Contact centre advisors, especially in the North West of England, typically live on low incomes and are from deprived areas. They experience high levels of stress due to conditions at work, such as continuous performance monitoring and sitting for long periods. This financial and work-related stress increases their chances of smoking, drinking, having a poor diet and taking part in little physical activity and exercise. These unhealthy behaviours can lead to a decline in health, poor work performance, and promote high levels of absence and attrition. Overtime, these factors also increase the chance of advisors getting heart disease, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, and dying young.

This PhD explores how Contact centres can improve the health and work conditions of their advisors.

Supporting advisors through the workplace is important, as many advisors do not have enough money, time or support outside of work to access resources and services that can improve their health.

To do this, we will work with the sector to explore what centres currently do to improve the health and work conditions of their advisors, why some centres are more proactive at helping their advisors than others, and which policies and interventions are most effective. The project will create resources and guidance that contact centres can use to implement policies and interventions to improve the health and work conditions of their advisors. Ultimately, this inclusive and workplace-wide approach will improve socioeconomic conditions in which advisors work and live, contributing to ARC NWC’s aim to reduce health inequalities.

If you would like to be involved in the research or have any questions please contact the principle investigator

Principal Investigator: Zoe Bell
LJMU postgraduate research student
E: z.e.bell@2022.ljmu.ac.uk
LJMU School/faculty: Sports and Exercise Sciences