RESEARCH REPORT ON

Submitted To:

G.B.TECHNICAL UNIVERSITYLUCKNOW

For the partial fulfillment ofMASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

(2009-2011)UPTU University – LUCKNOW

Submitted to: Submitted by:Mrs. Nidhi Singhal SITA RAWATMBA Faculty Roll NO-0921570052

MBA-IV SEMESTER

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DECLARATION

I here by declare that the research report entitled:

“Job satisfaction among the employees of Call Centres” Submitted in partial

fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Masters of business

Administration to UP Technical University, India, is my original work and

not submitted for the award of any other degree, diploma, fellowship, or any

other similar title or prizes.

Date:

SITA RAWATRoll No. 0921570052

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

At the commencement of my project work I wish to express my deep sense

of gratitude to my project guide MRS. NIDHI SINGHAL for his most

valuable and inspiring guidance rendered through out the course for my

project work. Her ideas and suggestion encouraged me to accomplish this

project and made it success. I will never forget his uncountable assistance to

me for this project.

I would like to thank all the faculty members who were constant source of

inspiration and encouragement.

(SITA RAWAT)

TABLE OF CONTENTS4

1. Objective of the study 6

2. Scope of the study 7

3. Introduction to project 8-16

o Models of job satisfaction 17-34

o Introduction to call center 35

o Issues related to call centers 36-48

4. Research methodology 49-53

5. Result and findings 54-58

6. Suggestion 59-63

7. Bibliography 64

Objective of study

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The focus of this research is on the increasingly important aspect of work

culture, satisfaction that employee derive from that service work, emotional

labor, within the context of the call centre industry. The research aimed to

assess the importance of role stress, working conditions, well being,

emotional dissonance & other issues in relation to other work demands both

emotional and psychosocial. Next the research specifically draws on various

theoretical frameworks to assess the best combination of emotional

dissonance and key resources in the work environment (control, rewards,

supports) to account for variance in stress outcomes, with an eye to

intervention. Besides, this report provides various useful suggestions to help

employees to derive maximum satisfaction from their job.

Scope of Study

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In India call center is an attractive option for most of the youngsters because

of the booming IT and ITES industries, with IT strength recognized allover

the world.

Besides, our country also has a largest English speaking population after

USA. A vast workforce of educated, English-speaking, tech-savvy

personnel. Cost-effective manpower: In a call center operation, manpower

typically accounts for 55-60% of the total cost.

Inspite of all these attractive factors, there are some loopholes operating in

call center industries causing lower job satisfaction, poor health due to night

shift, role stress, emotional dissonance etc.

This study was conducted with the basic objective of identifying the

problems of the call centre employees & for the assessment of the risks

perceived. This research report will prove to be of immense help to give

various suggestive measures to reduce the risks identified & to review the

status of the employees.

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Job satisfaction

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Job satisfaction describes” how content an individual is with his or her job” .

The happier people are within their job, the more satisfied they are said to

be. Job satisfaction is not the same as motivation, although it is clearly

linked. Job design aims to enhance job satisfaction and performance;

methods include job rotation, job enlargement and job enrichment. Other

influences on satisfaction include the management style and culture,

employee involvement, empowerment and autonomous work groups. Job

satisfaction is a very important attribute which is frequently measured by

organizations. The most common way of measurement is the use of rating

scales where employees report their reactions to their jobs. Questions relate

to rate of pay, work responsibilities, variety of tasks, promotional

opportunities the work itself and co-workers.

Job satisfaction can be defined as a collection of feelings that an individual

holds toward his or her job. This definition is clearly a very broad one. Yet

this is inherent in the concept. A person’s job is more than just the obvious

activities of shuffling papers, writing programs code, waiting on customers,

or driving a truck. Jobs require interaction with coworkers and bosses,

following organizational rules and policies, meeting performance standards,

living with working conditions that are often less than ideal. This means that

an employee’s assessment of how satisfied or dissatisfied he or she is with

his or her job is a complex summation of a number of discrete job elements.

The extent of job satisfaction should be known to the management at

specified regular intervals. The two main widely used approaches are a

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single global rating and a summation score made up of a number of job

facets. The single global rating method is nothing more than asking

individuals to respond to one question such as All things considered, how

satisfied are you with your job? Respondents then reply by circling a number

from one to five that corresponds to answers from highly satisfied to highly

dissatisfied.

The other approach is a summation of job facets is more sophisticated. It

identifies key elements in a job and asks for the employee’s feeling about

each. Typical factors that would be included are the nature of the work,

supervision, present pay, promotion opportunities, and relations with

coworkers. These factors are rated on a standardized scale and then added up

to create an overall job satisfaction score.

Is one of the foregoing approaches superior to the other? Intuitively, it would

seem that summing up responses to a number of job factors would achieve a

more accurate evaluation of job satisfaction. The research, however, doesn’t

support this intuition. This is one of those rare instances in which simplicity

seems to work as well as complexity. Comparisons of one-question global

ratings with the more lengthy summation of-job-factors method indicate that

the former is essentially as valid as the latter. The best explanation for this

outcome is that the concept of job satisfaction is inherently so broad that the

single question captures its essences.

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Definitions

Job satisfaction has been defined as a pleasurable emotional state resulting

from the appraisal of one’s job; an affective reaction to one’s job and an

attitude towards one’s job.Weiss (2002) has argued that job satisfaction is an

attitude but points out that researchers should clearly distinguish the objects

of cognitive evaluation which are affect (emotion), beliefs and behaviours.

This definition suggests that we form attitudes towards our jobs by taking

into account our feelings, our beliefs, and our behaviors.

History

One of the biggest preludes to the study of job satisfaction was the

Hawthorne studies. These studies (1924-1933), primarily credited to Elton

Mayo of the Harvard Business School, sought to find the effects of various

conditions (most notably illumination) on workers’ productivity. These

studies ultimately showed that novel changes in work conditions temporarily

increase productivity (called the Hawthorne Effect). It was later found that

this increase resulted, not from the new conditions, but from the knowledge

of being observed. This finding provided strong evidence that people work

for purposes other than pay, which paved the way for researchers to

investigate other factors in job satisfaction.

Scientific management (aka Taylorism) also had a significant impact on the

study of job satisfaction. Frederick Winslow Taylor’s 1911 book, Principles

of Scientific Management, argued that there was a single best way to

perform any given work task. This book contributed to a change in industrial

production philosophies, causing a shift from skilled labor and piecework

towards the more modern approach of assembly lines and hourly wages. The

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initial use of scientific management by industries greatly increased

productivity because workers were forced to work at a faster pace. However,

workers became exhausted and dissatisfied, thus leaving researchers with

new questions to answer regarding job satisfaction. It should also be noted

that the work of W.L. Bryan, Walter Dill Scott, and Hugo Munsterberg set

the tone for Taylor’s work.

