Work

Voices from higher up the ladder: exploring the team leader role in call centres

Year: 2013

Type: article

Abstract: This paper focuses on an under‐researched employee category in the call centre literature—the team leader. The paper, drawing on data from nine Australian call centres, finds that the team leader role is integral to the effectiveness of call centres, yet it is a role that consists of considerable complexity and contradictions. The research demonstrates the critical role performed by team leaders: coach, mentor, trainer, performance evaluator, communicator and supervisor. It also shows team leaders as being far more positive about many of the features of the call centre work environment compared with those on the front line. However, there does appear to be a need for greater acknowledgement of their challenging role, the contradictions that are inherent in the job and the need, in many cases, for increased support being made available to assist.

Source: New Technology Work and Employment

DOI: 10.1111/ntwe.12011

Authors: Anthony McDonnell, Julia Connell, Zeenobiyah Hannif, John Burgess

Institutions: Queen's University Belfast, University of South Australia, Queen's University, Curtin University, University of Technology Sydney

Language: English

Topic: Team Dynamics and Performance

Subfield: Social Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Decent work and economic growth

Open Access status: green

OpenAlex ID: W1533208451

FWCI: 1.911

Cites: 47

Cited by: 12

Related to: 10