One in three Gen Y’s would rather be unemployed than work in a call centre

Sodexo Motivation Solutions  new survey highlights Generation Y's (employees aged 16 to 28) finds that more than half of Generation Y employees are looking to leave their jobs within a year

The survey represents the views of Generation Y on a range of work-related topics and uses a sample group of 401 respondents drawn at random from an online panel of individuals.

The findings identify a negative perception of call centres in particular with only 5% of this generation regarding working for a call centre as exciting, whilst 55% consider it in a negative light.  Moreover, 1 in 3 of those surveyed who are currently seeking work would rather claim unemployment benefits than work in a call centre.

In more positive news, of those polled, 25% identified flexible benefits as a key reason for considering a career in call centres with 43% naming flexible working as the single most attractive benefit. However, over 46% of the respondents identified the fact that they were not offered any benefits aside from their salary by their current employer.

Iain McMath, managing director of Sodexo Motivation Solutions said:
“Clearly many employees view flexible benefits as central to the attractiveness of their jobs and it is a shame that a larger percentage of employers don’t offer these. Flexible benefits, be it childcare or retail vouchers, gym memberships and cycling to work schemes are both tax-efficient and provide a very personal style of reward. Strategies are easy to implement and should notably decrease the turnover rates in call centres. What this survey shows is that much more needs to be done to engage these Generation Y employees.”

McMath continues, “Although Generation Y presents its own set of challenges and has different priorities in the workplace than older generations, it is undeniable that these employees are vital to the call centre industry. They are quick to adapt, hard working, creative and not afraid of a challenge. They will require careful management and motivation in order to get the best out of them and retain them for any length of time. Managers therefore need to make it clear that the call centre industry can offer a career path in which additional responsibilities can be earned, and where hard work is both acknowledged and rewarded in a way that meets the specific needs of Generation Y.”