BibTex RIS Cite

Call Center Work From Employer And Employee Perspective: Two Field Studies From Turkish Banking Sector

Year 2006, Volume: 8 Issue: 2, 22 - 35, 01.06.2006

Abstract

This paper consists two different studies’ result. First study measured the burnout level and its relation with job satisfaction of call center employees. Results showed that burnout level explained %50 of variance in job satisfaction. Second study documented the effect of electronic performance measurement on call productivity of employees. Monitoring increase the number of outgoing calls and decrease the duration of call which is a desired thing for employers. For the majority of companies call centers become an integral part of customer relationship management. Parallel with this development, number of employees working in call centers continues to grow exponentially not only in developed countries, but also in developing countries like Turkey whose service sector and outsourcing operations of multinational companies pursues its consistent expansion. This creates a need towards understanding call center work. To our knowledge, there are studies which presented findings either from employee perspective (Bain and Taylor, 2000) or from employer perspective (Spkins et al., 1999). This study differentiates from these studies by incorporating employee and employer perspective to call center work with two different studies from Turkish banking sector. First study represents the employee perspective regarding call center work by investigating burnout level of call center employees and its relation with job satisfaction. Results of this study revealed that “burnout” explained % 50 of “job satisfaction” among call center employees. It remains unclear how employers benefitted from electronic performance monitoring and how call center employees reduce their workload which causes burnout among them under consistent electronic performance monitoring. For this reason, second study reflects the employer perspective by measuring the effect of electronic monitoring on call productivity of these employees. Lack of electronic monitoring caused a decrease in the number of outgoing calls and increased the duration of calls. These findings clearly show that call center employees attempted to decrease their high workload by increasing the duration of call and decreasing the number of outgoing calls. There is no doubt that employers benefit from the electronic monitoring by increasing the call productivity of call center agents while this workload cause job burnout among these employees.

References

  • Aiello, John R. and Carol M. Svec(April 1993), “Computer Monitoring of Work Performance: Extending the Social Facilitation Framework to Electronic Presence”, Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 23(7) pp. 537-548.
  • Aiello, J. R. and Kolb, K. J. (1995), “Electronic Performance Monitoring and Social Context: Impact on Productivity and Stres”, Journal of Applied Psychology, 80, pp.339–353.
  • Alder, G. S. and Tompkins, P. K. (1997), “Electronic Performance Monitoring: An Organizational Justice and Concertive Control Perspective”, Management Communication Quarterly, 10, pp. 259 - 288.
  • Bakker, Arnold B., Demerouti, Evangalia and Schaufeli, Wilmar B., (2003) “Dual Process at work in a call center:An application of the job demandsresources model” European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, Vol:12 No:4
  • Brayfield, A.H., Rothe, H.F., (1951) “An index of Job Satisfaction”, Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol:35
  • Cedoline, Anthony J.; (1982) Excerpts from Job Burnout: Symptoms, Causes, and Survival Skills, Columbia University Press
  • Chalykoff, J. and Kochan, T. A. (1989), “Computer-Aided Monitoring: Its Influence on Employee Satisfaction and Turnover”, Personnel Psychology, 42, pp. 807 – 834.
  • Chalykoff, J. and Nitin Nohria (1998), “Office Productivity in Computerized Settings: The Role of Machine Statistics, Performance Feedback and Job Experience”, Journal of Comparative International Management, Vol:1,No:1, June.
  • Dieter Zapf, Amela Isic, Myriam Bechtoldt and Patricia Blau, (2003) “What is typical for call center jobs? Job characteristics, and service interactions in
  • different call centers”, European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, Vol: 12 No: 4 Grant, R. and C. Higgins (1989), “Monitoring Service Workers Via Computer: The Effects on Employees' Productivity and Service”, National Productivity Review, 8, pp.101-112. Grebner, Simone, Semer, Norbert K., Faso, Luca Lo, Gut, Stephan Gut, Kälin, Wolfgangand, Elfering, Achim; (2003) “Working conditions, well-being, and jobrelated attitudes among call center agents”, European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, Vol:12 No:4.
  • Irving, R.H., Higgins, C.A. and Safayeni, F.R. (1986), Computerized Monitoring Systems: Use and Abuse, Communications of the ACM, 29, pp.794-801.
  • Maslach, Christina; (2003) “Job Burnout: New Directions in Research and Intervention”, Current Directions in Psychological Sciences, Vol: 12, No: 5, October
  • Maslach, Christina, Jackson, Susan E.; (1981) “The measurement of experienced burnout”, Journal of Occupational Behaviour, Vol: 2
  • Mishra, Jitendra M. and Suzanne M. Crampton (1998), “Employee Monitoring: Privacy In The Workplace? S.A.M”, Advanced Management Journal, Vol. 63, No.3, Summer , pp. 4-14.
  • Sebastiano Bagnara, Patrizia Marti; (2001) “Human work in call centers: a challenge for cognitive ergonomics”, Theoritical Issues in Ergonomics Science, Vol: 2, No: 3
  • Simone Grebner, Nobert K.Semmer, Luca Lo Faso, Wolfang Kalin and Achim Elfering, (2003) “Working conditions, well-being, and job-related attitudes among call center agents”, European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, Vol: 12 No: 4
  • Sockel, Hy, Chen, Kauanchin, Chen, and Kroeger, James W.; “Technological Adoption to Combat Burnout”, [http://isedj.org/isecon/2001/15b/ISECON.2001.Sockel.pdf]
  • Spector, P. E., & Jex, S. M., (1998) “Development of Four Self-Report Measures of Job Stressors and Strain: Interpersonal Conflict at Work Scale, Organizational Constraints Scale, Quantitative Workload Inventory, and Physical Symptoms Inventory” Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, Vol:3
  • Stanton, J.M. & E.M. Weiss (2000), “Electronic Monitoring in Their Own Words: An Exploratory Study of Employees’ Experiences With New Types of Surveillance”, Computers in Human Behavior, Vol:16
  • Stephen J. Frenkel, May Tam, Marek Korczynski and Karen Shire, (1998), “Beyond Bureaucracy? Work organization in call centers”, The International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol: 9, No: 6
  • Stoney, Alder G. (2001), “Employee Reactions to Electronic Performance Monitoring:A Consequence of Organizational Culture”, The Journal of High Technology Management Research, Vol:12
  • Taylor, P., and Bain, P.; (1999) “An assembly line in the head: Work and employee relations in the call center”, Industrial Relations Journal, Vol: 30 Issue: 2
  • Tuten, Tracy L. and Presha E. Neidermeyer (2004), “Performance, Satisfaction and Turnover in Call Centers: The Effects of Stress and Optimism”, Journal of Business Research, Vol. 57, Issue 1
  • Udo Konradt , Guido Hertel, Renate Schmook, (2003) “Quality of management by objectives, task-related stressors, and non-task-related stressors as predictors of stress and job satisfaction among teleworkers”, European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, Vol:12 No:1
Year 2006, Volume: 8 Issue: 2, 22 - 35, 01.06.2006

