Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

AnxietyDepressionStressMental health conditionsSickness absence management

Burnout spiralling among customer-facing workers

by Nic Paton 14 Jan 2022
by Nic Paton 14 Jan 2022 Nearly nine out of 10 contact centre workers (83%) felt at imminent risk of burnout, according to the survey. Image: Shutterstock
Nearly nine out of 10 contact centre workers (83%) felt at imminent risk of burnout, according to the survey. Image: Shutterstock

Three-quarters of workers in customer-facing roles say they feel overworked, underappreciated and at risk of burnout, according to a study.

The poll of 750 UK workers in customer-facing roles by software firm MaxContact found 72% felt either burnt out already or at imminent risk of being so.

This rose to 83% of those working in contact centres, with MaxContact warning this could mean the sector will soon be facing a similar talent crisis to the 2021 HGV driver shortage if those workers decide to leave.

Nearly half (49%) said they disliked their job and would be looking to move in the near future, rising to 62% of contact centre workers, the poll added.

Among other findings, more than half (52%) of those polled said their workload had increased dramatically since the beginning of the pandemic, and 43% were coping with long working hours.

Nearly nine out of 10 (88%) said the responsibilities within their existing role had expanded since the beginning of the pandemic, but without an accompanying pay rise or promotion.

Occupational burnout

Burnout and mental ill health rife within universities

Four ways to spot, and avoid, occupational burnout

Survey exposes burnout ‘epidemic’ among managers

On average, staff had taken on between one- and two-people’s work in addition to their own, with 10% even stretched to the capacity of three or more people.

Nearly two-thirds (63%) said their company valued customer experience over employee wellbeing and 84% felt under pressure from management to deliver quantity over quality when it came to interactions with customers.

While just over half (54%) were aware of mental health support initiatives at their workplace, only 32% of them said their managers followed these ‘all the time’.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Ben Booth, chief executive of MaxContact, said: “For those on the phone to customers every day, two years of working alone at the kitchen table, mounting workloads and little interaction with colleagues has taken its toll.

“People are telling us that they’re feeling overworked, under supported and aren’t hopeful that things are likely to change. Many are considering leaving their job, and even the industry, altogether. We need to make a change and fix the balance between customer satisfaction levels and investment in staff wellbeing,” he added.

Nic Paton

Nic Paton is consultant editor at Personnel Today. One of the country's foremost workplace health journalists, Nic has written for Personnel Today and Occupational Health & Wellbeing since 2001, and edited the magazine from 2018.

previous post
Nurses and midwives warn of ‘catastrophic impact’ of vaccine mandate
next post
Making the world of work better: TUC’s Paul Nowak talks to Oven-Ready HR

You may also like

Employers ‘worryingly’ ignorant about stress risk assessments

20 May 2025

Stress for HR specialists greater at larger organisations

2 May 2025

Computer says no: IT woes giving employees sleepless...

15 Apr 2025

Nearly half did not take even one full...

14 Apr 2025

Quarter feel their employer is ineffective at managing...

11 Apr 2025

Hospitality and shift workers struggling with burnout

28 Mar 2025

Seven in 10 builders find it ‘too difficult’...

28 Mar 2025

Hybrid workers less sick and less stressed

28 Mar 2025

A third struggling with burnout just three months...

24 Mar 2025

Half of employees have cried because of work...

19 Mar 2025

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...Read more

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today