Outsourcing tech jobs to India is not only causing turmoil for workers in the
US and Europe, but for Indians as well. Young English speaking Indians who work
in call centers in India, are exposed to a host of health problems. Because of
the time difference between India and the US, the work for call center employees
in India starts late in the evening and goes on till dawn. Such odd hours bring
in a host of health problems including digestive diseases, hair loss, back pain
and stress. Some girls develop menstrual problems. Orthopedic problems and sharp
increase in nicotine consumption are common features. The strains of assuming
foreign accents not to mention personalities for long periods causes everything
from sore throats to personality disorders. Though call centers in India claim
that they try to make life better for the workers by improving the overall work
environment, all said and done, there is no alternative to a good night's
sleep.
Employees in call centers in India find it difficult to maintain a positive
attitude towards life, because everything seems dark and gloomy when one works
ungodly hours. Not surprisingly, the attrition rate is high in call centers in
India, as 30-40% of the workers quit in a year. But they are quickly replaced,
as there are enough English speaking youngsters in India available for jobs that
pay $160-$300 per month.
Long hours of work, permanent night shifts, incredibly high work targets,
loss of identity-these are the dark clouds hovering over the call center
industry in India. Many of these youngsters between 18 and 21 years are seeking
counseling for work-related stress, irregular sleeping hours, unhealthy food
habits and chronic fatigue. Although most such cases do not require treatment or
medication, they need guidance on physical and mental co-ordination to cope with
a job that requires hyper-alert efficiency.
Today, most top executives acknowledge that a steady attrition rate is an
inevitable aspect of the call center industry. The reasons for this could be
boredom with the job, seeking better prospects or a change, or even the failure
of the call center to effectively train employees to stay at the job.
Some call centers in India have started looking for counselors to refer
employees with problems. No call center in India actually retains psychologists
or counselors, perhaps wary of even admitting to work related stresses and
problems.
When a fun loving city graduate joins a call center in India, in addition to
commendable command over the English language, the employer sees a lot of
enthusiasm and positive attitude in him or her while hiring. However, the new
call center employee's zeal dies in the first few weeks. Despair and
disillusion set in and the final outcome is that he or she quits the job.
Little do these call center employees realize while they are being hired
that, instead of fun, what lies ahead of them is much hard work and long,
stressful days. The unrelieved monotony of their jobs and the repeated
rejections from sometimes abusive clients ensures that their cup of woes
brimmeth all night long.