The positive side of call centers: an Indian perspective

Purpose – Jobs at call centers have received numerous negative undertones. Research has only highlighted the negative impact and dismal psychological consequences of call center jobs on their employees. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the possibilities of positive impact of call center jobs on their employees. The study hypothesizes that the employees working at the call centers with high self-worth (i.e. self-esteem) and high job worth (perceived worth of job (PWJ)) would perceive lesser work stress and have greater job satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach – The study is based on data collected from 152 call-center employees through self-reporting questionnaire. Regression and mediation analysis was done to analyze the results. Findings – Analysis revealed that those with high self-esteem and high PWJ experience less stress and higher job satisfaction. Stress partially mediates between PWJ and job satisfaction and between self-esteem and job satisfaction. Results confirm that call center jobs do not always create negative impact on the employees and have a positive side too. It is a significant finding for the call center industry which is presently facing high attrition. Originality/value – The value of the present study lies in analyzing the importance of PWJ, which is a subjective perception. It is an imperative factor in generating positive or negative effect on the psychological well-being of the employee.