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.

Rajneesh De

Page(s)   1