Some argue that Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory, a motivation theory,

laid the foundation for job satisfaction theory. This theory explains that

people seek to satisfy five specific needs in life – physiological needs, safety

needs, social needs, self-esteem needs, and self-actualization. This model

served as a good basis from which early researchers could develop job

satisfaction theories.

Measuring Programmer Job Satisfaction

Are you satisfied with your job? Are you satisfied with where your career

path is taking you? These are important questions, and I try to take time to

think about this every 6 months or so. Its usually trivial to make a general

statement rating job satisfaction: “Yeah I like my job.” or “My career is

going nowhere.” But what factors influence programmer job satisfaction?

How can hackers become more satisfied with what they do?

First lets break down the main indicators of job satisfaction, and look at how

to measure satisfaction in each of those areas. In the next post in this mini-

series I will write about ways to become more satisfied as a programmer.

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Teamwork

According to Jeff Atwood, “The people you choose to work with are the

most accurate predictor of job satisfaction I’ve ever found.” This rings true

with me. Thinking back, during the times I was most motivated and happy

with what I was doing, I was part of an excellent team of hackers. We

worked well together. We bounced ideas off of each other. We were aware

of each others strengths and weaknesses, and knew how to maximize the

strengths while improving the weaknesses. We respected each others

experience, knowledge, and all around hacker stardom. Well you get the

idea…

Think of the best hackers you have ever worked with. Would they want to be

on your team? If not, you are in trouble. If those hackers wouldn’t want to

be on the team you are on now, its unlikely that your team will be able to

attract other top notch hackers and its unlikely that you yourself are happy.

Good teams are made up of good hackers who work well together.

Attracting top notch people is impossible without an environment that

cultivates job satisfaction. So if the working environment doesn’t rank well

for the satisfaction indicators below, it won’t attract good hackers, and

therefore has virtually no chance of cultivating a good team. This is why the

strength of the development team is the number one predictor of job

satisfaction.

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Quality of Projects

Intelligent people get bored doing the same thing all the time. Hackers are

no different. If they are stuck with the same language, the same boring

CRUD user interface, the same algorithms they learned in their first year

programming, they will be unhappy. Most developers crave learning new

things and being able to apply them. Difficult and challenging problems

excite them.

Taking some time to think about the skills you have learned lately and the

problems you have solved will give you a good idea of not only how

satisfied you are in this area, but also how well you are advancing in your

career.

Work-Life Balance

The hacker stereotype is to work incredibly long hours while surviving on

Cheetos and Bawls soda. This death march method of software development

isn’t sustainable and will take its toll over time, ultimately leading to

burnout and job dissatisfaction.

Taking a look at the number of hours you are working will give some

indication of how you rank in the work-life balance area. Many people on

the track to burnout aren’t even aware of it, so talk to family and friends and

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ask them to help you gauge how well you are balancing work with other

activities and obligations.

Recognition and Respect

People who excel at what they do and are knowledgeable about a subject

expect to be taken seriously and consulted with during decision making.

This is as it should be. Management that disregards the opinions of their

technical people or don’t consult them when it makes sense to do so will be

left with uncooperative and dissatisfied developers when it comes time to

implement an idea.

Have you been allowed to undertake difficult projects? Is your opinion

sought out? Are your ideas taken into consideration? Are you congratulated

for meeting important milestones? This are all good measures of your

recognition and respect within a company. Are you often forced to

implement something you don’t have any control over or disagree with? Are

you often contradicted or marginalized by people who are less

knowledgeable? (Careful with that one - make sure you are open to sound

technical ideas.) These are indicators of dissatisfaction.

Compensation

This is one of the easiest factors of job satisfaction to quantify. Some quick

research at online job boards gives a good idea of compensation packages

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for similar jobs in the same area. Discovering compensation packages for

people in you own company can also be valuable information.

Obviously if you are under-compensated you will not feel satisfied, and on

the flip side if you are compensated well you rank as highly satisfied on this

area.

After looking at and evaluating these criteria one by one, I have a much

better understanding of my personal job satisfaction. It is easier to see which

areas are working well and which I need to take action on in order to

improve my own career satisfaction and general well-being. In two weeks I

will cover steps to increase job satisfaction for each of the factors listed

above.

In the meantime, what factors are important to you?

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Models of job satisfaction

Affect Theory

Edwin A. Locke’s Range of Affect Theory (1976) is arguably the most

famous job satisfaction model. The main premise of this theory is that

satisfaction is determined by a discrepancy between what one wants in a job

and what one has in a job. Further, the theory states that how much one

values a given facet of work (e.g. the degree of autonomy in a position)

moderates how satisfied/dissatisfied one becomes when expectations

are/aren’t met. When a person values a particular facet of a job, his

satisfaction is more greatly impacted both positively (when expectations are

met) and negatively (when expectations are not met), compared to one who

doesn’t value that facet. To illustrate, if Employee A values autonomy in the

workplace and Employee B is indifferent about autonomy, then Employee A

would be more satisfied in a position that offers a high degree of autonomy

and less satisfied in a position with little or no autonomy compared to

Employee B. This theory also states that too much of a particular facet will

produce stronger feelings of dissatisfaction the more a worker values that

facet.

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Dispositional Theory

Another well-known job satisfaction theory is the Dispositional Theory. It is

a very general theory that suggests that people have innate dispositions that

cause them to have tendencies toward a certain level of satisfaction,

regardless of one’s job. This approach became a notable explanation of job

satisfaction in light of evidence that job satisfaction tends to be stable over

time and across careers and jobs. Research also indicates that identical twins

have similar levels of job satisfaction.

A significant model that narrowed the scope of the Dispositional Theory was

the Core Self-evaluations Model, proposed by Timothy A. Judge in 1998.

Judge argued that there are four Core Self-evaluations that determine one’s

disposition towards job satisfaction: self-esteem, general self-efficacy, locus

of control, and neuroticism. This model states that higher levels of self-

esteem (the value one places on his/her self) and general self-efficacy (the

belief in one’s own competence) lead to higher work satisfaction. Having an

internal locus of control (believing one has control over her\his own life, as

opposed to outside forces having control) leads to higher job satisfaction.

Finally, lower levels of neuroticism lead to higher job satisfaction.

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Two-Factor Theory (Motivator-Hygiene Theory)

Frederick Herzberg’s Two factor theory (also known as Motivator Hygiene

Theory) attempts to explain satisfaction and motivation in the workplace.

