Stressors affecting employee assistance programme personnel within a call centre environment in South Africa

Abstract

This article reports on the results of a study of which the aim was to identify stressors affecting Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) personnel in a call centre that provides psycho-social services to employees of contracted companies in South Africa. The researcher implemented a qualitative approach, using a semi-structured interview schedule to interview the EAP call-centre personnel face to face to provide direct, first-hand knowledge. Twelve participants were recruited through the probability sampling technique. Three core topics will be discussed namely; the stress triggers in a call centre in South Africa, the key stressors of personnel of a call centre as identified through research and the effect of these stressors on job satisfaction, productivity and motivation of EAP personnel in a call centre environment. The data that are presented should provide management of call centres with guidelines to improve work performance of personnel.