subject: Call Center Dcor: Watch The Color! [print this page] The place where you work has a lot of influence on your mindset. This is not something that I have picked up from some overzealous interior decorator! Scientific studies have revealed that the colors on the walls and on the cubicles have a lot to do with how employees take their work. The same holds true for call center units, where the pressure to perform is probably more than anywhere else. The BPO units which have a thinking human resource management wing are looking into shades and colors with a lot of interest. Their aim is to provide that perfect working ambiance to the answering service agents. After all, the mindset of the employees will ultimately be reflected on the revenue graph of the company!
Interior decorator expert Tim Morrison says, More BPO firms are looking into their office dcor. Color schemes and patterns are important to them. In fact, its very much a part of the infrastructure program now! And why not? Call center firms have always been known to provide their employees with the best. So what color schemes are they going with? Tim says, Business outsourcing offices which want a very vibrant and active look generally go for red or bright yellow. This is for a work culture where answering service agents are expected to be aggressive, more than anything else.
Blue is the color for call center units which like to be cool and easy in their approach. Blue presents a subdued and slightly relaxed work atmosphere. Kate Duncan, a human resource manager with a well-known BPO outfit says, Agents and employees in this sector work under a lot of stress. Having blue around them calms their minds down. No prizes for guessing what color walls you would find in the office Kate works in! The need for external anti-depressants in the form of colors is much needed for these answering service agents. They have to meet fixed targets on a daily basis. A burnout is the last thing that a call center services firm would want.
Its not just the basic colors making merry in call center units. Pastel shades are in heavy demand as well. Pastel shades have a soothing effect. They just act as this silent, empathetic listener, says Morrison. While pastel shades may be ruling the roost at many BPO houses, white and black dont really find much favor. Morrison argues that white and black look monotonous for the work atmosphere. Black even looks sinister and ominous, like an office out of an Emo-Gothic novel! Other shades like orange or lemon yellow may seem out of place in other office spaces but not when its business outsourcing that we are talking about. These colors may be considered flippant and casual by most, but many interpret these colors as gregarious and fun-loving. The idea is to create a work atmosphere where the answering service agents can work without feeling intimidated or claustrophobic. The work pressure is more than many can handle. Comfortable working ambiance would do a world of good to them.
