Low morale and high turnover rates are rampant in Australia's outsourced call centres, with some employees describing working conditions as "miserable" and the training provided being "minimal to nonexistent".
To combat this, some companies have resorted to offering bizarre bonuses and incentives. The privately-owned TSA Group, for instance, recently ran a "12 days of giveaways" competition where staff were required to attend their full rostered shift with no lates or unscheduled absences in order to participate. One employee described the experience as "pretty miserable", highlighting the desperation of some workers.
This desperation is largely driven by low pay and poor working conditions. According to one Probe worker, starting pay rates at outsourced call centres are around $52,800 a year, compared to over $72,000 for many public servants on the same phone lines. This disparity in pay has led some employees to lodge complaints with the Fair Work Commission, arguing that they should receive the same pay as their direct counterparts.
The training provided to outsourced workers is also often inadequate. One employee at Probe described having to undergo "double jacking" - a process where new hires are forced to listen in on calls handled by experienced colleagues - without any formal training or support. This can be overwhelming for those with limited experience and language skills, leading to high levels of stress and burnout.
Despite efforts by some companies to provide team-building activities and social events, many outsourced workers feel that these gestures are insufficient to address the underlying issues. One employee described a "sausage sizzle" event as an attempt to distract from the poor working conditions, while another worker noted that bonuses often felt like a disincentive rather than a reward.
The consequences of this system can be dire. Some outsourced workers have reported struggling to answer even basic questions from callers due to inadequate training, while others have spoken about experiencing high levels of stress and anxiety on the job. In some cases, mistakes made by outsourced workers can have serious consequences - including financial or emotional harm to vulnerable clients.
As one Serco employee put it, "mistakes can cost lives". With the Albanese government's workplace reforms designed to prevent employers from using labour hire to pay workers less than direct employees, many outsourced workers are now questioning the viability of these arrangements.
To combat this, some companies have resorted to offering bizarre bonuses and incentives. The privately-owned TSA Group, for instance, recently ran a "12 days of giveaways" competition where staff were required to attend their full rostered shift with no lates or unscheduled absences in order to participate. One employee described the experience as "pretty miserable", highlighting the desperation of some workers.
This desperation is largely driven by low pay and poor working conditions. According to one Probe worker, starting pay rates at outsourced call centres are around $52,800 a year, compared to over $72,000 for many public servants on the same phone lines. This disparity in pay has led some employees to lodge complaints with the Fair Work Commission, arguing that they should receive the same pay as their direct counterparts.
The training provided to outsourced workers is also often inadequate. One employee at Probe described having to undergo "double jacking" - a process where new hires are forced to listen in on calls handled by experienced colleagues - without any formal training or support. This can be overwhelming for those with limited experience and language skills, leading to high levels of stress and burnout.
Despite efforts by some companies to provide team-building activities and social events, many outsourced workers feel that these gestures are insufficient to address the underlying issues. One employee described a "sausage sizzle" event as an attempt to distract from the poor working conditions, while another worker noted that bonuses often felt like a disincentive rather than a reward.
The consequences of this system can be dire. Some outsourced workers have reported struggling to answer even basic questions from callers due to inadequate training, while others have spoken about experiencing high levels of stress and anxiety on the job. In some cases, mistakes made by outsourced workers can have serious consequences - including financial or emotional harm to vulnerable clients.
As one Serco employee put it, "mistakes can cost lives". With the Albanese government's workplace reforms designed to prevent employers from using labour hire to pay workers less than direct employees, many outsourced workers are now questioning the viability of these arrangements.
It's not like it's a dream job or anything 
. I'm sure the "12 days of giveaways" competition was super fun and not at all stressful 
. And hey, if you're desperate for cash, who needs good working conditions or proper training, right? 
. Companies are just trying to be innovative with their bonuses... by making staff attend every shift without breaks 
. It's like they're saying, "Hey, we'll give you a bunch of free stuff, but only if you work yourself into the ground!" 
.
. Like, 12 days of giveaways sounds super appealing at first, but if you gotta work your full shift without any sick leave or breaks to get in on it, that's just harsh 
. And $52,800 a year is super low, especially when public servants are making over $70k 
And then having to listen in on experienced colleagues' calls without any guidance is just ridiculous. I get that some companies try to do team-building stuff, but if it's not addressing the underlying issues, it's just a waste of time 
.
. It's like, we need to make sure all workers are treated fairly and with respect, regardless of their job title or contract 
.
. It's all about exploiting people who need a job and don't know any better 
? And the training? Forget about it! It's like they're throwing them out there and hoping they'll figure it out themselves 
. The Albanese government might be trying to help, but let's be real, these call centres are just a symptom of a bigger problem - we need to pay our workers better and treat them with some respect 
I think its crazy that companies are offering weird bonuses just to keep people working in miserable conditions 
. Like what kind of company pays their workers so little they have to fight over scraps? The pay disparity between outsourced call centre workers and public servants is wild - $20,000 a year difference for doing the same job 
. And its even worse when you think about how little training some people get before they're dropped into the deep end 
. When you feel like youre being treated like a robot instead of a human, it can take a toll on your mental health 
. I mean, who wouldn't be stressed out after being forced to listen to calls without any training? 
. I think we need to take a closer look at how these companies are treating their employees and maybe consider some changes to prevent burnout and ensure workers receive fair pay 
.
. Time for some real change, IMHO 
I mean, come on! $52,800 a year for working in a call centre is NOT living wage, you know? 
Poorly trained workers are gonna be super stressed and burnt out. And bonuses that feel like punishment instead of a reward? Not cool, mate. 
Companies can't just offer superficial team-building activities and expect it to fix everything. They need to address the real issues: low pay and poor working conditions! 
. They're basically forcing people to work themselves to death just so they can get some token bonus. And what's with the pay disparity? It's outrageous that public servants are getting paid way more than these call centre workers. It's just another example of how companies only care about their bottom line. 
. It's like, if you want to work in an industry that's gotta have superhuman patience and problem-solving skills, you gotta be willing to take a pay cut? Not cool 
. That's not a incentive, thats just burnout waiting to happen 
. I remember back in my day, we had better working conditions than this... way better 
. I mean, come on, you're trying to convince people to work with customers all day when they've never had any real experience? It's a recipe for disaster 
. The government needs to step up and make sure that outsourced workers are treated fairly and with respect. No more exploiting vulnerable workers for cheap labour 
. Let's get a living wage and proper training out there ASAP!