This theory states that satisfaction and dissatisfaction are driven by different

factors – motivation and hygiene factors, respectively. Motivating factors are

those aspects of the job that make people want to perform, and provide

people with satisfaction, for example achievement in work, recognition,

promotion opportunities. These motivating factors are considered to be

intrinsic to the job, or the work carried out. Hygiene factors include aspects

of the working environment such as pay, company policies, supervisory

practices, and other working conditions.

While Hertzberg's model has stimulated much research, researchers have

been unable to reliably empirically prove the model, with Hackman &

Oldham suggesting that Hertzberg's original formulation of the model may

have been a methodological artifact. Furthermore, the theory does not

consider individual differences, conversely predicting all employees will

react in an identical manner to changes in motivating/hygiene factors.

Finally, the model has been criticised in that it does not specify how

motivating/hygiene factors are to be measured.

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Job Characteristics Model

Hackman & Oldham proposed the Job Characteristics Model, which is

widely used as a framework to study how particular job characteristics

impact on job outcomes, including job satisfaction. The model states that

there are five core job characteristics (skill variety, task identity, task

significance, autonomy, and feedback) which impact three critical

psychological states (experienced meaningfulness, experienced

responsibility for outcomes, and knowledge of the actual results), in turn

influencing work outcomes (job satisfaction, absenteeism, work motivation,

etc.). The five core job characteristics can be combined to form a motivating

potential score (MPS) for a job, which can be used as an index of how likely

a job is to affect an employee's attitudes and behaviors----. A meta-analysis

of studies that assess the framework of the model provides some support for

the validity of the JCM.

Measuring job satisfaction

There are many methods for measuring job satisfaction. By far, the most

common method for collecting data regarding job satisfaction is the Likert

scale (named after Rensis Likert). Other less common methods of for

gauging job satisfaction include: Yes/No questions, True/False questions,

point systems, checklists, and forced choice answers. This data is typically

collected using an Enterprise Feedback Management (EFM) system.

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The Job Descriptive Index (JDI), created by Smith, Kendall, & Hulin

(1969), is a specific questionnaire of job satisfaction that has been widely

used. It measures one’s satisfaction in five facets: pay, promotions and

promotion opportunities, coworkers, supervision, and the work itself. The

scale is simple, participants answer either yes, no, or can’t decide (indicated

by ‘?’) in response to whether given statements accurately describe one’s

job.

The Job in General Index is an overall measurement of job satisfaction. It

is an improvement to the Job Descriptive Index because the JDI focuses too

much on individual facets and not enough on work satisfaction in general.

Other job satisfaction questionnaires include: the Minnesota Satisfaction

Questionnaire (MSQ), the Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS), and the Faces

Scale. The MSQ measures job satisfaction in 20 facets and has a long form

with 100 questions (five items from each facet) and a short form with 20

questions (one item from each facet). The JSS is a 36 item questionnaire that

measures nine facets of job satisfaction. Finally, the Faces Scale of job

satisfaction, one of the first scales used widely, measured overall job

satisfaction with just one item which participants respond to by choosing a

face.

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Job satisfaction and emotions

Mood and emotions while working are the raw materials which cumulate to

form the affective element of job satisfaction. (Weiss and Cropanzano,

1996). Moods tend to be longer lasting but often weaker states of uncertain

origin, while emotions are often more intense, short-lived and have a clear

object or cause.

There is some evidence in the literature that state moods are related to

overall job satisfaction. Positive and negative emotions were also found to

be significantly related to overall job satisfaction.

Frequency of experiencing net positive emotion will be a better predictor of

overall job satisfaction than will intensity of positive emotion when it is

experienced.

Emotion regulation and emotion labor are also related to job satisfaction.

Emotion work (or emotion management) refers to various efforts to manage

emotional states and displays. Emotion regulation includes all of the

conscious and unconscious efforts to increase, maintain, or decrease one or

more components of an emotion. Although early studies of the consequences

of emotional labor emphasized its harmful effects on workers, studies of

workers in a variety of occupations suggest that the consequences of

emotional labor are not uniformly negative.

It was found that suppression of unpleasant emotions decreases job

satisfaction and the amplification of pleasant emotions increases job

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satisfaction. The understanding of how emotion regulation relates to job

satisfaction concerns two models:

1. Emotional dissonance . Emotional dissonance is a state of discrepancy

between public displays of emotions and internal experiences of

emotions, that often follows the process of emotion

regulation.Emotional dissonance is associated with high emotional

exhaustion, low organizational commitment, and low job satisfaction.

2. Social interaction model. Taking the social interaction perspective,

workers’ emotion regulation might beget responses from others during

interpersonal encounters that subsequently impact their own job

satisfaction. For example: The accumulation of favorable responses to

displays of pleasant emotions might positively affect job satisfaction .

Performance of emotional labor that produces desired outcomes could

increase job satisfaction.

Relationships and practical implications

Job Satisfaction can be an important indicator of how employees feel about

their jobs and a predictor of work behaviours such as organizational

citizenship, absenteeism, and turnover. Further, job satisfaction can partially

mediate the relationship of personality variables and deviant work behaviors.

One common research finding is that job satisfaction is correlated with life

satisfaction. This correlation is reciprocal, meaning people who are satisfied

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with life tend to be satisfied with their job and people who are satisfied with

their job tend to be satisfied with life. However, some research has found

that job satisfaction is not significantly related to life satisfaction when other

variables such as nonwork satisfaction and core self-evaluations are taken

into account.

An important finding for organizations to note is that job satisfaction has a

rather tenuous correlation to productivity on the job. This is a vital piece of

information to researchers and businesses, as the idea that satisfaction and

job performance are directly related to one another is often cited in the

media and in some non-academic management literature. A recent meta-

analysis found an average uncorrected correlation between job satisfaction

and productivity to be r=.18; the average true correlation, corrected for

research artifacts and unreliability, was r=.30. Further, the meta-analysis

found that the relationship between satisfaction and performance can be

moderated by job complexity, such that for high-complexity jobs the

correlation between satisfaction and performance is higher (ρ=.52) than for

jobs of low to moderate complexity (ρ=.29). In short, the relationship of

satisfaction to productivity is not necessarily straightforward and can be

influenced by a number of other work-related constructs, and the notion that

"a happy worker is a productive worker" should not be the foundation of

organizational decision-making.

With regard to job performance, employee personality may be more

important than job satisfaction. The link between job satisfaction and

performance is thought to be a spurious relationship; instead, both

satisfaction and performance are the result of personality.

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Job Satisfaction: Putting Theory Into Practice

Yes, it is possible for you and your employees to be happy on the job. The

key is in how you handle two factors: motivation and 'hygiene.'

