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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Sincerest thanks to the following people who in one way or
another became part of our endeavor:
To the call center agents, who employed their time out of stress
from work and for religious response to queries on the research tool
provided.
To our research adviser, Ms. Rizzelle C. Olila, for guiding us
through in completing this research and for filling us with knowledge
and support.
To our families, who helped suffice the needs in light of this
research and the unwavering support on all our undertakings.
To the librarian, Ms. Riza C. Olila, for aiding us in collecting
information to support this research.
To the researchers, for the help each other has extended and for
the fun while learning throughout the fulfillment of this research as
part of our endeavor of becoming nurses.
And above all, to our Almighty Father, for being our guiding light
who invicibly leads us to ways in attaining our goals and aspirations.
This, we dedicate for your glory!
THE
RESEARCHERS
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THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
This study will be anchored on the theory of Hans Selye (1956,
1974), a Hungarian endocrinologist, who identified physiologic aspects
of stress, which he labeled the general adaptation syndrome with. He
used laboratory animals to assess biologic system changes, the stages
of body's physical response to pain, heat, toxins, and restraint, and
later the mind's emotional response to real or perceived stressors. He
determined three stages of reaction of stress (Shiela L. Videbeck
2001). This study also uses Selyes Optimal levels of stress model as
basis.
Stress theories provide nurses with a framework for
understanding how stress affects individuals and their responses. The
ability to adopt to stress leads to conflict resolution, whereas the
inability to adapt effectively may result in physiological or mental
disorders, or even death (Keltner, Schwecke, Bostrom 2002).
Selye defined stress as wear and tear of the body. He developeda framework, the stress-adaptation theory, to explain the physiological
response to stress (Selye, 1956). Selye viewed stressors as positive or
negative occurrence, or any emotion requiring a response. Interaction
with the environment and others inevitably produces stress. The type
of response elicited depends on individual perception of the stressor.
However, Selye discovered that by objectively measuring structural
and chemical changes in the body, many individuals demonstrate thesame symptoms regardless of the stressor. These changes became
known as the general adaptation syndrome (GAS) and occur in three
stages: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion.
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The impingement of any kind of stressor on individual activates
the preparation got "fight or flight". Individuals experience increase in
alertness in order to focus on immediate task or threat, and to
mobilized resources and defenses to concentrate on particular
stressor. The levels on anxiety experienced are mild (1+) to moderate
(2+). Learning and problem solving can occur. Thus, this is called the
alarm reaction stage. If the stressor continues, or is not adaptively or
effectively resolved, individuals experience the next stage.
In this stage of resistance, individuals strive to adapt to stress.
For adaptation to occur, the use of coping and defense mechanisms is
increased. Problem solving and learning are difficult but can be
accomplished with assistance. Psychosomatic symptoms begin to
develop. The levels of anxiety experienced are moderate (2+) to
severe (3+). If individuals are overwhelmed by stressor, they
experience next stage.
Stage of exhaustion results from stress that lasts too long or is
overwhelming, or may result from individual's inability to cope. Anxiety
is experienced at the severe (3+) to panic (4+) levels. Defenses areexaggerated and dysfunctional, and the personality becomes
disorganized, thinking illogical, and decision making ineffective.
Delusions and hallucinations can occur with sensory misperception and
greatly reduced orientation to reality. Individuals may become violent,
suicidal, or may be completely immobilized. In case of immobilization,
a severe level of anxiety may occur though individuals may not appear
to be visibly anxious. Death may occur if exhaustion continues withoutintervention ( Barbara Schoen Johnson, 3rd edition)
Based on Selyes Optimal levels of stress responses are one of
our body's best defense systems against outer and inner dangers. In a
risky situation (in case of accidents or a sudden attack on life), body
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releases stress hormones that instantly make us more alert and our
senses become more focused. The body is also prepared to act with
increased strength and speed in a pressure situation. It is supposed to
keep us sharp and ready for action. Research suggests that stress can
actually increase our performance. Instead of wilting under stress, one
can use it as an impetus to achieve success. Stress can stimulate one's
faculties to delve deep into and discover one's true potential. Under
stress the brain is emotionally and biochemically stimulated to sharpen
its performance (Shiela L. Videbeck, 2010).