Abstract

References

  • Aiello, John R. and Carol M. Svec(April 1993), “Computer Monitoring of Work Performance: Extending the Social Facilitation Framework to Electronic Presence”, Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 23(7) pp. 537-548.
  • Aiello, J. R. and Kolb, K. J. (1995), “Electronic Performance Monitoring and Social Context: Impact on Productivity and Stres”, Journal of Applied Psychology, 80, pp.339–353.
  • Alder, G. S. and Tompkins, P. K. (1997), “Electronic Performance Monitoring: An Organizational Justice and Concertive Control Perspective”, Management Communication Quarterly, 10, pp. 259 - 288.
  • Bakker, Arnold B., Demerouti, Evangalia and Schaufeli, Wilmar B., (2003) “Dual Process at work in a call center:An application of the job demandsresources model” European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, Vol:12 No:4
  • Brayfield, A.H., Rothe, H.F., (1951) “An index of Job Satisfaction”, Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol:35
  • Cedoline, Anthony J.; (1982) Excerpts from Job Burnout: Symptoms, Causes, and Survival Skills, Columbia University Press
  • Chalykoff, J. and Kochan, T. A. (1989), “Computer-Aided Monitoring: Its Influence on Employee Satisfaction and Turnover”, Personnel Psychology, 42, pp. 807 – 834.
  • Chalykoff, J. and Nitin Nohria (1998), “Office Productivity in Computerized Settings: The Role of Machine Statistics, Performance Feedback and Job Experience”, Journal of Comparative International Management, Vol:1,No:1, June.
  • Dieter Zapf, Amela Isic, Myriam Bechtoldt and Patricia Blau, (2003) “What is typical for call center jobs? Job characteristics, and service interactions in
  • different call centers”, European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, Vol: 12 No: 4 Grant, R. and C. Higgins (1989), “Monitoring Service Workers Via Computer: The Effects on Employees' Productivity and Service”, National Productivity Review, 8, pp.101-112. Grebner, Simone, Semer, Norbert K., Faso, Luca Lo, Gut, Stephan Gut, Kälin, Wolfgangand, Elfering, Achim; (2003) “Working conditions, well-being, and jobrelated attitudes among call center agents”, European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, Vol:12 No:4.
  • Irving, R.H., Higgins, C.A. and Safayeni, F.R. (1986), Computerized Monitoring Systems: Use and Abuse, Communications of the ACM, 29, pp.794-801.
  • Maslach, Christina; (2003) “Job Burnout: New Directions in Research and Intervention”, Current Directions in Psychological Sciences, Vol: 12, No: 5, October
  • Maslach, Christina, Jackson, Susan E.; (1981) “The measurement of experienced burnout”, Journal of Occupational Behaviour, Vol: 2
  • Mishra, Jitendra M. and Suzanne M. Crampton (1998), “Employee Monitoring: Privacy In The Workplace? S.A.M”, Advanced Management Journal, Vol. 63, No.3, Summer , pp. 4-14.
  • Sebastiano Bagnara, Patrizia Marti; (2001) “Human work in call centers: a challenge for cognitive ergonomics”, Theoritical Issues in Ergonomics Science, Vol: 2, No: 3
  • Simone Grebner, Nobert K.Semmer, Luca Lo Faso, Wolfang Kalin and Achim Elfering, (2003) “Working conditions, well-being, and job-related attitudes among call center agents”, European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, Vol: 12 No: 4
  • Sockel, Hy, Chen, Kauanchin, Chen, and Kroeger, James W.; “Technological Adoption to Combat Burnout”, [http://isedj.org/isecon/2001/15b/ISECON.2001.Sockel.pdf]
  • Spector, P. E., & Jex, S. M., (1998) “Development of Four Self-Report Measures of Job Stressors and Strain: Interpersonal Conflict at Work Scale, Organizational Constraints Scale, Quantitative Workload Inventory, and Physical Symptoms Inventory” Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, Vol:3
  • Stanton, J.M. & E.M. Weiss (2000), “Electronic Monitoring in Their Own Words: An Exploratory Study of Employees’ Experiences With New Types of Surveillance”, Computers in Human Behavior, Vol:16
  • Stephen J. Frenkel, May Tam, Marek Korczynski and Karen Shire, (1998), “Beyond Bureaucracy? Work organization in call centers”, The International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol: 9, No: 6
  • Stoney, Alder G. (2001), “Employee Reactions to Electronic Performance Monitoring:A Consequence of Organizational Culture”, The Journal of High Technology Management Research, Vol:12
  • Taylor, P., and Bain, P.; (1999) “An assembly line in the head: Work and employee relations in the call center”, Industrial Relations Journal, Vol: 30 Issue: 2
  • Tuten, Tracy L. and Presha E. Neidermeyer (2004), “Performance, Satisfaction and Turnover in Call Centers: The Effects of Stress and Optimism”, Journal of Business Research, Vol. 57, Issue 1
  • Udo Konradt , Guido Hertel, Renate Schmook, (2003) “Quality of management by objectives, task-related stressors, and non-task-related stressors as predictors of stress and job satisfaction among teleworkers”, European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, Vol:12 No:1
There are 24 citations in total.

