The level of depression, anxiety and job satisfaction among young Contact Centre employees during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Aim of the studyThe aim of the study is to determined the relationships between symptoms of depression,and the levels of stress,anxiety and job satisfaction among ContactCentre employees and internal employees.The study also examines whether the place of work(remote work vs.office work)differentiates these participants regarding experienced anxiety, depression symptoms,job satisfaction.Subject or material and methodsThe study was conducted from October2021 to March2022.It included a total of 61 people aged between 18-45,employed at a Polish bank. Mental state and job satisfaction were assessed using the Job Satisfaction Scale(SSP),PerceivedStressScale(PSS-10),State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and BeckDepressionInventor(BDI).ResultsNo statistically significant differences in the intensity of perceived stress or symptoms of depression and anxiety were found between the Internal and Contact Centre employees;however, poorer mental functioning was noted in the latter group.The level of job satisfaction in the studied groups significantly correlated with the severity of depressive symptoms(R=-0.427;p<0.001),intensity of perceived stress(R=-0.484,p<0.001),level of anxiety as a state(R=-0.468;p<0.001) and as a trait(R=-0.423,p<0.001).DiscussionPeople working in the home office mode obtained significantly higher scores for experienced stress, state and trait anxiety and depressive symptoms compared to people working in the hybrid mode, and significantly higher scores in terms of state anxiety than office workers.Conclusions1.Contact Centre employees did not differ from internal employees in terms of experienced levels of stress or symptoms of depression and anxiety.2.Working from home can increase the level of perceived stress and symptoms of depression and anxiety among employees.3.More severe depressive and anxiety symptoms and greater perceived stress are associated with a lower perceived level of job satisfaction among young adults.