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Make Every Word Count MAKE EVERY WORD COUNT A guide to understanding and complying with EU Control of Noise at Work regulations within the contact centre Contact centre agents are frontline ambassadors for organisations, so it is no wonder their employers strive to provide a supportive work environment to help attract and retain the best talent. Compliance with relevant health and safety regulations plays a key role in this respect. Most companies nowadays understand the importance of damage, but also contribute to increased stress and lower supplying employees with a comfortable chair, a sufficient productivity, as well as negatively impacting the customer workstation, that their posture is right and that they have service experience. adequate light and warmth, as well as offering an annual This guide is aimed at contact centre managers and eyesight test in accordance with The Health and Safety supervisors who wish to ensure compliance with the Noise (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations, 1992. at Work regulations and to protect their workers from the However, new research by Jabra into compliance with EU risk of hearing damage. It provides valuable advice to help Control of Noise at Work regulations 2005 suggests that contact centre managers understand how to remain within the importance of sound is often overlooked in the contact the law, not only to protect workers and mitigate risk, but centre, in spite of the fact that excessive noise levels also to ensure a productive work environment that benefits in the workplace can not only lead to long-term hearing both agents and customers. WHAT DOES THE LEGISLATION MEAN FOR MY CONTACT CENTRE? The EU Control of Noise at Work Regulations require requirements of the law and an urgent need for further employers to prevent or reduce risks to health and safety education on the topic: from exposure to noise in the workplace. This depends on • While 72% of respondents are aware of Noise at Work how loud the noise is and how long people are exposed to it. legislation, less than one in three, (32%), believe that The regulation ensures employers assess the risks and take they completely adhere to the it action to reduce noise exposure by providing employees • Only 12% of contact centres measure sound regularly with adequate hearing protection. to check sound levels are always within acceptable limits The legislation requires employers to take specific action, in • Nearly one in four respondents believe they have three key areas of noise exposure: experienced acoustic shock, (defined as unexpected • ‘ Lower exposure’ level, (which would be daily or weekly loud noises that have caused temporary pain or minor exposure at 80 dB(A) and peak sound pressures of discomfort), or know someone who believes they have 135dB(C)): employers are required to provide training suffered from it on how to avoid hearing loss. Hearing protection must • Only 53% provide a headset with adequate acoustic be available, though the employee is not required to protection and almost half, (47%), say they comply to utilise it. a degree by providing headsets or telephony equipment • ‘ Upper exposure’ level, (i.e. noise averaging 85dB(A) to ensure protection on calls, but they do not limit noise and/or peak sounds of 137dB(C)): employers must within the workplace take steps to reduce noise exposure to the lowest level • A worrying number of contact centres, (39%), felt that is reasonably practical. Both education and hearing that providing a duo headset to cut out background protection must be supplied. ambient noise, rather than protecting against excess • ‘ Exposure limit’, (i.e. average exposure of 87dB(A) noise on calls was sufficient protection for agents. and/or peak sound of 140dB(C)): employers are The term acoustic shock is used to describe the symptoms obliged to identify the cause and take steps to ensure a person may experience after hearing an unexpected, that such exposure to excess noise cannot happen again. loud sound via a telephone. Most people will experience discomfort and pain during and following the exposure, To find out just how seriously the industry is taking the issue with some people reporting a variety of symptoms including of noise at work, Jabra recently conducted new research shock, nausea and anxiety or depression. Headache, fatigue, amongst senior call centre managers, including contact hypersensitivity to loud noise and tinnitus may continue for centre supervisors, IT and procurement departments. The days after the shock or indefinitely. results reveal a worrying level of confusion about the THE IMPORTANCE OF SOUND QUALITY IN THE CONTACT CENTRE Jabra’s Value of Voice research in 2011* highlighted that the audio quality of a call – the ability to hear and be heard – can have a huge impact not only on customer satisfaction, but also propensity to purchase a product or service. Two of the key findings of our 2011 research