A Structural Equation Modelling Evaluation of Antecedents and Interconnections of Call Centre Agents’ Intention to Quit

Abstract

Call centers play a significant role in the operational dynamics of different types of businesses. This is especially the case because a call center agent’s demeanor can impair or engender customer satisfaction, which has ramifications for business patronage. Unfortunately, the pressures associated with the role of the call center agent have made staff attrition a norm in the industry. While this does not augur well for the call center or the organizations that they serve, the role of possible antecedents in the equation of staff attrition in South African call centers remains largely unexplored. Using a structural equation modeling approach, this study examined the interconnections between customer orientation, knowledge management, job satisfaction, and employees’ intention to quit. Additionally, the mediating influence of job satisfaction on the association between customer orientation and knowledge management of the intention to quit is examined. This study found significant relationships between knowledge management, customer orientation, and job satisfaction and the dependent variable (intention to quit). In addition, this study establishes that the extent to which job satisfaction may mediate the influence on the intention to quit hinges on the organizational element considered. Two factors limit the extent to which the findings from this study can be generalized. First, this study focused on the call center setting in South Africa. Second, convenience sampling was used in this study. This study points to critical operational practices that call center managers can embrace toward enhancing job satisfaction and reducing intention to quit propensity. Using structural equation analysis, we contend that call centers in the South African setting would effectively address staff attrition if appropriate organizational practices are endorsed toward ensuring employee job satisfaction.

Does Emotional Labor Trigger Turnover Intention? The Moderating Effect of Fear of COVID-19

“…Some extant research has revealed a significant negative relationship between job satisfaction and turnover intention. In other words, when employees are satisfied with their work, they are less likely to quit [85,86]. However, other studies have found the impact of job satisfaction on turnover intention to be insignificant [87][88][89].…”

Is spirituality at work a pragmatic way to cope with stress and prevent turnover? A bibliometric analysis and conceptual framework

“…Unhealthy environments even push PhD scholars to quit their positions and leave academia (Id et al, 2022). However, not only the extrinsic factors are responsible for turnover intentions; literature displays that intrinsic factors such as resistance to change (Srivastava, 2020), job (role) ambiguity (Harun et al, 2022), job satisfaction (Iwu et al, 2021;Setyanto, 2021;Zimmerman & Darnold, 2007;Negesse et al, 2022), affective commitment of employees (Siwela, 2018), interpersonal strain (Simone et al, 2021), intrinsic motivation (Setyanto, 2021;Akosile & Ekemen, 2022), and self-performance ratings also controlls the employees' turnover intentions (Zimmerman & Darnold, 2007).…”

Consequences of abusive supervision on Indian service sector professionals: a PLS-SEM-based approach

“…In the service industry, these consequences include a decrease in efficiency, productivity and service quality of employees and increase in cost incurred due to rehiring, training and employee socialization (Hinkin and Tracey, 2000). In the service industry, different determinants of turnover intention include working hours, work pressure, salary and fringe benefits, career plans, leadership (Yang et al , 2012), workplace bullying (Srivastava and Agarwal, 2020), lack of learning advancement prospects (Yang et al , 2020) job satisfaction and knowledge management (Iwu et al , 2021). Toxic leadership or AS is considered to be one of the major reasons of employee’s voluntary turnover in Indian Service industry (Pradhan and Jena, 2018a).…”