Employee satisfaction and retention have always been important issues for

physicians. After all, high levels of absenteeism and staff turnover can affect

your bottom line, as temps, recruitment and retraining take their toll. But

few practices (in fact, few organizations) have made job satisfaction a top

priority, perhaps because they have failed to understand the significant

opportunity that lies in front of them. Satisfied employees tend to be more

productive, creative and committed to their employers, and recent studies

have shown a direct correlation between staff satisfaction and patient

satisfaction. Family physicians who can create work environments that

attract, motivate and retain hard-working individuals will be better

positioned to succeed in a competitive health care environment that demands

quality and cost-efficiency. What's more, physicians may even discover that

by creating a positive workplace for their employees, they've increased their

own job satisfaction as well.

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Herzberg's theory

In the late 1950s, Frederick Herzberg, considered by many to be a pioneer in

motivation theory, interviewed a group of employees to find out what made

them satisfied and dissatisfied on the job. He asked the employees

essentially two sets of questions:

1. Think of a time when you felt especially good about your job. Why

did you feel that way?

2. Think of a time when you felt especially bad about your job. Why

did you feel that way?

From these interviews Herzberg went on to develop his theory that there are

two dimensions to job satisfaction: motivation and "hygiene" (see "Two

dimensions of employee satisfaction"). Hygiene issues, according to

Herzberg, cannot motivate employees but can minimize dissatisfaction, if

handled properly. In other words, they can only dissatisfy if they are absent

or mishandled. Hygiene topics include company policies, supervision,

salary, interpersonal relations and working conditions. They are issues

related to the employee's environment. Motivators, on the other hand, create

satisfaction by fulfilling individuals' needs for meaning and personal growth.

They are issues such as achievement, recognition, the work itself,

responsibility and advancement. Once the hygiene areas are addressed, said

Herzberg, the motivators will promote job satisfaction and encourage

production.

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Applying the theory

To apply Herzberg's theory to real-world practice, let's begin with the

hygiene issues. Although hygiene issues are not the source of satisfaction,

these issues must be dealt with first to create an environment in which

employee satisfaction and motivation are even possible.

Company and administrative policies

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Two dimensions of employee satisfaction

Frederick Herzberg theorized that employee satisfaction

depends on two sets of issues: "hygiene" issues and

motivators. Once the hygiene issues have been addressed, he

said, the motivators create satisfaction among employees.

Hygiene issues (dissatisfies)

Company and administrative policiesSupervisionSalaryInterpersonal relationsWorking conditions

Motivators (satisfiers)

Work itself Achievement Recognition Responsibility Advancement

An organization's policies can be a great source of frustration for employees

if the policies are unclear or unnecessary or if not everyone is required to

follow them. Although employees will never feel a great sense of motivation

or satisfaction due to your policies, you can decrease dissatisfaction in this

area by making sure your policies are fair and apply equally to all. Also,

make printed copies of your policies-and-procedures manual easily

accessible to all members of your staff. If you do not have a written manual,

create one, soliciting staff input along the way. If you already have a

manual, consider updating it (again, with staff input). You might also

compare your policies to those of similar practices and ask yourself whether

particular policies are unreasonably strict or whether some penalties are too

harsh.

Supervision

To decrease dissatisfaction in this area, you must begin by making wise

decisions when you appoint someone to the role of supervisor. Be aware that

good employees do not always make good supervisors. The role of

supervisor is extremely difficult. It requires leadership skills and the ability

to treat all employees fairly. You should teach your supervisors to use

positive feedback whenever possible and should establish a set means of

employee evaluation and feedback so that no one feels singled out.

Salary

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The old adage "you get what you pay for" tends to be true when it comes to

staff members. Salary is not a motivator for employees, but they do want to

be paid fairly. If individuals believe they are not compensated well, they will

be unhappy working for you. Consult salary surveys or even your local help-

wanted ads to see whether the salaries and benefits you're offering are

comparable to those of other offices in your area. In addition, make sure you

have clear policies related to salaries, raises and bonuses.

Interpersonal relations

Remember that part of the satisfaction of being employed is the social

contact it brings, so allow employees a reasonable amount of time for

socialization (e.g., over lunch, during breaks, between patients). This will

help them develop a sense of camaraderie and teamwork. At the same time,

you should crack down on rudeness, inappropriate behavior and offensive

comments. If an individual continues to be disruptive, take charge of the

situation, perhaps by dismissing him or her from the practice.

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Working conditions

The environment in which people work has a tremendous effect on their

level of pride for themselves and for the work they are doing. Do everything

you can to keep your equipment and facilities up to date. Even a nice chair

can make a world of difference to an individual's psyche. Also, if possible,

avoid overcrowding and allow each employee his or her own personal space,

whether it be a desk, a locker, or even just a drawer. If you've placed your

employees in close quarters with little or no personal space, don't be

surprised that there is tension among them.

Before you move on to the motivators, remember that you cannot neglect the

hygiene factors discussed above. To do so would be asking for trouble in

more than one way. First, your employees would be generally unhappy, and

this would be apparent to your patients. Second, your hardworking

employees, who can find jobs elsewhere, would leave, while your mediocre

employees would stay and compromise your practice's success. So deal with

hygiene issues first, then move on to the motivators.

Work itself

Perhaps most important to employee motivation is helping individuals

believe that the work they are doing is important and that their tasks are

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meaningful. Emphasize that their contributions to the practice result in

positive outcomes and good health care for your patients. Share stories of

success about how an employee's actions made a real difference in the life of

a patient, or in making a process better. Make a big deal out of meaningful

tasks that may have become ordinary, such as new-baby visits. Of course

employees may not find all their tasks interesting or rewarding, but you

should show the employee how those tasks are essential to the overall

processes that make the practice succeed. You may find certain tasks that are

truly unnecessary and can be eliminated or streamlined, resulting in greater

efficiency and satisfaction.

Achievement

One premise inherent in Herzberg's theory is that most individuals sincerely

want to do a good job. To help them, make sure you've placed them in

positions that use their talents and are not set up for failure. Set clear,

achievable goals and standards for each position, and make sure employees

know what those goals and standards are. Individuals should also receive

regular, timely feedback on how they are doing and should feel they are

being adequately challenged in their jobs. Be careful, however, not to

overload individuals with challenges that are too difficult or impossible, as

that can be paralyzing.

Recognition

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Individuals at all levels of the organization want to be recognized for their

achievements on the job. Their successes don't have to be monumental

before they deserve recognition, but your praise should be sincere. If you

notice employees doing something well, take the time to acknowledge their

good work immediately. Publicly thank them for handling a situation

particularly well. Write them a kind note of praise. Or give them a bonus, if

appropriate. You may even want to establish a formal recognition program,

such as "employee of the month."