The approach to optimizing stress depends on the sort of stress
being experienced. Strategies to deal with short term stresses focus on
managing adrenaline to maximize performance. Short-term stresses
may be difficult meetings, sporting or other performances, or
confrontational situations. With long term stress, fatigue and high
adrenaline levels over a long period can seriously reduce your
performance. Optimising long term stress concentrates on
management of fatigue, health, energy and morale. Naturally there is
some element of overlap between these (www.ayubmed.edu.pk).
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CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)
The graph shows stages that you may go through in response tosustained levels of excessive stress. At first, will face challenges with
plenty of energy. Your response will probably be positive and effective.
After a period of time, one may begin to feel seriously tired. You may
start to feel anxious, frustrated and upset. The quality of your work
may begin to suffer. As high stress continues you may begin to feel a
sense of failure and may be ill more frequently. You may also begin to
feel exploited by your organization. At this stage you may start to
distance yourself from your employer, perhaps starting to look for a
new job.
If high levels of stress continue without relief you may ultimately
experience depression, burnout, nervous breakdown, or some other
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form of serious stress related illness. Different people may move
between these stages with different speeds under different stress
conditions.
Short term stress
The graph below shows the relationship between stress and the quality
of performance when you are in situations that impose short-term
stress: Where stress is low, you may find that your performance is low
because you become bored, lack concentration and motivation. Where
stress is too high, your performance can suffer from all the symptoms
of excessive short-term stress. In the middle, at a moderate level of
stress, there is a zone of best performance. If you can keep yourself
within this zone, then you will be sufficiently aroused to perform well
while not being over-stressed and unhappy. This graph, and this zone
of optimum performance, are different shapes for different people.
Some people may operate most effectively at a level of stress that
would leave other people either bored or in pieces. It is possible that
someone who functions superbly at a low level might experience
difficulties at a high level. Alternatively someone who performs only
moderately at low level might perform exceptionally under extreme
pressure.
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www.ayubmed.edu.pk
Long term stress
The problems of long term, sustained stress are more
associated with fatigue, morale and health than with short-term
adrenaline management. The graph as shown in Fig: 2 show the way
in which performance can suffer when you are under excessive long-
term stress
www.ayubmed.edu.pk
Sustained Stress --------------- Intended Performance
__________ Actual Performance
Review of Related Literature
There was a A who researched to determine the quality of
married relationships of wives who work in call centers, particularly in
the area of their happiness and disagreements at home. The
http://www.ayubmed.edu.pk/http://www.ayubmed.edu.pk/7/30/2019 Research for Preoral
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researcher assumed that there was no relationship between working
shifts and relationships of married couples. The study tried to find out
the effects of work schedule on the quality of relationship among
couples working in a 24-hour environment. Through a sampling
approach, the researcher gave out questionnaires to 47 wives working
on shifts in call centers. The wives have been married for at least five
years and have no less than one child in preschool. It was gathered
that 66 percent of the entire population of respondents from this group
had at least one child. Fifty one percent of them were assigned on a
graveyard shift and 49 percent received a monthly income of P20,000-
30,000. Another 15 wives were selected for the snowball approach, 53
percent of whom had one preschool child and all married for an
average of seven years. The wives in this group worked on different
shifts: five on the morning shift, another five in the afternoon, and the
last five on graveyard shift. Forty-seven percent of the wives from this
group had a monthly salary of P20,000-30,000.
These are the results of the said study. On finances,
majority of the couples agree on the way their finances are handled.
Significantly, 31 percent of the respondents who work at night say
they have disagreements with their husbands in terms of handling the
finances. However, 60 percent still view their working shift positively
when it comes to finances. About time, interestingly, 50 percent of the
afternoon shifters, 43 percent of the graveyard shifters, and 60
percent of the flexi shifters share that they have a hard time finding
reasons to be with their husbands. Since the work hours entail coming
home late, it brings about disagreements on how the married couples
should spend their leisure times together, as expressed by 46.80
percent of the respondents. In fact, 48.93 percent of the respondents
find themselves unable to have any mutually satisfying interest to
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share with their husbands. The wives in the study rely on house
helpers and relatives to handle more of the challenges at home. On
sexual relationships, fifty-three percent from the afternoon and
graveyard shifts confess having sexual disagreements with their
spouses. Due to stress, the wives experience fatigue, leading them to
push their partners aside. On faithfulness, eighty-five percent
(85.11%) of the respondents believe that having flings is taboo but
some of the respondents (10 percent) say that it is acceptable,
whether with the opposite or same sex. Since the evident lack of
connection leads to loneliness, 48.93 percent of the respondents
sometimes consider having a better option for a partner and indicate
that they are open to choosing somebody other than their husbands,
should they have a second chance at marriage. Almost half of the
respondents (48. 94 percent) contemplate ending their marriage.
