Four in 10 call centre workers to quit because of poor wellbeing

Four out of 10 call centre workers (40%) say they expect to have to quit their role because of poor wellbeing and health.

A poll of 500 call centre workers for workplace analytics firm Analytics 365 also found the same percentage were poised to quit because of feeling disengaged with their role.

However, more than half (54%) did say they cared about their work and company, and 70% said they were engaged in the work they did.

Intriguingly, it was those in higher-level positions who were most likely to quit because of their wellbeing, the survey also found.

More than half (52%) of middle managers said they were expecting to leave because of poor wellbeing, compared with less than 10% of entry level workers.

It was the same with engagement, with half of middle managers expecting to quit because of not feeling engaged, compared with just 30% of entry level and intermediate workers.

There were a range of factors driving engagement (or lack of it) among those in more senior positions, the survey also concluded.

Pay was the most common reason for middle management not to feel engaged, while lack of support was a prominent complaint among senior managers and C-level executives.

Meanwhile, technology issues were the biggest challenge among business owners and C-level executives, the survey also concluded.

Work-life balance was the biggest factor affecting engagement in call centres across all levels, with more than a third citing it, rising to-two thirds of workers aged 16-24.

Elsewhere, bonuses and rewards, regular catch-ups with managers and access to training were all instrumental in improving the engagement, with these factors cited by more than of the workers polled.

Effective communication at all levels was another key driver of engagement, with almost 30% of those polled stating that improved internal communication would improve their engagement.

Ian Bevington, product marketing manager at Tollring, Analytics 365’s parent company, said: “Call analytics and recording have become essential business tools for customer facing teams of all sizes, helping organisations to understand their customers, drive productivity and manage service levels.”

“By providing tools to empower front line staff, stress can be reduced, engagement levels raised and most importantly, customer experience improved across the board,” he added.