5 Signs That You Have Call Center Stress Syndrome

If left untreated, call center stress syndrome can lead to functional neurological disorder, a serious condition.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially recognized burnout as a disease in its own right as a syndrome that can lead to anxiety, physical illnesses such as heart disease, and suicidal thoughts or self-harm, invoca says.

A recent Gallup study found that more than three-quarters of employees experience burnout at work.

Signs that reveal that a customer service employee has “stress syndrome”

Lack of energy

Physical and emotional exhaustion are common side effects of burnout and major factors in call center stress syndrome, with insomnia and loss of appetite being other symptoms.

Call center employees with this syndrome may also show signs of depression and become more irritable toward coworkers.

Decreased concentration and productivity

Physical and emotional exhaustion contribute significantly to stressed call center employees’ inability to focus on tasks and maintain productivity.

Failure to focus can also lead to catastrophic mistakes, such as passing calls to the wrong department.

Feeling isolated

Stress in a call center can make employees feel lonely. They may not want or be able to communicate their feelings to others in the workplace or in their private lives, which can lead to isolation.

Just to “get away” from everything and everyone, employees suffering from call center burnout syndrome may start skipping after-work social events, avoiding team-building exercises, and reporting in sick from work.

Generally negative attitude

Stressed employees often display an increasingly pessimistic attitude about their work.

A sign that a customer service representative is suffering from call center stress syndrome may be loudly complaining about tasks that he or she previously handled without any problem.

They may also express their negative feelings more openly about non-work-related matters, including unhappiness in their personal lives.

Less interest in hobbies after work

Part of a stressed employee’s increasing alienation may manifest itself in a withdrawal from after-work hobbies, such as exercising or reading a book.

This withdrawal from activities that once brought them joy can also undermine their physical and emotional health.

Managers can play an influential role in helping to reduce the causes of stress within a call center environment by staying informed about their employees’ behavior and attitudes and addressing potential stressors.