An Alternative to a New Location
1 Jan, 2009
By: Scott McDonaldErgonomics Improve Existing Call Centers
Call centers no longer need to rebuild from the ground up to attain greater performance from personnel. Managers now can achieve more productive results and find profitable outcomes by redesigning existing call centers for a fraction of the cost. Improving existing work environments will provide comfort, productivity and generate important bottom-line benefits.
A comprehensive approach should be looked at while making call center improvements by taking physical, environmental and emotional ergonomic aspects into consideration. The physical aspect involves how employees interact with their workstation. This means that having ergonomic programs and proper products are key to the comfort and productivity of call center agents.
High-tech work offices, like call centers, often can be characterized as a high-stress workplace where employee turnover can be quite high. Call center management should pay close attention to the daily negative impacts of call center employees in order to cut down on costly turnover issues. How many times have you been assigned to a cubicle with the chair from 1979 and monitor from 1982? You now have the chair with the lumpy seat and your monitor changes periodically between a green and blue tint. Not to mention the fact that the air vent is pelting cold air from above and your fingers are constantly numb because of the combination of freezing air and poor blood circulation from the awkward position with your desk.
The environmental aspect monitors the lighting, air and temperature quality of the facility. Simple improvements include changing direct lighting with indirect lighting to reduce glare, earth tone paint colors to create a less-stressful atmosphere and fabric wall soundboards to absorb noise. Adding live plants and small trees can improve air quality as well. The emotional aspect relates to the sense of well-being that employees have by being able to take occasional breaks to stretch and exercise to help restore energy throughout the workday.
To maintain the most competitive workforce, call center managers need to provide an ergonomic workplace that is healthy and up-to-date for their employees. This will boost morale, reduce costly turnover and attract quality staff. A key component of a healthy workplace is to provide products that offer agents the ability to move while staying on task. Now call center agents have the ability to stretch and stand freely while staying on task by integrating a sit to stand program with products like height-adjustable workstations that are small enough to fit onto an existing desk and will transform a static work situation into a dynamic work setting. These workstations can elevate an entire computer terminal, phone system, and keyboard with the simple touch of a button. Even with the best equipment, an effective ergonomic sit to stand program requires a continuous effort that needs to be a part of an ongoing program that includes management leadership and training.
Prevention is the best medicine. The steps call center administration can take to create a healthy workplace are minimal compared to the long-term cost associated with injuries from poor ergonomic conditions. Start out with having a workplace assessment done to take overview of the call center workplace conditions. Look at ways to modify an agent’s work area with the proper equipment so that active movement becomes a part of the daily routine. Once the right equipment is in place, make sure that a training plan is in place so that agents understand the benefits of a healthy sit to stand work environment.
Ergonomic makeovers make good business sense because of the level of comfort, flexibility, and ease of use for each employee. It is good business sense for employers because prevention is the best medicine to reduce on the job injuries. In fact, some estimates show that ergonomically healthy employees are 20 to 40 percent more productive.