On household chores, almost 96 percent of the respondents
recognize the importance of household chores and do not think its
degrading. All of the respondents see child-rearing as a joint
responsibility.
In conclusion, the wives in the study considered
themselves to have attained marital happiness only in the aspect of
sharing household chores. Because of erratic schedules, the areas of
finance, time, sexual relationships and faithfulness were negatively
affected.
More than half of the respondents argued about money,
which was sad for the wives who entered the call center occupation
mainly for monetary reasons. Heightened disagreements were also
shared as having caused harm or violence among couples.
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The following were identified as the negative effects of a
call center job that requires a 24/7 schedule: limited time spent with
family and friends, low satisfaction level in terms of sexual
relationships of spouses, existence of flings, difficulty in managing
errands and household chores, poor communication and interaction
with the spouse, and poor health (The Philippine Star, Sept 9,2008
issue).
The revenues that call centers are giving to a certain Local
Government Unit is so promising that local leaders are encouraging
investors to put up their call centers in their particular places.
However, call center job is not a promise land for workers. With the
kind of work they have especially the scheduling of the shifts, married
couple face a great task of balancing their work and family life. "In this
industry, there is no tomorrow because Philippine Call Centers are
already operating 24/7 and serving different time zones."( Philippine
Daily Star, July 28,2008) With a graveyard shift that starts 9 p.m, just
about the time other establishments are closing and some households
are preparing a night rest, a call center agent is about to start his
regular working hours until 6 am just about the time a normal working
man or woman would wake up and start their regular working day.
The graveyard shifts, the unlikely behavior of the callers,
relationship with co-workers and company pressures such as sales
quota makes up the many job pressures a call center agent has. There
are also problems of being hooked into smoking to battle stress and
caffeine dependent to battle sleepiness. There are also issues of
morality at stake especially issues of infidelities of married call center
workers.
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Nevertheless, "The industry is also striving to provide an
even better working environment for agents in as much as call center
employees work on graveyard shift and ungodly hours." With the
demands of changing times, married individuals working as call center
agents need help not only in coping up with the demands of work and
marriage but also a reorientation towards the proper understanding of
their vocation as married man or woman. The demand of such work
and its effect to marriage is so great that cannot just be taken
haphazardly.
Call centers and their contemporary successors, contact
centers, have become a preferred and prevalent means for companies
to communicate with their customers. Most organizations with
customer contact- private companies, as well as government and
emergency services - have reengineered their infrastructure to include
from one to many call centers, either internally managed or
outsourced.
Call centers and their contemporary successors, contact
centers, have become a preferred and prevalent means for companies
to communicate with their customers. Most organizations with
customer contact private companies, as well as government and
emergency services have reengineered their infrastructure to include
from one to many call centers, either internally managed or
outsourced.
For many companies, such as airlines, hotels, retail banks,
and credit card companies, call centers provide a primary link between
customer and service provider. The call center industry is thus vast
and rapidly expanding, in terms of both workforce and economic
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scope. A recent analysts report estimates the number of agents
working in U.S. call centers to have been 1.55 million in 1999 - more
than 1.4% of private-sector employment and to be growing at a rate
of more that 8% per year 43, 140.00. In 1998, AT&T reported that on
an average business day about 40% of the more than 260 million calls
on its network were toll-free (www.columbia.edu).
No doubt Call Center is a growing business today and a
source of employment for many Filipinos. This simply shows how many
laborers they catered; a lot of family whose breadwinner is a call
center agent relies on call centers for their daily sustenance. But more
than economic gain there are hidden struggles and problems that call
center agents face especially with marital and family issues.
Call centers has a mechanistic organizational make-up.
The agents are expected to do their job with mechanical precision. In
this kind of organizational set up organizational life is often routinized
with precision demanded on clockwork. People are frequently expected
to arrive at work at a given time, performed a predetermined set of
activities, rest at appointed hours, and then resume their tasks until
work is over. In call center upon making or receiving a call agents
have a pre-determined spiel, presentation or selling skills, rebuttal or
closing skills and sales verification. An agent must memorize all these
and diligently follow such process for the whole 8 hours of work, thus,
making it a repetitious act. This type of organizational make up is
often prone to boredom and stressors. This mechanistic approach to
organization is confronted with severe limitation (a) it can create
organizational forms that have great difficulty in adapting to changing
circumstances, (b) can result to mindless bureaucracy, (c) can have
unanticipated and undesirable consequences as the interest of design
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to achieve, (d) can have a dehumanizing effects upon employees,
especially those at the lower levels of the organizational hierarchy.
