Stress in the 9-1-1 Workplace
Stress is part of daily life in the 9-1-1 world. Many telecommunicators value being able to "tough it out" and tolerate high stress levels. But across the country, call center managers are increasingly becoming aware that reducing employee stress can help employees live better lives—and help call centers operate better.1
For your employees—and also for you—reducing stress can help prevent:
- Burn-out
- Health problems
- Reduced job satisfaction
- Lower job performance
Focusing on keeping stress levels manageable can also help you:
- Avoid absenteeism
- Retain valuable staff
- Meet minimum training standards
- Be ready for Next Generation 9-1-1
The work of 9-1-1 telecommunicators combines stress factors from many other professions. Hover over the images to learn more about how each type of stress contributes to telecommunicators' lives.
So What Can You Do?
Research shows that managers can take specific steps to help employees reduce and deal with stress.2 This toolkit gives you tools and resources to help reduce and manage the job stress your employees face.
Click here to learn more about this toolkit and how to use it to reduce stress levels in your call center. Or click on one of the topics below to start exploring ways to reduce stress and improve health and wellbeing for all your employees.
Understanding Stress
This section will help you build an understanding of stress on the job, how it may impact your call center, and how call center managers can take general steps to create a less stressful work environment.
Operations
Operational issues can be a major source of stress, particularly new technology adoption and mandatory overtime. This section will show you best practices for dealing with operational challenges.
Conflict
The social environment is an important factor that can increase or decrease stress. This section will give you tools to help avoid and reduce conflict between employees, conflict with callers, and bullying.
Promoting Wellness
This section will help you create a wellness program that gives employees opportunities for physical exercise, healthy eating, and other positive health actions at work.
Resources
This section includes information about this toolkit and how to use it, references and links to external sources for more information, and tips for personal stress reduction.
Managing Stress
This page provides methods for managing symptoms of stress, including breathing exercises, meditation, and sleep help, to share with employees—and use yourself.
Understanding Stress
This section will help you build an understanding of stress on the job, how it may impact your call center, and how call center managers can take general steps to create a less stressful work environment.
Operations
Operational issues can be a major source of stress, particularly new technology adoption and mandatory overtime. This section will show you best practices for dealing with operational challenges.
Conflict
The social environment is an important factor that can increase or decrease stress. This section will give you tools to help avoid and reduce conflict between employees, conflict with callers, and bullying.
Promoting Wellness
This section will help you create a wellness program that gives employees opportunities for physical exercise, healthy eating, and other positive health actions at work.
Resources
This section includes information about this toolkit and how to use it, references and links to external sources for more information, and tips for personal stress reduction.
Managing Stress
This page provides methods for managing symptoms of stress, including breathing exercises, meditation, and sleep help, to share with employees—and use yourself.
