| Summary: | Call centre employees in the insurance industry constantly interacts and negotiates with
strangers, and are confronted with the unknown, unfamiliar and the unpredictable. They use
interactive display terminals during telephone calls and thus perform multiple-tasks with
frequent interruptions. Their jobs are also characterised by repetitive movements, while
complex information is processed. In addition, call centre employees often work in noisy
environments under time pressure, and their performance is usually monitored on line. Job
demands and job resources can influence the well-being of call centre employees. Emotional
intelligence is deemed to aid in the conceptualisation of psychological well-being and can be
applied as a means to successfully cope with daily demands and pressures.
The objective of this research was to determine the relationship between job demands, job
resources, emotional intelligence (EQ) and work-related well-being of call centre employees.
A cross-sectional survey design was used. The study population (n = 141) consisted of call
centre employees in a corporate insurance environment in Gauteng. The Bar-On EQ-i,
Maslach Burnout Inventory-General survey, UWES, Job characteristics scale and a
biographical questionnaire were used as measuring instruments. Cronbach alpha coefficients,
inter-item correlation coefficients, factor analysis, Pearson product moment correlation
coefficients and structural equation modelling were used to analyse the data.
Principal component analysis resulted in a fifteen factor model of emotional intelligence
namely emotional self-awareness, assertiveness, self-regard, self-actualisation, independence,
empathy, interpersonal relationship, social responsibility, problem-solving, reality testing,
flexibility, stress tolerance, impulse control, happiness and optimism. Regarding the Job
Characteristics Scale, eight factors were extracted, namely role clarity, supervision, pay and
benefits, workload, job security, colleague support, opportunity to grow and social contact
between the call centre agents. For the MBI-GS two factors were extracted namely:
exhaustion and cynicism and for the UWES one factor was extracted, namely
vigour/dedication.
The correlation coefficients indicated that exhaustion was statistically a significant positive
correlation (practically significant, large effect) with cynicism and a statistically significant
positive correlation (practical1y significant, medium effect) with workload. Exhaustion was
also a statistically significant negative correlation (practical1y significant, large effect) with
engagement and a statistically significant negative correlation (practically significant,
medium effect) with role clarity, col1eague support, self-regard, self-actualisation, flexibility,
stress tolerance, impulse control, and happiness. Cynicism showed a statistically significant
negative correlation (practical significant, large effect) with engagement and a statistically
significant negative correlation (practical significant, medium effect) with role clarity,
supervision, opportunity to grow, engagement, emotional self-awareness, self-regard, self actualisation,
flexibility, and happiness.
The results indicated that EQ directly influences the experience of burnout (main effect),
however, no results could be obtained supporting the moderating effect of EQ between
emotional demands and burnout.
Recommendations were made for cal1 centre management in the insurance industry and for
future research purposes. === Thesis (M.Com. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.
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