FACTORS INFLUENCING CALL CENTER AGENT ATTRITION: A CASE OF KENYA POWER CALL CENTER
Lucy Mwendwa - Master of Arts in Project Planning and Management, University of Nairobi, Kenya
Amos K. Gitonga - Department of Open Learning Programmes, University of Nairobi, Kenya
ABSTRACT
Call centres are high-pressure and stressful work environments, characterized by highly routine work, lack of control, intensity of electronic performance monitoring, meeting of performance targets, high turnover, and absenteeism. Unfortunately call centres are experiencing painfully high turnover rates often exceeding 50% annually. The call centre industry in Kenya is relatively new yet it has already been associated with a modern-day sweatshop. Although this industry is large and it continues to grow, it experiences high rates of turnover. High staff turnover can, negatively impact on call centre quality because every time a trained agent leaves; fewer are on hand to ensure an optimum level of service. In spite of the investments made to reduce employee turnover, KPC continue to struggle with higher than average call center work turnover. The purpose of the study was therefore to establish the factors influencing call center agent attrition with focus on Kenya Power call center. The study adopted a descriptive research design. The target population for this study was 200 agents, 8 team leaders, 4 supervisors, 8 quality control officers in KPC contact center. Stratified proportionate random sampling technique was used to select 141 respondents using Kothari (2004) formula. Primary data was obtained from the agents using self-administered questionnaires. Descriptive statistics analysis was employed. Multiple regression analysis was used to establish the relations between the independent and dependent variables. Tables were used to present the study findings for ease of understanding. The study found that training and development, rewards management, job characteristics, supervisor support and career growth influence call center agent attrition at Kenya Power greatly. The study further concluded that training and development, rewards management, job characteristics, supervisor support and career growth greatly and positively influence call centre agent attrition at Kenya Power. The study also recommends that Kenya Power Call Center human resource pool establishment of additional and necessary infrastructures must be implemented by supporting a right policy which guarantees a friendly business environment and the availability of appropriately skilled labour force including language capability, that government should implement policies that encourage the call center sectors, which are of great value from a socio-economic point of view and provide them with the necessary infrastructure in terms of physical and human capital, that Call centers require supervisors or managers who are both relations focused and task focused as there needs to be a balance between the two. This will prevent high staff bum out and reduce the levels of stress in the call centers. In addition this will make the call center work to be more enjoyable to the agents, and that Call center management should strive more for intrinsic motivation rather than extrinsic motivation e.g. through recognition and rewards. Intrinsic motivation has long term effects as compared to extrinsic motivation which has short term effect but is the easiest to achieve where the call center management would gain more by turning over burnt-out staff and investing in programs that targeting morale, commitment and enthusiasm.
