India's call centre professionals do not see the industry as a long-term career option, says a study by NFO India, part of NFO WorldGroup, and PeopleEquity Consulting, a Bangalore-based HR consultancy.
"The inherent nature of the job is monotonous and lacks challenge. Compounding this is the low interest in job content or career growth. That is why there is a constant search for greener pastures," said Manesh Mathew, director, PeopleEquity Consulting.
The study says the sentiment is driven by the fact that most people in the industry are reasonably well qualified for the job of an associate or agent.
The study involved interviews with 1,000 front-line call centre professionals across 19 leading centres in Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai and New Delhi.
The study gauged perceptions on more than 65 parameters to determine satisfaction, motivation and commitment.
The study included expert interviews with HR managers, training professionals, sociologists and psychologists associated with the industry.
The study suggests that it is the money alone that keeps call centre professionals going. "The primary factors contributing to this apparent state of 'happiness' is related almost exclusively to money, and, at least for the short term, the opportunity for accelerated growth (read more money), although working for well-known national and global 'names' is also adding to the glamour/delight," it points out.
Call centre professionals also showed an inclination to switch jobs even for small monetary gains.
"Although happy with the money they are being paid, the permanent source of disgruntlement is the lurking feeling that they probably did not manage the best bargain and thus left wondering whether they are being paid as per industry standards. This is the cause for the high level of attrition..." the study says.
Although these employees were fully aware of the unique demands of the job such as peculiar working hours, the need to assume pseudo identities, learning foreign accents and so on they were not quite prepared for the burn-out rates or their inability to handle the "work-life balance".
"Thus, today they believe that employers are not doing enough when it comes to 'HR policies to reduce stress at work' or providing 'sufficient holidays to recuperate from stress at work'."
The study concluded that helping employees cope with their work-life balance is a more immediate concern area for the employers.
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