentally. They either absent for duties or fall ill or the
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performance will come down. )t is also true that due to misunderstanding and brea* in
friendship they change jobs +uic*ly.
7o$e affair and marriages
7ew of the boys and girls fall in love +uic*ly. They maintain the healthy relationship,
behave in a matured manner, plan the future course of action and such persons have got
married with the consent of their parents. They wor* together in the same organiation for
longer duration. There are instances, where lovers fall apart, start disli*ing, creating troubles
to each other and vitiating the atmosphere. They are immature, ta*e instant decisions to brea*
or unite and sometimes go to an etent of damaging others reputation.
Absenteeism
Absenteeism is very high in calls centers. 5mployees tend to be very irregular to the
duty due to various reasons. 4rofessional counseling services to such irregular employees on
one to one basis will help to bring down absenteeism. 6ounselor can educate and eplain the
importance of attending duties to earn salary and also to meet organiational goals. 5ach
individual are uni+ue and the problem they face are also different in nature.
Higher education and art time :obs
)t is possible to do higher education while wor*ing in 34< units. 7ew organiations
encourage and offer support services to pursue higher education. #owever, time management
by the eecutives is crucial to go forward in education as well as to maintain performance and
career growth. 4rogrammes on time management, tips to study, tips to *eep fit and such other
programmes can be offered. These steps would help to see* the loyalty of employees to
organiations and helps greatly for retention of employees.
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;nderstanding that the StressE is a major concern for all 6all-6enter 5mployees, it is
a duty of #:-heads of 6all-6enters to address it properly.
Some of the common signs and symtoms of stress
Although we all eperience stress in different ways, there are certain signs that are
most fre+uently reported. These signs fall into two major categories" physical8behavioral
signs and emotional signs. )f we become aware of our own stress symptoms, we will be more
effective in dealing with them sooner rather than later. 2hat follows is a list of some of the
most eperienced symptoms of stress.
The physical8behavioral symptoms include" muscular tension, muscle spasms and tics,
rapid heart beat, shortness of breath and high blood pressure, cold hands and feet, bac*aches,
headaches and nec* aches, stomach problems, indigestion, irritable bowel and ulcers, feeling
fatigued, irritable, decreased ability to concentrate, insomnia and changes in eating behavior.
Since these physical symptoms may be related to physical problems, you should consult with
your medical doctor before you assume that your symptoms are purely stress-related.
The emotional symptoms include" aniety in a variety of situations not limited to the
stressful situation, depression, hopelessness and a strong urge to cry without specific incident,withdrawal from social interactions and avoidance of previously enjoyed activities,
powerlessness and decreased self esteem, hostility, anger and resentment, fears, phobias and
unwanted thoughts.
=earning to become more aware of your own stress symptoms is the first major step
in the stress management and healing process. )t is often helpful to monitor your daily
symptoms in a stress diary where you match the stressful events with the symptom
eperienced. 7or eample" you made find that if you are stuc* in early morning traffic you
may eperience irritability and headaches. )n this case it will be important to use these
symptoms as a cue that you have to begin managing that stress more effectively when it
happens.
+anaging Stress -
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Since stress is an inevitable fact of life that we cant always prevent, our efforts need
to be focused on coping with stress more effectively. 2hat follows is a description of a three
pronged approach to stress management which includes behavioral8practical techni+ues,
relaation techni+ues and cognitive8thin*ing techni+ues.
The behavioral8practical approaches to stress management include eercise and eating
a healthy, balanced diet, which includes selections from the basic food groups. )n addition, it
is recommended that one avoid the ecessive use of alcohol, caffeine and sugar, which
contribute to fatigue and vulnerability to mood swings. )t is also important to allow the body
to rest and replenish to help inoculate the body against future stress. 3uilding this stress
resistance also includes scheduling time for leisure and pleasure, which provides for a more
balanced, fulfilling life. Anticipating and preparing for recurrent stressors by managing time,
setting priorities and limits, delegating responsibility, and not procrastinating are helpful
stress reducing strategies. These techni+ues are effective stress management tools because
their utiliationis within our control.
The relaation approaches to stress management include a variety of techni+ues
designed to help you effectively manage the body8mind tension. 4rogressive muscle
relaation is an active form of relaation where you individually contract the major muscle
groups of your body for about five seconds and then you rela the individual muscle groups
for a five second holds. The contrast eperienced by this eercise relieves muscle tension and
relaes the body. Some of the more passive relaation approaches include listening to music,
reading and using saunas and hot tubs to relieve tension. Techni+ues used to rela the mind
include meditation and visual imagery. editation teaches you how to clear the mind of
stressful and distracting thoughts by focusing the mental energy on positive coping thoughts.