Responsibility

Employees will be more motivated to do their jobs well if they have

ownership of their work. This requires giving employees enough freedom

and power to carry out their tasks so that they feel they "own" the result. As

individuals mature in their jobs, provide opportunities for added

responsibility. Be careful, however, that you do not simply add more work.

Instead, find ways to add challenging and meaningful work, perhaps giving

the employee greater freedom and authority as well.

Advancement

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Reward loyalty and performance with advancement. If you do not have an

open position to which to promote a valuable employee, consider giving him

or her a new title that reflects the level of work he or she has achieved.

When feasible, support employees by allowing them to pursue further

education, which will make them more valuable to your practice and more

fulfilled professionally.

Why you can lose job satisfaction

Lack of job satisfaction can be a significant source of daily stress. To help

get your stress back under control, figure out what exactly has caused you to

sour on your job.

Reasons why you may have lost job satisfaction can include:

Bickering co-workers

Conflict with your supervisor

Not being appropriately paid for what you do

Not having the necessary equipment or resources to succeed

Lack of opportunities for promotion

Having little or no say in decisions that affect you

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Fear of losing your job

Work that you find boring or overly routine

Work that doesn't tap into your education, skills or interests

Take some time to think about what motivates and inspires you. You may

even want to work with a career counselor to complete a formal assessment

of your interests, skills and passions. Then explore some strategies to

increase your job satisfaction.

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What is a Call Center?

A call center is a centralized office used for the purpose of receiving and

transmitting a large volume of requests by telephone.

A call centre is operated by a company to administer incoming product

support or information inquiries from consumers. Outgoing calls for

telemarketing, clientele, and debt collection are also made. In addition to a

call centre, collective handling of letters, faxes, and e-mails at one location is

known as a contact centre.

A call centre is often operated through an extensive open workspace for call

centre agents, with work stations that include a computer for each agent, a

telephone set/headset connected to a telecom switch, and one or more

supervisor stations. It can be independently operated or networked with

additional centers, often linked to a corporate computer network, including

mainframes, microcomputers and LANs. Increasingly, the voice and data

pathways into the centre are linked through a set of new technologies called

computer telephony integration (CTI).

Most major businesses use call centers to interact with their customers.

Examples include utility companies, mail order catalogue firms, and

customer support for computer hardware and software. Some businesses

even service internal functions through call centers. Examples of this include

help desks and sales support.

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Issues Related To Call Centres

A survey among 774 agents in four large Danish companies in house call

centers shows that working in a call center is stressful. Lack of control and

autonomy, lack of potentiality and challenges, conflict between qualitative

and quantitative demands and monitoring all have an adverse effect on job

satisfaction. The survey reveals a need for improving working conditions

and for development of the work as such in call centers. The survey suggests

that the agents both want to participate in the process of development and

that they can contribute to the process in a competent way. In the project as

part of which the survey has been undertaken there is already several

examples of how this can be done.

The telephone call center industry in India has been established only over

the last 10 years. The Industry is touted as a magic wand that will ward off

unemployment for thousands of young graduates. There is a concern

regarding issues of health and safety that are unique to this new and

developing industry. The lack of reliable and relevant information on which

to base the response to this concern poses a challenge for safeguarding the

health of call center employees. There is a need to discuss the issues and

concerns regarding the health of the call center employees, to develop

recommendations to this new industry. The background for the study was a

data quest survey whose results were disturbing.

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This study was undertaken to:

• Identify the problems of the call centre employees.

• Assessment of the risks perceived.

• Suggest measures to reduce the risks identified.

• Review the status of the employees.

Health concerns

Long hours of work, permanent night shifts, incredibly high work targets,

loss of identity are these the dark clouds that threaten to mar the 'sunshine'

call center industry in India? The odd timings and nature of work roots

people to a chair 9 h a day, reading pre-scripted conversations on the phone

endlessly - often to irate customers from across the globe. Where every

single second of an employee's time is recorded, measured and automatically

logged onto a computer for praise or censure on a weekly basis. Where

walking down to the water cooler for a drink and a chat with a friend messes

up performance metrics, salaries, and hikes. Where the three acts of

listening, watching and talking - all at the same time - never get a break.

This performance monitoring also puts enormous stress on the employees.

The call center ranked high for attrition due to health reasons, for:

Sleeping disorders-83% compared to industry average of 39.5%,

Voice loss-8.5% as against 3.9%,

Other problems were:

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Ear problems (8.5%),

Digestive disorders (14.9%) and

Eye sight problems (10.6%).

India is situated 5 h ahead of UK, 10 h ahead of New York and 13 h ahead

of Los Angeles. US and UK companies can claim overnight response

capability because during their night time, it is day time in India and agents

in India can respond to emails during Indian business hours. This is known

as follow the sun model. It is this working at nights that requires adjusting

the biological clock and social practices to a different time, which is turning

out to be a major cause for health-related and social problems.

About 30-40% of the employees working in the call center had complained

of eye problems. Soreness, dryness, blurred vision, light sensitivity,

headache, all these put together is labeled as the Computer vision syndrome.

This problem is more acute with the team leaders who need to come in early

and go back late. Digestive disorders are common among employees in the

call center. Thirty-four percent of employees had complaints on this count as

revealed by the HR managers.

It was also pointed out that the employees are facing the possibility of losing

their voice. The problem known earlier as 'the teacher syndrome' is now

being found in the young workers of call centers. Some of them may face the

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acute manifestation of this in the form of permanent loss of voice. In the

chronic form it is characterized by inability to speak (Dysphonia), pain,

croakiness of voice, irritating cough, poor vocal power, inability to modulate

and breathing difficulties.

BOSS stands for burnout stress syndrome

The BOSS syndrome is seen very commonly among young people working

in call centers. The symptoms of this syndrome include chronic fatigue,

insomnia and complete alteration of 24-hour biological rhythm of the body

are routine cause for sickness absenteeism. Chronic levels of stress affect the

heart, endocrine system and also lead to sleep disorders.Although most such

cases do not require treatment or medication, they need guidance on physical

and mental coordination to cope with a job that requires hyper-alert

efficiency. There is a concern regarding the noise hazard especially of the

Acoustic shock, which is due to sudden high frequency noise, which is very

damaging to the ear and can also cause permanent deafness. There are also

complaints regarding muskuloskeletal disorders, we need to wonder whether

they outsource body pain along with work. The call center processes are

designed to fit the technology and not the workers.

