If you work in a call center, you may be familiar with this feeling. Call center stress and call center burnout are real. Call center stress statistics show that call centers have an average turnover rate of 33%. Other call center stress statistics reveal that 19% of call center agents are dissatisfied in their role. If you’re wondering, “why are call center jobs so stressful” the answer is manifold. Long work hours, constant metrics, and high levels of micromanagement are just a few of the reasons many call center employees experience stress.
Here are five signs of call center stress to watch out for.
Signs of Call Center Stress
Call Center Burnout
Call center burnout refers to the feeling of physical, mental and emotional exhaustion connected to one’s job at a call center. Burnout affects employees in every industry, with 77% of employees reporting feeling burnt out at their current job. Burnout differs from stress in one major way – it’s prolonged.
While stress may be temporary and tied to a specific situation or project, burnout occurs when stress is consistent and leads someone to dread going into work. Call center burnout may cause employees to dread picking up the phone, or feel lethargic on the job.
Loss of Motivation
Even the most motivated employees can experience call center stress. This type of stress can lead to a loss of motivation, where call center employees no longer feel energized about hitting metrics, pursuing a promotion, or putting effort into their day-to-day tasks. A call center employee may lose motivation to succeed in the job after receiving constant negative feedback and no acknowledgment of their efforts.
Dreading the Workday
Each new day is a gift. But, when someone is experiencing call center burnout, getting out of bed can feel like a chore. They may begin dreading the workweek over the weekend and may find themselves struggling to shake a negative feeling about going to work.
Unfortunately, this experience can happen to employees who once felt passionate about their role. An increase in micromanagement or an approach that focuses solely on metrics, without taking human effort and nuances into account may put additional pressure on call center employees and cause them to dread the workday.
Difficulty Focusing
Experiencing call center stress can cause employees to have difficulty focusing. Burnt out employees may find that doing their day-to-day tasks feels more difficult than it used to, and spending a long period of time on one task makes them feel antsy. In a call center setting, employees may find themselves zoning out on the phone and needing the customer to repeat what they said. This type of difficulty focusing contributes to the overall feeling of lethargicness some call center employees may be.
Tension Headaches
Call center stress can cause tension headaches. Stress has been proven to be a trigger for tension-headaches and migraines. The extended, prolonged stress that occurs with burnout may cause call center employees who don’t normally experience headaches to begin experiencing them. For those that do battle regular headaches and migraines, the frequency and intensity may increase as a result of call center burnout.
What’s The Best Way To Deal With Call Center Stress?
The answer to the question of why are call center jobs so stressful is complex. As a result, the solution to battling the call center stress you’re experiencing may not be a quick fix. Chronic stress has many negative health effects, and everyone deserves to work a job that does not cause them to live in a state of constant stress. A change of work environment may be necessary to get your mind, body and outlook back to a healthy state.
When looking for a new job, it’s important to understand what you didn’t like about the call center environment. This will help ensure you don’t land in a similar environment. BestCompaniesAZ can help you find a new role that’s a better fit for your needs. The BestCompaniesAZ blog has informative, helpful resources to help you understand what to look for in a job, and offers a look at job openings at some of Arizona’s top companies. Contact BestCompaniesAZ today to take the first step toward a better future.