"The daily experience of repetitive, intensive and stressful
work, frequently results in employee "burnout". In other words,
exhaustion. The work was characterized as "repetitive brain strain".
These descriptions are hardly surprising, in a way, given that call
centers are established by organizations to "create an environment in
which work can be standardized to create relatively uniform and
repetitious activities so as to achieve economies of scale and
consistent quality of customer service". This means, in other words,
that workplaces are organized in ways that weaken employees
autonomy and enhance the potential for management control, and "a
loss of control is generally understood to be an important indicator of
work-related stress" (www.bpoindia.org).
The primary source of stress reported is inherent to the
nature of the job: spending all day on the phone dealing with people
one after another, day after day, is difficult. Doing it under constant
pressure to keep call volumes up, with no time between calls to
"recover from an awkward call or from 'customer rejection'" is even
more difficult. And doing it with "very little authority or autonomy to
rectify problems" that arise is perhaps the most difficult of all. Second,
organizational rhetoric in inbound call centers is concerned with
'customer care', or 'keeping customers happy' (providing quality
service), yet these goals are juxtaposed with an ongoing pressure to
keep call times down and call volumes up.
Third, stressor is the performance target. There are
various types of targets, which may vary between inbound and
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outbound centers. Inbound centers typically have targets for call
duration, 'wrap time', and daily call volume. Outbound centers often
also have sales or 'completion' targets, which are closely monitored
and upon which pay may be partially based. In addition, in some
sectors, inbound call centers are attempting to introduce the practice
of cross selling, where agents attempt to sell additional products to the
customers who call in for another purpose. In these centers, sales
targets similar to those in outbound centers are often in place. "The
question of how call center employees deal with stress is an important
one, particularly in view of evidence that a build-up of stress leads to
illness, absenteeism and turnover," writes Houlihan
(www.bpoindia.org).
Other than the stressors mentioned there are other health
issues that came along with the job in call centers. This includes; (a)
sleeping disorders, obviously this affects first timers more severely, as
they take time to adjust their biological clocks, but even experienced
people or managers are not able to completely escape from it. Some
call centers are looking at devising innovative mechanisms like flexible
shifts with sleeping arrangements in the office premises as possible
solutions, (b) Digestive system sleeping disorder, working long and
odd hours without any sleep, and eating food supplied by external
caterers everyday, has led to 41.9% of the respondents suffering from
digestive problems, (c) depression, (d) severe stomach problem, (e)
eyesight problems due to long exposure to computers, (f) ear
problems this is due to prolong use of earphones. Other human related
issues at call center includes (a) personal habits, specifically smoking,
alcoholism and caffeine dependency, (b) discipline and behavior, (d)
cases of immorality and infidelity especially to those who are married
(http://gilyann-urstoff.blogspot.com).
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Statement of the Problem
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The main purpose of this study is to study the quality of
relationship between stress exhaustion and work performance of
married call center agents in IT Park, Lahug, Cebu City based on the
following aspects ; economic, social, emotional, physical, sexual and
spiritual.
Specifically, the research study aimed to answer the following
questions :
1. What is the profile of call center agents as to :
a) age
b) sex
c) length of marriage
d) number of children
e) age of children
f) work of the spouse
g) educational attainment
2. What are the extent of stress exhaustion of call center agents on
marriage in the following aspects as:
a) Economic needs
b) Social needs
c) Emotional needs
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d) Physical needs
e) Spiritual needs
3. How does the job of a call center agent affect the ff :
a) Work Performance
b) Marriage ( relationship with spouse )
4. What are the perceived ways by call center agents to reduce stress
caused by call center job in order to maintain/ improve healthy
marriage ?
Statement of Null Hypothesis
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The following hypotheses were formulated:
1. There is no significant difference on the extent of stress exhaustion
of call center job on marriage of call center agents based on the (a)
economic, (b) social, (c) emotional, (d) physical, (e) sexual and (f)
spiritual needs of the respondents.