are summarised below: • Sound quality is a key element of the perfect customer experience, and customers want high quality voice interaction with call centres: 88% of people said they wanted to feel like they were having a private conversation with agents. • Improving the sound quality in the call centre can have a significant impact on customer satisfaction and the propensity to purchase: 54% of people said that they would be less likely to purchase a product or service if a customer service call was affected by excessive background noise. Yet our 2012 research shows that contact centres continue to overlook the issue of sound quality, thus failing to adequately protect their workforce, falling short of full compliance with Control of Noise at Work legislation and putting the quality of customer interactions at risk. Our latest research revealed that: • 67% of respondents said they had received complaints from agents about the level of background noise within their working environment • 62% of those audited in our survey said they had received negative customer feedback about background noise during calls • N early one in four respondents believe they have experienced acoustic shock, (unexpected loud noises that have caused temporary pain or minor discomfort), or know someone who believes they have suffered from it Our findings show that noise in the contact centre is not only a health and safety issue; it also has a major impact on * Jabra Value of Voice Study, 2011 Jabra’s Noise at Work handbook, 2012 - based on an online survey conducted customer satisfaction. in August 2012, based on a questionnaire to Contact Centre senior managers, IT and Procurement personnel HOW TO COMPLY WITH CONTROL OF NOISE AT WORK REGULATIONS Below are ’Ten Top Tips’, many of which can be Wear the right headset: As the survey showed, although very easily deployed, to ensure compliance with the people believed they were complying with the regulations, legislation and gain other benefits, such as fewer they were not fully aware if they were using the correct sick days and a happier workforce. 5headsets. Wearing a Duo headset will help towards combating excessive ambient office noise exposure. Noise- Be aware of your external environment: It’s not just noise cancelling or Control of Noise at Work compliant headsets coming down the other end of the phone that can be an issue. will provide protection whilst on calls. In addition, all Jabra Look at where you’re positioning your agents; are they near headsets feature PeakStop™ hearing protection as standard, 1the photocopier, printer or other noisy office equipment? Is which cuts off any sudden sound spikes to protect wearers there enough space between each employee? Call centres against the harmful effects of acoustic shock. are busy places, but small measures such as this can make a big difference to sound levels and exposure. P rovide soft furnishings: Bouncing sound waves off hard walls and wooden floors will raise the sound levels in your Measure/test sound regularly: This is a key requirement office significantly. Cut down on harsh noises by replacing of EU Control of Noise at Work regulations, that must be 6wood flooring with carpet and introduce some plants to adhered to. Using a decibel reader once a week will be more help absorb ambient noise. 2than enough to ensure compliance with the three exposure limits stipulated by the legislation and each reading takes Mandatory hearing tests: Introduce mandatory annual less than a minute to complete. The three sound limits are: hearing tests for all staff as part of an occupational health practice to ensure employee health and wellbeing, whilst • a ‘lower exposure’ level, (roughly, daily or weekly 7reducing the risk of litigation. exposure at 80 dB(A) and peak sound pressures of 135dB(C)); Establish a corporate policy and educate your employees: • an ‘upper exposure’ level, (noise averaging 85dB(A) Establish a corporate policy on noise and ensure staff at and/or peak sounds of 137dB(C)); all levels comply with this policy; educate your frontline 8employees on phone and headset usage so they know how • the ‘exposure limit’, (average exposure of 87dB(A) and/ to set and change volumes and adjust the device they are or peak sound of 140dB(C)). using accordingly. Install adequate partitioning: Noise is absorbed by placing Mobile phone policy: A mobile phone ringing on a desk partitions between employees, allowing a degree of noise while the owner is in the boardroom in a long meeting can to be localised to the operative. We’re not suggesting that be irritating as well as potentially exposing employees to 3everyone work in boxed cubicles, but minor partitions can 9an ongoing loud noise. Implement a policy that ensures all help as part of a wider solution towards excessive noise employees switch their phones off if they are away from management. their desk for some time and concentration levels should rise.
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