Call Center Staff Obesity Is Unhealthy & A Weight On Productivity

To date in my Management & Consulting career I’ve been on site at over 100 government & diversified business Contact Centers across the USA & Canada – ranging in size from mega centers of 1,000 seats to as few as 5.

The number of overweight to obese Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) I’ve encountered on these visits is staggering – easily a third (or more) of all staff.

The longer the CSR had been on the job – the more likely they were overweight to obese.

And since the Covid19 pandemic prompted companies to pivot their CSRs to Work@Home positions – the percentage of overweight to obese CSRs has increased even more.

A Recent World Health Organization (WHO) Study Of 1,000 CSRs Made The Correlation Between Sedentary Work In A Bricks & Mortar Call Center & Obesity:

• 68% of the CSRs in the WHO study gained an average of 16 lbs during their first 8 months on the job – increasing their Body Mass Index (BMI) to over 25.6 – indicating that they had become “overweight” trending toward “obese”.
• 73% reported only stretching their legs on bathroom trips – for lunch & breaks – when getting a drink.
• More than 50% of the CSRs reported health issues since starting the job – mostly constant Lower Back / Neck / Shoulder ache / pain & Repetitive Strain Injuries (discomfort in the elbows / hands / wrist) – among the leading causes for CSR sick leave & Short Term Disability claims.

We’re all told that “Sitting Is The New Smoking”.

This occupational hazard contributes to weight gain & obesity – diminishes overall well being – and negatively impacts CSR health – contributing to:

-???????Diabetes

-???????Stroke or heart attack

-???????Deep vein thrombosis

-???????Insomnia

-???????Depression

-???????Social isolation

A Just Released Study From The American Psychological Association Reports That 48% of Work@Home CSRs Experienced Further Weight Gains Of 2 lbs/Month During The Pandemic Lockdowns ?

A Work@Home CSR job can be a potential health hazard.

Lack of physical activity.

The fridge calling.

The cupboard beckoning.

Binge eating.

Over the past two years – when the average Work@Home CSR took a quick break from the computer screen – it typically meant grabbing a smoke – inhaling a granola bar – pouring another coffee – or chugging down a Red Bull or soda.

Increased sedentary behavior – decreased physical activity – smoking – increased caffeine intake – increased snacking frequency – increased alcohol intake – recreational / prescription drug abuse – decreased water intake – emotional eating – and decreased sleep quality were all cited as contributing factors for Work@Home weight gain.

CSRs Are Generally The Most Stressed / Depressed / Least Physically Active Of All Company Employees

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reports that working as a CSR in a Bricks & Mortar Call Center ranks high on the list of jobs where there is chronic stress – high rates of depression – and employees who self medicate using alcohol / drugs.

• CSRs smoke nearly 3x as many cigarettes as the US workforce average & consume almost 2x more caffeinated beverages.
• 12% of CSRs regularly take sleeping pills.
• 20% take medication for anxiety / depression.
• 12% of CSRs exhibit high alcohol abuse rates – topped only by mining / construction workers.
• 24% of CSRs use psychoactive substances regularly. Cannabis use is most common – followed by prescription stimulant medications & opiates.

A New RAND Corporation Study Reports That Work@Home Employees Are 30% to 50% More Likely To Develop Substance Abuse & On The Job Sobriety Issues Than Bricks & Mortar Coworkers

• Work@Home employees have been smoking 12% more cigarettes as a stress & anxiety coping mechanism.
• Consumption of alcohol sharply increased during the Covid19 lockdowns – with women increasing their heavy drinking episodes (four or more drinks within a couple of hours) by 41%.
• 36% of men & 26% of women admitted to drinking “on the clock” during Work@Home hours.
• Work@Home employees admitted to having increased their marijuana consumption. Millenials by 40% – GenZ by 29% – GenX by 31% – and Baby Boomers by 17%.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recently reported that prescriptions for anxiety disorder symptoms were up nearly 3x – and for depressive disorders almost 4x – than those reported 2 years ago.

The CDC also reported a 32% increase in non prescribed fentanyl / opioid use – 20% for methamphetamine – 12.5% for heroin – and 10% for cocaine.

