subject: Bills To Aid Call Center Employees [print this page] Gone are those days when you considered call center industry in third world countries as a fringe sector. Labor laws in those areas fell short of having the BPO wing under their purview because of some mysterious reason. Government officials refused to tinker with the amenities provided to the answering service industry. They were scared of losing out on investors because of redundant bureaucracy. The only negative fall-out of this patronizing attitude to the employers of the call center services firms was the employees. They were left with little or no say in their working hours or in the leaves that they are entitled to. Human resource facilities became defunct after a certain point.
Finally that pall of gloom is about to be thrown off. The labor wings of the governments in countries like India and the Philippines are now waking up. They have realized that call center units are here to stay. They also see the huge numbers that they add to the national income. Obliged more than convinced, they have come up with bills to regulate the workforce in the answering service wings. These bills come at a time when the call center services sector is beset with burnouts, unhealthy working conditions and killing graveyard shifts. In a world of perform or perish, business outsourcing employees have no choice but to work under extreme pressure and deliver the goods. The bills that regulate the working hours and other conditions will help the employees to stand on firm footing.
Make no mistake here. The picture is not all dark and depressing. BPO firms are also taking note of this. Now you have more call centers responsive to the needs of the agents and other employees. There are more concerns over reducing the stress level of the employees. You have the answering service departments conducting sessions with the employees to manage their stress quotient. There are trips to the amusement parks and movie theaters. In-house entertainment models like TV and play courts are also made available for the employees. There is also a well-planned leave structure in place to prevent burnout. Employees are also encouraged to avail these leaves and come back fresh and productive.
The bills are also testimony to accepting the call center world as a bona fide industry. Previously there was a lot of hesitation in imparting this status to the BPO sector. It was seen more as hype than as an industry that can expand and grow. Employees who joined up for answering service did so for short-terms prospects only. Once they were trained in marketing aspects, they generally quit the call center services sector to try their hand at traditional forms of marketing. The bills will help the industry to attain due respect in the classified columns that are published to hire employees. There will be an influx of serious and dedicated talent like never before. Foreign investors will feel more welcome when they see this official stamp of approval. They will feel assured of government support when things spiral out of control. The biggest beneficiaries will be the employees of the business outsourcing world. They would love to enjoy some benefits and privileges that are so due to them.
