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Today, the BPO industry’s single-largest problem is attrition. BPO services job
nature are mixed with emotions and stress. Increase in Economical Growth is not the
problem but high attrition and questionable data protection measures are put employees
under the purgatory.
Because of their stressful environment and high stress and changes in the
behavioural response result their performance is affected due to their sleep irregularity.
Their alertness is hindered making them less efficient. Least are they aware that this is
nothing but the clutches of misery and ill- health which will rear its ugly head on them
very soon.
The BPO industry employs over 1.6 million young- men and women in the
country. These 20- and 30- somethings rake-in more moolah than their contemporaries in
other professions, but their sedentary lifestyles, coupled with long hours and stressful
working conditions make them more vulnerable than others to heart disease, digestive
problems, sleep disorders, weight gain, depression and other psychological disorders.
The youth of today are most impressed ones. The demands of being rich and
affluent at a very young age make many of them to detour from their normal course of
study and move towards work in IT and BPO companies. They merely do it either for the
kicks or to earn extra money in flexi hours.
The cons of working in call-centers and BPO S’ are plenty. To name a few they are as
such:
Insufficient breaks
High levels of stress due to extreme pressure.
Extreme monitoring of work
Inadequate toilet breaks.
Disturbed sleep due to wrong working hours.
Loss of appetite , Loss of hair, Pre-mature aging
Hearing problems
Digestion problems leading to bloating and gas.
Telephone conversations are recorded giving them no privacy.
Inability to socialize with family and relations.
Tendency to become irresistible, Insomnia
Coronary malfunctions, high blood pressure
Irrelevant sexual exposures at the work force.
Getting into smoking habits for the sake of kicks
Survical to lumber spinal problems due to bad postures
Psycological disorders
Short tempered ness at home
In certain cases unwanted pregnancies and Degradation of moral and social values.
"When the sleep-awake cycle is changed, then the body clock needs to readjust
and adapt, and make the body corrections. The longer the shift, more is the time needed
by the body to adjust; resulting in psychological, behavioral, and physical problems".
Sleeping Patterns
Call centre and BPO workers usually suffer from insomnia (which is lack of
sleep) excessive sleepiness or both. Some individuals may require only a short time to
adjust to a shift change while others have great difficulty. Frequent shift rotation adds to
the problems.
People working on shifts tend to suffer from the following psychological and
behavioral syndromes like Irritability, Alcohol use, Ulcers, Anxiety and depression,
Concentration problems .
Relationship Problems
These people also have more interpersonal problems, this is not just because of
mismatch of timings with the near ones but also because these people have more anger
and frustration, and their social life is effected in turn effecting their emotional self
'Heavy food during night, skipping breakfast, eating lunch in the evening and all
such irregular habits affect their health,' says Dr Lim Li Ling, Deputy Director,
sleep disorders unit, Singapore General Hospital.
'The performance of youths working in night shifts is affected. Since, they are
sleep-deprived, their efficiency and alertness is less compared to those who sleep
sufficiently. Their concentration is hindered due to lack of sleep'.
Frequent headaches, fatigue and sleepiness are caused. Their reflexes diminish
affecting work efficiency, she adds.
Though, they have become the envy of others with the fat salary they are
pocketing, they are actually paying a 'heavy price' by risking their health.
'Youths working in BPOs lose their ablity to enjoy and become irritable and
unsociable.' Dr N Ramakrishnan, director, Nithra Institute of Sleep Sciences here,
points out that sleep deprivation leads to accidents while driving vehicles.
References:
1. Dr.S.Joseph Xavier and V.Bastin Jerome, “Software Business in India:
Challenges and Opportunities”, Third Concept, April 2006, Vol.20, No.230, Pp
31 – 34.
2. V.Bastin Jerome,“Business Process Outsourcing: The key of Heaven to
Developing Countries like India”, RETELL, April 2006, Vol.6, No.2, Pp15– 22.
3. www.outlookindia.com/pti_print.asp?id=421269)
4. www.thehindu.com,THE HINDU,India's National Newspaper, Tue, Jun 17, 2008.