Why Should Contact Center Employers Care About Obesity Among Their CSRs?

If you view obesity as a completely separate issue from your Call Center – you do so at your peril.

Many studies have shown that obesity leads to more absenteeism & less productivity on the job.

Each additional body mass index (BMI) point above normal weight also costs employers $200 to $250 per CSR per year in additional health care benefits.

If The Many Benefits Of Regular Exercise Could Be Bottled Into A Drug – It Would Be Rightfully Hailed As A "Miracle Treatment”

Regular exercise prevents and even reverses Type II diabetes – drastically reduces the chances of heart attack & stroke – lowers the odds of developing cancer & dementia – boosts the immune system – and shortens the duration of the common cold / influenza / Covid19 as well as reducing their severity.

Regular exercise also prevents or ameliorates stress & depression – helps you sleep better – alleviates chronic pain –- and makes you less susceptible to all sorts of injuries.

• Some Contact Centers offer local gym memberships as an employee benefit.
• Other Contact Centers have replaced break room Foosball tables / video game consoles with treadmill / elliptical / bowflex equipment.
• Some Contact Centers have retrofitted CSR cubicles with height adjustable Sit / Stand desks.?

Standing while working – even for just 30 minutes at a time – has been shown to have a major impact on CSR health – reducing Lower Back / Neck / Shoulder ache / pain & Repetitive Strain Injuries – lowering Blood Sugar Levels & risk of Type II diabetes – reducing the risk of weight gain by burning about 50 extra calories/hour – and improving productivity / mood / mental alertness.

Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Public Health conducted a 6 month study of 167 Help Desk CSRs.?74 were provided with Sit/Stand Desks – while the remaining 93 acted as the control group – remaining in their usual seated cubicle positions throughout the day.

87% of CSRs using Sit/Stand Desks reported feeling more energetic & alert on the job – and 71% reported improved mental focus throughout the day.

The CSRs using Sit/Stand Desks also rated themselves as being more engaged with the job – with less job related fatigue & less daily anxiety – reported fewer neck / shoulder / lower back pain issues than the control group – and were ranked higher for performance than their chair bound coworkers by Supervisors.

• Other Contact Centers – from The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) – to Police/Fire/Ambulance 911 – to corporations such as First State Bank & Adventist Health – have installed treadmill “Active Desks” as a percentage of their overall workstations – making them available for their CSRs to share.

Fortune 500 Insurance Company Mutual of Omaha recently released the results of their study of treadmill “Active Desks” in one of their Contact Centers – reporting that the option for on the job fitness workouts was very well received by the CSRs – who averaged walking at one of the treadmill “Active Desks” for two hours per day.

These CSRs increased their productivity by an average of 10% – reduced their cholesterol & blood glucose levels – and lost an average of 2 lbs per month.

The study also found that the Contact Center’s health care benefits costs fell by $3.27 for every dollar spent on the treadmill “Active Desks” – and that absenteeism costs were lowered by $2.73 for every dollar spent.

·???????A growing number of Contact Center employers are encouraging & supporting their Work@Home CSRs to get moving – hosting online sessions focusing on stress management / wellness / self care – with topics such as:

-???????How to Structure Your Day

-???????Listen to Healing Music

-???????Meditation & Mindfulness

-???????Staying Emotionally Connected

-???????Nutrition – Eat Healthy Meals

-???????Develop Sleep Hygiene

-???????Quit Smoking

-???????Exercise & Movement – Yoga / Tai Chi / Walking

There’s Lots Of Lessons For The Contact Center Industry To Learn From The Covid19 Pandemic – Including Some About Putting More Emphasis On CSR Health & Wellness?

Long term Contact Center job fit includes exercise.

On site or virtual – many work environments don’t make it easy for CSRs to keep the pounds off.

Contact Center management should encourage CSR health.

Healthier more fit CSRs are typically happier & less stressed.

They don’t self medicate with alcohol / drugs in order to cope with the job as much.

They take fewer sick days – file fewer Short Term Disability claims – have more energy – are more engaged with the work – and are generally more productive.

Agree?

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