RESEARCH REPORT

ON

Submitted To:

G.B.TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY
LUCKNOW

For the partial fulfillment of

MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
(2009-2011)
UPTU University – LUCKNOW

Submitted to: Submitted by:

Mrs. Nidhi Singhal SITA RAWAT
MBA 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 RAWAT
Roll No. 0921570052

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3
 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)

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

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

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 Objective of study

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.

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 Scope of Study

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

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

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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
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
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production philosophies, causing a shift from skilled labor and piecework
towards the more modern approach of assembly lines and hourly wages. The
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?

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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.

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

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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.

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One common research finding is that job satisfaction is correlated with life
satisfaction. This correlation is reciprocal, meaning people who are satisfied
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

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performance is thought to be a spurious relationship; instead, both
satisfaction and performance are the result of personality.

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

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Herzberg, the motivators will promote job satisfaction and encourage
production.

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) Motivators (satisfiers)

Company and administrative policies Work itself

Supervision Achievement
Salary Recognition
Interpersonal relations Responsibility
Working conditions Advancement

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,

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these issues must be dealt with first to create an environment in which
employee satisfaction and motivation are even possible.

 Company and administrative policies

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

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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

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

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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.

 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

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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
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.

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  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

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."

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  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

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

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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
 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.

35
 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.

36
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.

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

37
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.

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

38
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:

• 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

39
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 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

40
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
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

41
- 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.

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

42
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.

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,

43
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.

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
44
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
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
45
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-
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

46
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. 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
47
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 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)

Targets Work-based
48 Characteristics
 Organizational
Identity

Emotional Satisfaction
Pressure Involvement

Technological
Pressure

Job Control

Consultation

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
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

49
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.

50
 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

 MARKETING RESEARCH

51
 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
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

52
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
less than N (the absolute population size) and this has important applications
in conservation genetics.

 SAMPLE SIZE

53
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.

54
  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.

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.

55
 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
56
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
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.

57
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.

But what makes call centers in India such an attractive

option?

58
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.

• 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

59
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.

60
61
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.

 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.

62
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.

63
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.

 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.

64
  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.

65
66
 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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