You Can’t Outsource Health: Wellbeing Challenges and the Night Shift

You Can’t Outsource Health: Wellbeing Challenges And The Night Shift

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OVERVIEW

The future is looking bright for APAC – even though it’s at night. The region – led by the Philippines and India – dominates the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry, with more than a third of jobs in this sector created between January 2014 and December 2018. India alone accounts for approximately 55 percent market share of the $190 billion-global services sourcing business in 2017-18.

India’s highly qualified talent pool of technical graduates, especially in computer science and IT, is one of the largest in the world. In the Philippines, the BPO industry, also known as knowledge process outsourcing (KPO) industry, is a major generator of jobs and revenue. It is forecast to have 1.8 million workers and generate $40 billion in revenue for the country by the end of 2022. The country’s proficiency in the English language, coupled with competitive wages and economic incentives, makes it a lucrative market for major outsourcing companies.

Thousands of outsourcing companies in Asia offer round-the-clock KPO services to various markets worldwide, employing masses of workers on a shift basis.

For example, to serve North American markets during their office hours, KPO workers in the Philippines need to start work at 9pm local time. Despite the later start time, the country’s KPO industry has 1.2 million well-paid millennial workers between the ages of 23 to 28, each earning on average $21,000 a yeartwice the average Philippine wage.

According to Dr. Amitabh Deka, head of wellbeing solutions, South Asia and Aon Care, while the benefits of working a rotating or “graveyard shift” schedule may be enticing for the industry’s relatively young workforce, research has proven that this type of work negatively impacts health and wellbeing unless countermeasures are in place.

To remain competitive in today’s market, a healthy workforce is critical to the bottom line. How can investments in health and wellbeing, help improve both the productivity and experience of employees – especially those working shifts?

IN DEPTH

Eighty percent of call centers in the Philippines provide services to the U.S., therefore needing staff to work nights. Australia, New Zealand, and several countries in Europe also outsource to the region.

A large percentage of KPO workers are in the contact center sub-sector, with college graduates finding easy employment due to the minimum qualifications required. In fact, according to a study by Bird and Ernst, 80 to 90 per cent of employees in KPO companies tend to be college graduates. Working the rotating or graveyard shift may not faze these young professionals, in part because of attractive compensation and benefits packages.

“The industry is full of young people who have great aspiration, excitement and passion for their jobs, even if it means working the night shift – which has known negative consequences to one’s health and wellbeing,” says Dr. Amitabh Deka, head of wellbeing solutions, South Asia and Aon Care.

The night shift’s physical cost

Shift workers are prone to a multitude of health risks affecting both body and mind, according to Dr. Deka.

For example, blue light from digital devices can interrupt the body’s circadian rhythm, cause hormonal imbalance, inflammation and other physiological processes. These workers also more likely to suffer from sleep deprivation and chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, for which many have to take medications for life.

Sustained lack of and irregular sleep can increase workers’ chances of getting cancer. Long-term night shift work among women increases their risk of developing 11 common kinds of cancer by 19 percent, while men who work the night shift for more than twenty years or without resting during the day have an increased cancer risk of 27 percent. Research also indicates that pregnant women who work nights are 23 percent more likely to have a miscarriage and 21 percent more likely to have pre-term delivery than mothers with day jobs.

Shift work also strains mental health

While they face a multitude of physical health risks, graveyard shift workers are exposed to mental wellbeing challenges too. For instance, while the non-traditional working conditions can build community among peers, the same conditions creating that community can also isolate the workers from their non-work related social networks. “Working nights together can bring shift workers closer together in unique ways,” says Dr. Deka. “There’s a strong camaraderie among them, but at the same time, they almost start living in their own siloed communities.”

Working nights together brings shift workers closer in unique ways. There’s a strong camaraderie amongst them, but they almost start living in their own siloed communities.
– Dr. Amitabh Deka, head of wellbeing solutions, South Asia and Aon Care
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For instance, call center workers must master a certain accent depending on the client market they serve. Many times, these workers have difficulty switching personalities, inadvertently alienating themselves from their own communities.

“A night shift worker in an Indian call center may start to live and breathe a North American persona during the process of learning more about their customers’ lives in the developed nation. After office hours, she continues to interact with her like-minded colleagues and has limited interaction with others, as her family and friends would be working during the day,” Dr. Deka explains. “This can lead to the risk of social isolation and even depression, ironically as a counter to the euphoria these workers soak in when they live their proxy lives.”

Dr.Deka adds that emotional wellbeing challenges are particularly significant for the relatively young KPO industry workforce who risk feeling disconnected, as people in this age group need greater support in making and maintaining social connections, and in achieving their mental health goals.

Balancing Night and Day: Shifting Tactics

These potential downsides may add up. The KPO industry experiences high attrition rates, with the Philippines experiencing a turnover of about 50 percent (compared to about 12% overall) and India, 55 percent (compared to about 16% overall). Top reasons include burnout, limited opportunities for promotion, night shift schedule, type of task and recognition at work.

“Usually, organizations that hire thousands of people to work the night shift also have rather flat organizational structures, meaning flat career progression compared to other sectors,” says Dr. Deka. For example, one could lead a team of 10 call center agents and if promoted, he/she would lead a team of 50 instead. “Layoffs in such organizations also happens at a large scale, with an especially adverse effect on graveyard shift workers, as they’re usually the first to be let go,” he adds.

What you can do to encourage mental wellness at the workplace

Maintaining night shift staff, however, is necessary especially for call centers and KPO offices with 24/7 operations, since offshore employees and offices need to match the hours and time zones of foreign clients.

“Employers are faced with the conundrum of managing the health and wellbeing of both night shift and day shift workers – both facing different challenges,” says Dr. Deka. “One-size-fits-all programs won’t work, so employers need to segment their audience and apply wellbeing solutions that are customized to each segment.”

In February 2018, the Philippines Department of Health and multinational healthcare company, Johnson & Johnson, launched “Voice Your Care,” a health awareness campaign aimed at promoting health and wellness among KPO workers. The campaign sought to empower every KPO agent to seek treatment for ailments and choose a healthier lifestyle, through resources such as health modules, workshops with healthcare practitioners and e-learning content on the company intranet.

Tips to support your employees' wellbeing on the graveyard shift

While employees should exercise due care towards their own health, employers can positively impact the wellbeing of these workers by providing education that helps to encourage healthy eating, resting and exercise habits among staff.

Step by step guide to implement a customized wellbeing program for your workforce

“Employers are increasingly providing facilities such as in-house food courts, gyms and sleeping rooms and creating wellness programs that include yoga, meditation and even laughter therapy to ensure that employees live a healthy life in and out of the office,” says Dr. Deka.

Consistent recognition and flexibility with work schedules, such as rotating shifts, also go a long way in preventing and managing burnout amongst graveyard shift workers. “Ultimately, employers should encourage their employees to better their own health,” Dr. Deka explains. “These types of initiatives can ultimately better the work experience in today’s 24/7/365 economy.”

Ultimately, employers should encourage their employees to better their own health. These types of initiatives can ultimately better the work experience in today’s 24/7/365 economy.
– Dr. Amitabh Deka, head of wellbeing solutions, South Asia and Aon Care
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