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Published on: August 8, 2019
Vocal Fatigue and Recovery Patterns Among Call Center Operators: A Workday Progression Study
Aishwarya Nallamuthu1, Sahana Rajaram2, Prakash Boominathan3
1Department of Speech Language Pathology, Sri Ramachandra Faculty of Audiology and Speech Language Pathology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Objective:
Call centers in India, rely heavily on call center operators' (CCO) vocal abilities, putting them on a high vocal demand and the related risk of voice-related problems. This study investigated vocal changes among CCOs during a workday.
Method:
Fifty CCOs from various sectors participated undergoing evaluation, including acoustical, perceptual, aerodynamic, and self-perceptual measures. Measurements were taken at three points during a workday and the following day pre shift.
Results:
Common symptoms included throat dryness and voice breaks. Both male and female CCOs exhibited increased F0 and reduced maximum phonation duration over the day. Perceptually, most voices deteriorated from normal to hoarse/strained, indicating the effects of vocal loading. Vocal fatigue was evident, with recovery observed after rest.
Conclusion:
This study documented subtle vocal changes due to vocal loading in CCOs in a naturalistic working environment, emphasizing the risks involved, need for early identification of voice problems, and facilitating healthy voice practices in CCOs.
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