Mental health and wellbeing in Filipino call centres: Using participatory systems mapping to understand workplace environments

Blake, C. , Guadalupe Salanga, M., Jose Mateo, N., Tan, C., Demou, E. , Lewis, R. and Mitchell, K. (2023) Mental health and wellbeing in Filipino call centres: Using participatory systems mapping to understand workplace environments. UK Society for Behavioural Medicine Annual Scientific Meeting 2023, Birmingham, UK, 28-29 Mar 2023.

Abstract

Background: Call centres are a fast-growing industry in the Philippines. Although well-paid, call centre employees have little control over their work and must meet high demands under time pressure. These work conditions can lead to mental ill-health. Poor mental health can lead to lower productivity, increased sickness absence and higher staff turnover rates. Methods: Using participatory systems mapping, researchers collaborated online with call agents, team leaders and managers from two large call centres (3 sites) in the Philippines to build maps of mental health and wellbeing issues,and use these to design an intervention. To build and validate maps with stakeholders, 11 online workshops took place with 57 participants. To facilitate discussions, the research team used a suite of online tools to ensure stakeholders could have an active role in: discussing mental health and wellbeing; mapping their system; and identifying possible areas for intervention. Results: The maps highlighted the prevalence of stress, anxiety and sleep-related issues among call centre staff. These issues were caused by a complex array of factors and causal loops that are produced and reproduced by local factors, as well as external factors linked to the competitiveness of the sector at national and global level. Leverage points were identified and formed the basis of intervention development targeting middle managers (team leaders). Conclusions and implications: The methods developed in this project may be useful to other researchers working in the corporate sector or in settings with limited access to system stakeholders.

• Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Demou, Dr Evangelia and Mitchell, Professor Kirstin and Lewis, Dr Ruth and Blake, Ms Carolyn
• Authors: Blake, C., Guadalupe Salanga, M., Jose Mateo, N., Tan, C., Demou, E., Lewis, R., and Mitchell, K.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > MRC/CSO SPHSU

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