Details

Other ID JA24JJ65BP
Journal Section Articles
Authors

Gözde Yılmaz This is me

Aşkın Keser This is me

Publication Date June 1, 2006
Published in Issue Year 2006 Volume: 8 Issue: 2

Cite

APA Yılmaz, G., & Keser, A. (2006). Call Center Work From Employer And Employee Perspective: Two Field Studies From Turkish Banking Sector. ISGUC The Journal of Industrial Relations and Human Resources, 8(2), 22-35.
AMA Yılmaz G, Keser A. Call Center Work From Employer And Employee Perspective: Two Field Studies From Turkish Banking Sector. isguc. June 2006;8(2):22-35.
Chicago Yılmaz, Gözde, and Aşkın Keser. “Call Center Work From Employer And Employee Perspective: Two Field Studies From Turkish Banking Sector”. ISGUC The Journal of Industrial Relations and Human Resources 8, no. 2 (June 2006): 22-35.
EndNote Yılmaz G, Keser A (June 1, 2006) Call Center Work From Employer And Employee Perspective: Two Field Studies From Turkish Banking Sector. ISGUC The Journal of Industrial Relations and Human Resources 8 2 22–35.
IEEE G. Yılmaz and A. Keser, “Call Center Work From Employer And Employee Perspective: Two Field Studies From Turkish Banking Sector”, isguc, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 22–35, 2006.
ISNAD Yılmaz, Gözde - Keser, Aşkın. “Call Center Work From Employer And Employee Perspective: Two Field Studies From Turkish Banking Sector”. ISGUC The Journal of Industrial Relations and Human Resources 8/2 (June 2006), 22-35.
JAMA Yılmaz G, Keser A. Call Center Work From Employer And Employee Perspective: Two Field Studies From Turkish Banking Sector. isguc. 2006;8:22–35.
MLA Yılmaz, Gözde and Aşkın Keser. “Call Center Work From Employer And Employee Perspective: Two Field Studies From Turkish Banking Sector”. ISGUC The Journal of Industrial Relations and Human Resources, vol. 8, no. 2, 2006, pp. 22-35.
Vancouver Yılmaz G, Keser A. Call Center Work From Employer And Employee Perspective: Two Field Studies From Turkish Banking Sector. isguc. 2006;8(2):22-35.