Insights into the burnout development process: A study of call centre representatives

Burnout among call centre representatives (CCRs) is a common occurrence. Set mainly within the theoretical framework of the job demands-resource model, this study conceptualised a structural model of the burnout process development for CCRs. The model presents a position on the causal ordering of th...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inManagement dynamics Vol. 29; no. 2; pp. 19 - 35
Main Authors Görgens-Ekermans, Gina, Kotzé, Chloe
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Stellenbosch Southern African Institute for Management Scientists 01.04.2020
Subjects
Absenteeism
Automatic call distribution
Burnout
Call centers
Customers
Depersonalization
Emotional labor
Emotions
Employee turnover
Employees
Employment
Fatigue
Job characteristics
Occupations
Psychological safety
Supervisors
Turnover
South Africa
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Summary:Burnout among call centre representatives (CCRs) is a common occurrence. Set mainly within the theoretical framework of the job demands-resource model, this study conceptualised a structural model of the burnout process development for CCRs. The model presents a position on the causal ordering of the components of burnout (i.e., emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, personal accomplishment) as being influenced by different components of emotional labour (i.e., job demands) and relevant job resources (i.e., supervisor support, psychological safety). A cross-sectional dataset (n = 203) was used to fit the structural model via structural equation modelling. Evidence emerged supporting the proposed causal ordering of the process model of burnout. Surface acting emerged as the only significant predictor of emotional exhaustion, suggesting that it is the most salient emotional labour contributor to burnout for CCRs. Psychological safety emerged as a significant direct predictor of less emotional exhaustion while also affecting perceived supervisor support, which predicted that less emotional labour would be experienced (i.e., frequency, variety and intensity of emotional displays). Recommendations arising from the results for interventions to curb burnout development in CCRs are suggested.
ISSN:1019-567X