Little documentation is available as yet on these health problems but there

are three clear issues emerging from the nature of call center work, the first

is on the issue of identity, and the second issue is the isolation faced by call

center employees. Given the intense contact between team members on a

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shift, there is bound to be some development of inter-personal relationships.

When the shift changes, there is a sudden break-up of relations. There is a

period of total isolation both within the work environment and without -

since family lives get disrupted and contacts between family members

break-up. The third issue is related to the stress levels of employees put to

work on night shifts and given high targets - this may force some towards

drug abuse of some sort like pep-up pills and other drugs to keep them going

- especially when youngsters have money to indulge - this is a very genuine

apprehension.

Staffing troubles

One prediction is that by 2008, India will employ two million people as call

center operators. The only obstacle to runaway growth may be finding

enough high-standard recruits with good enough English to meet demand.

Today, most top executives acknowledge that a steady turnover of staff is an

inevitable aspect of the industry. The reasons for this could be boredom with

the job, seeking better prospects or a change, better monetary benefits lack

of career opportunities especially when it comes to vertical growth which is

very minimum, or even the failure of the call center to effectively train

employees to stay at the job. Because the work is so repetitive, most

employees leave within 2 years. Ambitious youngsters, out to make a fast

buck, hop skip and jump across BPO companies, making staff turnover the

single largest issue for business leaders and boardrooms.

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Turnover rates as high as 30% have created a major problem for the call

center as they have to compete with each other for a slice of the business

cake. And some have found a unique way to meet their growth numbers by

turning to the "been-there-done-that 40 plus" generation. The greying of the

BPO sector began a few months ago and is a newly emerging trend in India.

There are fears about the social impact when within a couple of years the

first crop of young 19-20-year-old employees slogs it out and inevitably

suffers burnout. They are less responsible people, their maturity level is low,

and thinking power towards planning their career is also low. Recognition is

not so high for those who work for call center in our society for various

reasons. Some time they themselves hinder to introduce to the society that

they are employed in a call center. As a result of work pressure to meet the

target day and day out and competition among the group they get frustrated

and quit these jobs. Because of minimum qualification, they cannot compete

with out side world and they are blank when are out of this job. They have

given up on higher studies for the seemingly lucrative call center job. Where

do they go from here?

Legal support

The picture that emerges is the absence of any notion of work protections

and guidelines. In an industry being touted as the magic wand that will ward

off unemployment, no one wants to discuss establishing an equitable and

gender-safe work culture.

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In countries like the UK and Australia,where the call center industryis a lot

older, there is a great deal of understanding on what this unique workplace

entails and what needs to be done about it. In the UK, the government

intervened a while ago with a local authority circular called "Advice

Regarding Call Center Working Practices." The circular not only list in

detail the stress factors and ailments peculiar to this industry, but also has

various benchmarks and measures on how to deal with them. In Australia,

some call center companies have signed onto a call center charter that

includes, among other things, a minimum standards code of the workplace.

As of now, no understanding of the problem exists in India, leave alone a

minimum standards code. Some call center and BPO companies in the

country have got together under the aegis of Nasscom to address common

areas of concern - but so far these have largely centered on deciding how not

to poach on each other's employees and what to do with the Shops and

Establishments Act. Employee stress - and its impact on the bottomline

through high attrition rates - is not even on the horizon of concerns.

Although the fundamental elements of a call handler's job are the same as a

typical computer-based office job, the close combination of these elements

results in a unique job often of an intensive nature, hence the need for

appraisal of dangers that are lurking in the corners of well furnished BPO

offices.

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Role stress in call centers: Its effects on employee

performance and satisfaction

Call centers have become an important customer access channel as well as

an important source of customer-related information. Frequently, call center

employees experience role stress as a result of the conflicting demands of

the company, supervisors, and customers. In this article, antecedents and

consequences of role stress in a call center setting are examined.

Specifically, we investigate which forms of empowerment and leadership

styles decrease role stress and how this subsequently effects job satisfaction,

organizational commitment, performance, and turnover intentions. It was

found that particularly the autonomy dimension of empowerment has a role-

stress-reducing effect. Interesting substantive direct positive effects of

empowerment competence and leadership consideration on job satisfaction

were found. Job satisfaction was found to be conducive to job performance.

Furthermore, it was found that job satisfaction reduces turnover intentions,

directly and indirectly via organizational commitment.

Working conditions, well-being, and job-related

attitudes among call centre agents

A comparison of 234 call centre agents with 572 workers in traditional jobs

with long lasting training revealed lower job control and task

complexity/variety and higher uncertainty among call agents. However, time

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pressure, concentration demands, and work interruptions were lower in call

agents. Within the call agent sample, controlling for negative affectivity and

other working conditions, job control predicted intention to quit, and job

complexity/variety predicted job satisfaction and affective commitment.

Social stressors and task-related stressors predicted uniquely indicators of

well-being and job-related attitudes. Furthermore, data confirm the role of

emotional dissonance as a stressor in its own right, as it explained variance

in irritated reactions and psychosomatic complaints beyond other working

conditions. Results indicate that strong division of labour may be a rather

general phenomenon in call centres. Therefore, working conditions of call

agents require a redesign by means of job enrichment or—better—

organization development. Moreover, measures of social stressors and

emotional dissonance should be integrated routinely into stress-related job

analyses in service jobs.

Emotional dissonance, emotional exhaustion and job

satisfaction in call centre workers

The rapid rise of the service sector, and in particular the call centre industry

has made the study of emotional labour increasingly important within the

area of occupational stress research. Given high levels of turnover and

absenteeism in the industry this article examines the emotional demands

(emotional labour) of call centre work and their relationship to the job

satisfaction and emotional exhaustion in a sample of South Australian call

centre workers (N=98) within the theoretical frameworks of the job demand-

control model, the effort-reward imbalance model, and the job demands-

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resources model. Qualitatively the research confirmed the central role of

emotional labor variables in the experience of emotional exhaustion and

satisfaction at work. Specifically the research confirmed the pre-eminence of

emotional dissonance compared to a range of emotional demand variables in

its potency to account for variance in emotional exhaustion and job

satisfaction. Specifically, emotional dissonance mediated the effect of

emotional labor (positive emotions) on emotional exhaustion. Furthermore

emotional dissonance was found to be equal in its capacity to explain

variance in the outcomes compared to the most frequently researched

demand measure in the work stress literature (psychosocial demands).

Finally, emotional dissonance was found to exacerbate the level of

emotional exhaustion at high levels of psychosocial demands, indicating

jobs combining high levels of both kinds of demands are much more risky.

Future theorizing about work stress needs to account for emotional demands,

dissonance in particular. Potential ways to alleviate emotional exhaustion

due to emotional dissonance is to reduce other psychosocial demands,

increase rewards, support and control as conceptualized in the JDR model.