Hisual imagery is designed to help the individual visualie him8herself coping effectively
with a stressor that was previously eperienced as overwhelming. The behavioral and
relaation approaches described above are necessary but not sufficient conditions for stress
management. The third prong to stress management, the cognitive or thin*ing approach, is
essential to effective coping with stress.
The cognitive or thin*ing approaches are an integral part of coping effectively with
stress and now the primary focus of many stress management programs. Since it has been
determined that we can turn off the stress response by changing our threatening8dangerous
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event appraisals to appraisals that help us view these events as manageable challenges, we
have a direct lin* to controlling the stress response. The first step in the cognitive approach is
to identify our thoughts or internal dialog that is negative, perfectionist, blac* and white, rigid
and demanding. )n other words, you are more li*ely to eperience stress if you believe that
you, the world and other people (should or must( behave in a manner consistent with your
demands and standards. 7or eample, you are li*ely to eperience stress if you believe that
the world and your life should be stress free and that you do not have the resources to handle
stress if it does occur. )n addition, demands of perfection on yourself and on others important
to you, increases the chance of feeling stressed since these epectations are unrealistic and
rigid. After identifying your stress producing thoughts you are then able to move onto the
second step in the cognitive approach" recogniing the conse+uences of this negative, rigid
dialog.
The motivation to change the stress-producing dialog comes from the determination
that there are serious conse+uences that result form these negative, rigid thoughts. 2hen you
tal* to yourself in a defeated, pessimistic or rigid way, you deny your ability to cope and are
not li*ely to manage situations effectively or meet goals you set. )n addition, perfectionist
demands are eperienced as appropriately unrealistic and contribute to a (why bother(
attitude. This attitude reduces the li*elihood that you will address these demands since it is arealistic fact that no one or nothing is ever perfect.
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Stress in the 6all 6enter will affect the agent, manager, director, or anyone in the call center
when they let stress gain control. 2hen this happens, they lose self control and have the
feeling of being overwhelmed. The first step in gaining control is and identifying what the
stressors are and understanding the causes and effects. Stress is caused by many things. Time
pressures, high epectations, lac* of communication, high call volume, ineperience, ill-
prepared, to name a few. The effects are decreased productivity, aniety, low morale, poor
customer service levels, and increased turnover. 2hen faced with these stressors, training is
the tool to resolve the issues. @ou must go to your training programs and processes and as*
yourself if the training you are providing the call center employees delivers the tools re+uired
for them to accomplish their goals without the negative stress. Approach dealing with the
stress in the 6all 6enter with assertiveness and confidence.
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Another symptom of high volume is poor attendance8retention - if you consistently
don1t have the reps that you planned for, then you might as well stay home too. )ssues li*e
these are harder to address because the root causes are never the same. @ou have to go the
employees and find out why they are not coming to wor* or why they are leaving you.
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Agents handle an average of $$M calls a day, and ?M percent of the calls that come in
have some level of emotion. ;sually a caller is calling in because they1re frustrated, angry,
upset, concernedLsomething has happened and they1re not happy.
Therefore, it is crucial that agents and especially the call center manager note these
occurrences and become better prepared and informed on handling them for the sa*e of their
wor*ers and their callers. )n these situations the tas* should become how to handle this type
of emotional call rather than instantly labeling it (abusive( and not acceptable.
8ob rotation
2e instituted job sharing8intern program in our call center. 6srs who meet or eceed
job epectations are eligible to do a rotation for three months in other groups. 6srs wor* half
a day on the phones, the other half in the correspondence dept, or in the research dept, wor*
force management, or +uality assurance. This brea*s up their day, teaches them new s*ills, P
provides us with a pool of trained staff whenever we need it. #ave a job rotation program that
alternate telephone staff to do administrative tas*s to brea* up the day to day grind.
Sorts acti$ities
)n our call center, what we followed recently is that we organised a sports wee* where
we as*ed the agents and their supervisours to organise and also ta*e part in the same. This
has brought a change in their wor*ing performance as far as we can see. ) personally feel that
you should organise something that will allow the agents change their daily routine and do
something routine.
2udget for acti$ities
)f employee turnover is a major problem, you may want to budget money for
employee activities 8 incentives. ) have a activity commitee that plans birthday decorating,
holiday potluc*s, contests, etc. )nvolve the staff to join and participate in the commitee.
&ee"ly emloyee focus grou
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Any employee can come to a wee*ly or bi wee*ly focus group with the call center
manager and human resource manager. Questions from the employees are posted publicly
and the date that the issues were addressed.
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2I27OB(A.H0
o www.mindtool.com
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