Supervisor’s support behaviors as buffers for call centers operators’ work stress

Abstract

Call centers demand the integration of people’s work with high tech devices and equipment, computers and telecommunication. Supervisors’ supportive behaviours recognize subordinates’ sense of value and comprise sensibility to subordinates’ perceptions and reactions respecting them. Objective: identify which supervisors’ behaviors acted as buffers for call Center operators’ work stress. Methodology: a case study was performed, with semi-structured interviews, Lipp’s Stress Symptoms Inventory (ISSL), focal group and Support Behaviors Questionnaire. Results and discussion: There were 1 manager, 4 supervisors and 82 operators in this Call Center. 42 professionals showed stress symptoms: 3 supervisors and 39 operators. Supervisor’s support behaviors were considered in three groups: support for the performance of work, treatment form and motivation. The support behaviors most valued by the operators were: feedback transparency (support for the performance of work), readiness to listen, courtesy, respect (treatment form), stimulating work and creation of a good working climate (motivation). It was observed that the supervisor who showed more support behaviors, also presented less stress symptoms and had less stressed subordinates.