Workplace Health and Safety Management in a Call Center

Introduction: Health and Safety in Organizational Management

Taking human health and safety requirements into consideration is an important element of organizational management. It is not only important to assure employees that the organization is concerned with their health and safety — in order to keep them motivated — but it is also an important aspect of organizational ethics. It is essential that every organization takes all health and safety measures concerning employees into account as they relate to its organizational activity.

According to the case under review, a major insurance company merges with another company's call center that employs both men and women. The call center has been experiencing serious organizational mismanagement prior to the merger. The high employee turnover at the call center implies that employees do not enjoy the required level of job satisfaction. While the degree to which an employee is motivated greatly depends on their qualifications, skills, and personal interests, it is equally important for the employer to take an active interest in keeping employees motivated.

In many organizations, especially smaller units such as a call center, there is a perception that providing monetary benefits is sufficient to keep employees motivated. Such organizations tend to ignore the need to take employee health and safety into consideration, operating under the mistaken belief that health and safety measures are only necessary for organizations where workers perform dangerous jobs or work under dangerous conditions. In reality, that is not the case. Health and safety needs are just as important in any office environment as they are in high-risk industries.

The insurance company that has taken over the call center will need to focus especially on health and safety management, as the case implies that many employee-related problems stem from the neglect of health and safety standards. To address this, the insurance company will need to develop a clear system and a comprehensive set of rules and regulations related to the organization's health and safety policies (Gabrielle, 2009). These rules and regulations must be communicated to all employees regardless of their position in the hierarchy. Since the call center is now part of the insurance company, the new legislation will need to be applied equally throughout the organization (Zutshi & Sohal, 2005). This is necessary to prevent any indication of discrimination, meaning that adherence to all health and safety measures must be binding on every member at every level of the organization.

Key Health and Safety Issues in the Call Center Environment

The organization should establish strict regulations regarding common health and safety issues such as drug use, alcohol consumption, and smoking. Since the organization employs both male and female staff, clear rules regarding workplace harassment must also be addressed. In organizations where harassment is common, employees tend to feel unsafe, which in turn affects their morale. Such harassment may be verbal or implied. Because conduct perceived as harassment by one person may not be recognized as such by another, it is essential that workplace harassment be clearly defined in the organization's Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Policy.

Because call center work requires employees to sit at a desk for long periods with their eyes focused on a computer screen, it is important that employees are given sufficient breaks to rest and relax. This can be facilitated by providing a comfortable common room for relaxation (Hancock & Desmond, 2001). In addition, chairs should be sufficiently ergonomic for long sitting sessions, and computer screens should be fitted with eye shields to prevent the eye strain that results from prolonged screen exposure.

The provision of on-site medical assistance around the clock is also important, given that the call center operates twenty-four hours a day. Because the organization employs both male and female staff, it is important to have both a male and a female doctor available. This is significant because in certain situations female employees may not be comfortable being examined by a male doctor, and vice versa. Since medical assistance is needed at all hours, separate doctors should be employed for at least two shifts to prevent fatigue among medical personnel. One practical concern is that employing separate doctors — both male and female — could increase organizational costs. Another potential issue is that employees may present with serious conditions such as heart problems, the treatment of which could be considerably more costly than anticipated.

The call center also has employees involved in drug and alcohol abuse. This violates corporate norms, is highly unprofessional, and creates an unsafe environment for co-workers. To control substance abuse in the call center, strict guidelines should be implemented within the organizational environment to ensure that no employee — including medical staff — uses drugs on the premises. Such policies may include conducting surprise drug tests on employees who display inappropriate behavior, and establishing policies that issue warnings to those who repeatedly use drugs. Employees may also be subject to checks for carrying suspicious substances into the work area, and should be penalized if found to be in possession of any prohibited substance (Gunningham & Johnston, 1999).

It should nonetheless be acknowledged that drug and alcohol abuse in the workplace is sometimes a psychological response to work-related pressures. To address this underlying cause, it would be beneficial for the organization to hire a psychologist. Employees could be offered weekly or monthly counseling sessions, a schedule that would also help manage costs. The psychologist can help employees develop healthier coping mechanisms for workplace stress. Since some controlled drugs such as morphine are occasionally used for legitimate medical purposes, a clear policy should specify the circumstances under which such substances may be brought to the workplace.

Workplace Refurbishment and Environmental Health Considerations

Improving the workplace environment can play a significant role in motivating employees and increasing their productivity. When carrying out refurbishments, however, certain health and safety considerations must be taken into account. For example, constructing floor-to-ceiling windows in the office area could have two major negative effects. First, if the office is located on the upper floors of a high-rise building, some employees may feel insecure working near such windows, as many people have a fear of heights. Second, proximity to large windows during the daytime may result in glare reflecting off computer screens, causing visibility issues and eye fatigue.

Installing fluorescent strip lights directly above desks can also reflect light onto screens, creating visual problems. Employees with pre-existing eyesight conditions are often not comfortable with intense fluorescent lighting. Similarly, positioning desks directly beneath air conditioning vents may cause discomfort: temperatures above the standard comfort level may induce nausea, while excessive cold can contribute to nerve and spinal problems such as headaches and backaches.

To address these issues, windows should be covered with blinds or drapery to prevent glare (Boyd, 2003). Covering windows will also help reduce the feeling of insecurity associated with height. Employees with a fear of heights should not be assigned seats near windows. For workstations positioned beneath strip lights, removing some bulbs to reduce brightness is advisable. All monitors should be fitted with light shields to reduce visual strain, and supplementary desk lamps can be placed at individual workstations. Desks should be positioned at angles that prevent reflected light from creating visual problems. Air conditioning must be maintained at a standard comfort temperature at all times, and vents should be designed or adjusted to direct airflow away from employees sitting directly beneath them.