Andhra Pradesh

Concern over ‘call centre’ culture in Vizag

VISAKHAPATNAM: The other day a woman expressed concern at the growing number of young men and women frequenting pubs and drowning themselves in liquor all through the night on weekends. She was also critical of the growing live-in relationships, and attributed the trend to the ‘call centre’ culture that was fast catching up in the city.

A recent study of the employees of a call centre in the city by Prof. B. Devi Prasad of the Department of Social Work, Andhra University, has confirmed her apprehensions that a growing number of techies are getting increasingly addicted to vices, and they have no regrets! “We work when the whole world sleeps and we sleep when the whole world is busy. I feel excluded and isolated,” remarked a BPO employee. Her remark reflects the frustration and exclusion techies face contrary to the popular belief that they have the world at their feet.

Long working hours, night shifts, racist and sexist comments during interaction with global customers, the stigma of working in a call centre and the cut-throat competition at the workplace are some of the common problems experienced by the respondents.

The frustration arising as a result of exclusion and inability to spend quality time with their family members and the availability of high disposable income seems to be leading to unhealthy trends among young men and women employed at the call centres.

A majority of the respondents reported increased use of alcohol and smoking. Visiting pubs is no longer a taboo even among many of the women employees and the decline in moral values can be visualised by their casual attitude towards live-in relationships with their colleagues .

On the positive side, comparatively good salaries averaging Rs. 15,000 per month, which is high considering the young age of employees, and the opportunity of working in a world class atmosphere for an MNC are the main reasons for youth showing interest to work in call centres.

Prof. Devi Prasad underlines the need to remove the ‘veil of secrecy’ surrounding these workplaces as they were likely to become places of cultural transformation, exploitation and objectification of human intellectual labour. The employees should be given access to counselling services as they undergo severe stress and integration of the industry with the local economy and culture is also important, he adds.

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