Ways to boost job satisfaction are to increase control, support, and rewards.

Call centers are a rapidly growing, IT-based channel for service and sales

delivery, particularly in the financial services and telecom industries.

Although little research has been undertaken on the human resource aspects

of call centers, two contrasting images are emerging. The first emphasizes

the bureaucratic, constraining nature of these work settings, while the second

image points towards worker empowerment characteristic of knowledge-

intensive settings. Which of these two images more faithfully portrays the

nature of work organization in call centers is the subject of our paper.

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Drawing on qualitative research undertaken in six call centers and a survey

of front-line workers, we show that elements of both models coexist and that

a hybrid model predominates. The theoretical basis for this contention, and

its institutionalization as mass customized bureaucracy, lies in management's

on-going attempts to reconcile two conflicting principles: standardization of

processes and customization of products. The paper also explores, as key

consequences of mass customized bureaucracy, front-line workers'

satisfaction with various facets of their job and their overall job satisfaction,

in addition to discretionary work effort. Only in relation to job security and

co-worker relations could front-line workers be considered satisfied.

Overall, these employees were ambivalent in their responses. They were

however more likely to give more discretionary work effort than indicated

by their extent of satisfaction. We conclude that, although the existing

pattern of work organization may be superior to more bureaucratic forms, it

is by no means ideal from the standpoint of either front-line workers or

management.

Satisfaction and dimensions of control among call

centre customer service representatives

The impact of the call centre workplace upon employee satisfaction or well-

being is beginning to attract the attention of researchers. The aim of this

paper is to explore the factors related to control and other work-based

characteristics that impact upon employee well-being in call centres. Based

on a survey (n=173), data are presented to highlight antecedents of employee

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well-being or job satisfaction in a call centre. Using factor analysis and

regression modelling, we have isolated eight factors that are significantly

associated with job satisfaction (see Fig. below)  

Figure: The predictors of satisfaction

Emotional pressure emerges as a significant as a dimension of control

underpinning factors impacting upon job satisfaction. In addition, work-

based characteristics including computer-facilitated and supervisory control

associated with the role of the customer service representative (CSR) are

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Targets Work-based Characteristics

Organizational Identity

SatisfactionInvolvement

Technological Pressure

Job Control

Emotional Pressure

Consultation

shown to be direct antecedents of satisfaction. Another element of control,

that of targets, emerged as a distinct factor, contributing indirectly to job

satisfaction via its influence on work-based job characteristics.

Much current research infers relatively low levels of satisfaction with both

work and management on the part of customer service representatives

(CSRs). The significance of our analysis resides partly in the qualification of

the view that CSRs are subjected to, and perceive themselves as being

victims at the 'sharp end' of, extreme technological control of the 'electronic

panopticon' variety, itself based on a 'mass production of services' model.

Moreover, much call centre work is considered relatively low-skilled, and

much sociological research indicates that low-skilled work generally is not

intrinsically satisfying and, indeed, employees look to extrinsic factors such

as pay and job security as compensatory mechanisms. Following on from

this, and even more significant for our purposes, is the argument that those

call centre workers who generally regard themselves as playing a positive

role within the wider organization, are regularly informed and valued by

team leaders, and recognize the benefits of certain HRM practices, will have

their view of the work situation ameliorated by those compensatory

mechanisms. Given the validity of this argument, call centre work in certain

circumstances may therefore accord more with the characteristics of 'mass

customization' models. This is not to deny, however, the undoubted

pressures of call centre work, which were commented upon by respondents

and which still may represent the 'unacceptable face' of call centre culture.

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49

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

MARKETING RESEARCH

By the word research mean systematic collection of data, recording of

data, tabulation of data, draws the conclusion with the help of scientific

method is known as research.

According to AMA, “Marketing research is a systematic

gathering, recording and analysis of data about the marketing of goods

and services.”

TYPES OF DATA

Primary data

Secondary data

PRIMARY DATA

These data are collected first time as original data. These are the actual

information which are received by the researchers for the study from the

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actual field of research, these may also be defined as the data collected for

the first time by the researchers for his own purpose.

SOURCE OF COLLECTION

SECONDARY DATA

This is also known as published data. These are the data which are not

originally collected by the researchers but they are obtaining from the public

resources.

SOURCE OF COLLECTION

Secondary data about the company is collected from internet by visiting the

website www.google.com

POPULATION SIZE

In population genetics and population ecology, population size (usually

denoted N) is the number of individual organisms in a population.

The effective population size (Ne) is defined as "the number of breeding

individuals in an idealized population that would show the same amount of

dispersion of allele frequencies under random genetic drift or the same

amount of inbreeding as the population under consideration." Ne is usually

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less than N (the absolute population size) and this has important applications

in conservation genetics.

SAMPLE SIZE

The sample size of a statistical sample is the number of observations that

constitute it. It is typically denoted n, a positive integer (natural number).

A typical example would be when a statistician wishes to estimate the

arithmetic mean of a continuous random variable (for example, the height of

a person). Assuming that they have a random sample with independent

observations, then if the variability of the population (as measured by the

standard deviation σ) is known, then the standard error .

It is easy to show that as n becomes very large, this variability becomes

small. This yields to more sensitive hypothesis tests with greater statistical

power and smaller confidence intervals.

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SAMPLING METHOD

SNOWBALL SAMPLING

The 'snowball' effect occurs as referrals multiply at each step. For example

if you got two referrals from each person, then starting from two people get

four more, then eight, sixteen and so on.

Snowball sampling uses a method beloved by sales people, where customer

referrals to new prospects have particular value as the relationship of trust

and obligation between the identified person and the referrer makes it more

likely that the new person will make a purchase

The need to get the person to give you a referral also means that the

researcher has to form a relationship with the person and be nice to them.

This can change the study results as affective biases in both the researcher

and the target person change how they think and behave.

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With care in selection (you do not have to use every referral) and avoiding

personal bias, snowball sampling can still be a useful method, particularly if

you have no other way of reaching the target population.

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Findings

The major outcome of the discussion was a perceived need for medical

assistance to identify their problems and suggest measures to reduce them

and also recommend to the management the importance of pre-employment

and periodic medical examination and the need for counseling sessions to

tackle the stress at job. Other issues were related to loss of identity, isolation,

and drug abuse and work pressure due to long hours of work, permanent

night shifts, and high work targets. 30-40% of the employees working in the

call center had complained of eye problems. Digestive disorders were also

common among employees in the call center. Thirty-four percent of

employees had complaints on this count as revealed by the HR managers.

