The Health Risks of Being Call Center Agents

Unemployment rate here in Philippines has a high percentage so as an answer to Filipinos desire to earn money they are easily attracted to those companies who offer a high salary and call center businesses is one of them.

Being a call canter agent in our country is in demand right now since companies offer a high starting salary, allowances, incentives, etc… however sitting in front of the computer for 8 hours and requires graveyard shifts there are lots of threat a single person can get. Try to sit down and answer phone calls for 8 hours everyday and you’ll get a back pain, it lowers your bone density and you are more expose to diseases like carpal tunnel syndrome, Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) and throat infection since you’re working in a closely constrained air-conditioned room, you respond to lots of phone calls and have limited times of break. During interview employers often ask applicants if they are willing to work on a graveyard shift for the reasons that there customers are usually from foreign countries and we all know that the time difference in each country are different. If a call center agent has a long time period of graveyard shifts his body clock is disrupted that can cause manic depression and heart problems and he/she can develop insomnia, migraine, nausea, irritability and dizziness. Call center agents are vulnerable to unhealthy lifestyle since they are frequently on graveyard shifts drinking coffee helps to arouse ones senses however they can develop addiction to it, it can disrupt ones sleep pattern and causes anxiety. They habitually go to bars, restaurants and convenient stores where they serve processed foods and oily foods that can lead to malnutrition. Stress is the number one enemy of a call center agent from the beginning of his job. First, they have to adjust in the working environment, they handle uncomfortable phone calls and since they are continually monitored, they must meet high scores to maintain there job that can lead to anxiety, heart problems, fatigue and nervous breakdown.