2. There is no significant difference on call center agents
understanding on how her work as a call center agent affects her
performance and marriage.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
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STUDENT RESEARCHERS: This study will allow us to know how the
work of a call center agent affects their marital and family life and how
they look at it as though a threat or beneficial to social, emotional,
physical and spiritual aspects. This will give us the knowledge on
relevant things a person should know about call center job.
STUDENT NURSES: This studies disseminates a guide in relevance to
the trend of modern technology with the rise of call center industry in
our country. As advocates of health, it is their concern to be mindful of
health and social issues and threats. This study will aid them to keep
themselves reminded with the importance of health and that
information they may get from this material will be useful not just
form them but to people surrounding them as well.
FUTURE RESEARCHERS: To serve as basis on their future studies and
to provide vital ideas with the topic discussed herewith. This brings
them ideas on the flow of doing a research and it opens a gateway for
them to dig into further ideas with the help of research materials and
media nowadays. Also, to make themselves useful in promulgating
ways to eradicate or alleviate the downside effects of stress exhaustion
which is prominently experienced by call center agents.
CALL CENTER COMPANIES : To be reminded that aside from
customers, their employees give light to their business and that it is
vital to be mindful of the possible stress that the agents may
experience related to work. This study can help them find new ways or
continue the beneficial ways of not just maintaining the number of the
employees but also maintaining their optimal state of health to
maintain or improve performance.
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CALL CENTER AGENTS : To be aware of any possible means of having
stress related to work and to establish ways of coping them especially
for the married call center agents who are considered having two main
priorities, home and work. This may allow them to provide doable
ways to manage stress related to work performance.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
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RESEARCH DESIGN
Questionnaires and checklists were used as main source of data
in the survey. It was to find out what the facts were with respect to
condition. It analyzed, participated and reported the present status of
a particular group.
The assessment showed current conditions of call center agents
with regards to work and marriage.
RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT
This study will be conducted at IT Park, Lahug, Cebu City which
is the business ground for call centers in the Province of Cebu.
RESEARCH RESPONDENTS
The subjects of the study were call center agents who work in
different call centers particularly from Convergys Inc., Qualfon Inc.,
Stream Global Services Inc. and Xlibris Publishing, Inc. The
respondents were given questionnaires to be answered. They were
instructed on how to answer questions correctly. The researchers
assured that the confidentiality of the details was well- established.
RESEARCH INSTRUMENT
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Questionnaires formed by the researchers will be used in data
gathering which contains the profile of the respondents such as age,
gender, civil status. Some parts of the questionnaire asks them to
supply answers on how they are affected by stress at work as married
call center agents.
RESEARCH PROCEDURE
Data Gathering :
A letter of transmittal was presented to the Dean of the College
of Nursing of Cebu Sacred Heart College, Talisay City, Cebu asking
permission to conduct this research. As the letter was approved, the
survey was conducted. Respondents were given ample instructions and
time in answering the tool. Responses on each situation were
tabulated and results were calculated.
Treatment of Data :
The statistical tool and technique used to ensure a valid and
systematic presentation. Analysis and interpretation of data is
percentage.
The percentage will be computed using the formula:
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P = F x 100
N
Where :
P= Percentage N= No. of Respondents
F= Frequency 100= Constant Value to be multiplied
Definition of Terms
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impingement is the interruption or striking of something just like an
impingement of privacy
fight or flight it is also called as hyperarousal wherein animals react
to threats with a general discharge of the sympathetic nervous
system, priming the animal or fighting or fleeing
psychosomatic symptoms- theseare symptoms which have
psychological roots rather than physical causes and people having this
may experience changes in eating habits, such as overeating or loss of
appetite, difficulty concentrating or remembering things, fatigue or
lack of energy, feelings of hopelessness, guilt or worthlessness
nervous breakdown are signs that you have reached your limit, not
that youre going mad but you are at breaking point or completely
stressed out
child-rearing- is the nurturing with care, love and guidance given by a
parent
ungodly hours- is a term used for excessive or exaggerated time for
work especially to call center agents who work at night and have
overtime sometimestoll free- means that the charge of the call is free for the calling party,
and instead the telephone carrier charges the called party for the cost
of the call.
Routinized- means to develop into a regular procedure
Rhetoric- is the skill in the effective use of speech
Juxtaposed- is to place side by side or make a contrast on something
Biological clocks is a mechanism in organisms that controls theperiodicity of various functions or activities or activities, such as
metabolic changes, sleep cycles
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