Shifting Schedule

One of the challenges that agents face in their work is the shifting of their schedules. Shifting shedule is common in call centers who have 24/7 operations. This is done to make sure there are enough agents staffed to answer calls whenever a customer calls in anytime of the day.

I am lucky that in my current company, our schedule changes every quarter. As far as I know, most call centers change schedules once every month. But, I was surprised when a friend of mine told me that agents working for a directory assistance campaign shifts schedule every week. This must be very difficult to do thinking that your body clock hasn't adjusted yet to your current schedule and then here comes another schedule just after a week. No wonder why directory assistance campaign has a very high attrition rate compared to other accounts. I asked her why she's still there, and she told me she's already used to it.

Coping up with shifting schedules really varies from person to person. Some can adjust right away, others might take some time, while a few can barely endure it. If you fit the latter, then the call center may not be the right work for you.

One of the things I really hate is when schedule changes without prior notice. Since all agents are aware of this "flexibility gauger" thingy, they are expected to adjust immediately and to adhere to the schedule adherence policy. This means that there should be no reason for being late no matter what happens regardless if you live in the boondocks or got stuck in the horrendous traffic of the metropolis. Even if you were not informed of your new schedule, that doesn't mean you can get away with the sanctions. Because schedule adherence is one of the priorities in the call center world, failure to comply is sanctioned beyond expectations. One incident of tardiness equals one memorandum and if it continues, termination might be the final verdict. Agents are responsible of knowing their own schedule as most companies will post it to a place conspicuously, thus, not knowing your new schedule is a very lame reason.

The secret to be able to cope up with this shifting schedule is to maintain a routine and manage your time. So 9 hours of work, plus 8 hours of sleep equals 17 hours. You still have 7 hours left. One hour commute to and from work and 1 hour of time to dress up, so you still have 4 hours to run some errands.