India is all set to register the highest growth rate in call center services

industry in Asia Pacific Region. A recent survey on Information technology

enabled services has revealed that currently more than 150 call centers are

operating in the country, inclusive international and domestic. It is widely

believed that this industry is expected to compensate for the loss of revenue,

for the software industry. India's call center industry accounts for a quarter

of the software and service exports from the country, according to the

National Association of Software and Service Companies. Presently more

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than 10 000 seats in the country handle an average of 45-80 calls per seat per

day. The cost of investment per seat varies from Rs. 5 to Rs. 8 lakhs to set

up a state of the art call center with 100-300 seats.Revenues from each seat

ranges from Rs. 8 lakh to Rs. 10 lakh per month. The NASSCOM-Mckinsey

report predicted that IT enabled services would account for a mammoth $17

billion business per year. The report also predicts that in India it might

generate 1.1 million jobs and Rs. 810 billion in revenues by the year 2008.

And despite rumblings by unhappy US workers who have lost their jobs to

foreign firms, India's Business process outsourcing (BPO) sector is projected

to grow as much as 30% in the next few years. Already, 1 60 000 Indians are

employed in call center operations. In Bangalore more than 45 large BPO

units have sprung up in the last couple of years. In the past 8 months more

than 35 000 people have been recruited in Bangalore and according to

industry experts, there is a shortage of over 8000 operators in the city based

call center alone.

This is a sort of level two economic shift, the first was when low cost

manufacturing shifted from the west to China, Malaysia and so on and now

it is the second wave, because of IT services, good telecommunications

links, it is possible to outsource a lot of the basic service and call center jobs

out of one country to other countries.

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But what makes call centers in India such an attractive

option?

The country has intrinsic strengths which make it a major success as an

outsource destination for call center work:

• A booming IT and ITES industries, with IT strengths recognized all over

the world.

• The largest English-speaking population after the USA.

• Western culture, freedom of expression, similar age group employees,

same education background and they will have good team spirit because

most of their colleagues are their classmates. Here this is an only industry

where they can join in groups with same level or grade with same salary.

• Nature of job is easily understandable, they can learn easily and also they

can perform easily with minimum effort. Basic facilities like transportation,

food, safety, and security measures have been assured especially for those

who work in night shifts.

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• A vast workforce of educated, English-speaking, tech-savvy personnel.

• Cost-effective manpower: In a call center operation, manpower typically

accounts for 55-60% of the total cost. In India, manpower is available at a

fraction of the cost overseas upto 40% less. However, some people get

deterred by the fact that cost savings are not seen immediately. Initial

investment in infrastructure and training can be expensive and make one

believe that the promise of cost reduction is false. However, there will be

savings and the fact that several global giants continue to set up call centers

in India is proof of this.

• The Government of India has recognized the potential of IT-enabled

services and has taken positive steps by providing numerous incentives.

• The presence of most international technology vendors and solutions

would enable creation of most advanced set-ups in this technology-intensive

segment.

Given these advantages, India could build a $21-24 billion industry by 2008.

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59

Strategies to improve your job satisfaction

Depending on the underlying cause of your lack of job satisfaction, there

may be several ways to increase your job satisfaction.

Set new challenges

If you're stuck in a job because of lack of education or a downturn in the

economy, it doesn't mean your work has to become drudgery. With a little

imagination, you can create new challenges and make the best of the job you

have. Here are some ideas that may help.

Improve your job skills. Imagining yourself in your dream job, you

might envision yourself as an excellent project manager — a

confident communicator and a highly organized person. Why not

work on these skills in your present job?

Develop your own project. Take on a project that can motivate you

and give you a sense of control. Start small, such as organizing a

work-related celebration, before moving on to larger goals. Working

on something you care about can boost your confidence.

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Mentor a co-worker. Once you've mastered a job, you may find it

becoming routine. Helping a new co-worker or an intern advance his

or her skills can restore the challenge and the satisfaction you desire.

Beat the boredom

Does your job seem boring sometimes? Do you run out of things to do? If

so, your abilities may not match your responsibilities. Here are some

suggestions:

Break up the monotony. Take advantage of your work breaks.

Read. Listen to music. Go for a walk. Write a letter.

Cross-training. Does your work consist of repetitive tasks, such as

entering data or working on an assembly line? Talk with your boss

about training for a different task to combat boredom. Once you've

completed the training, you can switch back and forth.

Volunteer for something different. If you hear that your company

is launching a new project, volunteer for the work team.

Keep in mind that boredom can literally be deadly if your job involves

working with machinery or caring for people. If your mind wanders to the

point that you put your life or the lives of others in jeopardy, take action

now. Talk to your supervisor about new challenges you can take on or seek a

new position.

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Stay positive

Use positive thinking to reframe your thoughts about your job. Changing

your attitude about work won't necessarily happen overnight or increase

your job satisfaction overnight. But if you're alert to ways your view of work

brings you down, you can improve your job satisfaction. Try these

techniques:

Stop negative thoughts. Pay attention to the messages you give

yourself. When you catch yourself thinking your job is terrible, stop

the thought in its tracks.

Put things in perspective. Remember, everyone encounters good

days and bad days on the job.

Look for the silver lining. "Reframing" can help you find the good

in a bad situation. For example, you receive a less than perfect

performance appraisal and your boss warns you to improve or move

to another job. Instead of taking it personally or looking for another

job right away, look for the silver lining. Depending on where you

work, the silver lining may be attending continuing education classes

or working closely with a performance coach and having the

satisfaction of showing your boss that you're capable of change.

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Learn from your mistakes. Failure is one of the greatest learning

tools, but many people let failure defeat them. When you make a

mistake at work, learn from it and try again. It doesn't mean that

you're a failure.

Be grateful. Gratitude can help you focus on what's positive about

your job. Ask yourself, "What am I grateful for at work today?" If it's

only that you're having lunch with a friendly co-worker, that's OK.

But find at least one thing you're grateful for and savor it.

More job satisfaction can mean less stress

Whether your work is a job, a career or a calling, you can take steps to

restore meaning to your job. Make the best of difficult work situations by

being positive. Doing so will help you manage your stress and experience

the rewards of your profession.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. http://www. wikipedia.org/wiki/Call_centre

2. http://www.home.att.net

3. www.callcentre.com

4. Chakraborty, Paul, “Job Satisfaction”, Industrial

Relations, 1965,Pg 124-149,Edition II

5. Maslow, A.H., “A Theory of Human Motivation”,

Psychological Review, 1943,Pg 98-124,Edition 3

6. Chhabra, T.N., Human Resource Management, Dhanpat Rai &co.

(p) ltd., New Delhi,Pg 111-130,Edition II

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