Browsing by Author "Watson, Ruth"

Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    The effect of sensory processing on the work performance of call centre agents in a South African context
    (2012) Lombard, Annemarie; Watson, Ruth; Duncan, Madeleine
    Background: Call centres are thriving and expanding commercial enterprises providing cost-effective ways for organisations to connect with new and existing clients through telecommunication channels. Call centre agents perform this function telephonically for 75% of the day in large open-plan office environments characterised by workloads that are demanding, repetitive and highly scripted. Verbal abuse by clients is prevalent adding to a work experience that is potentially emotionally draining and stressful. Agents are under constant surveillance and monitoring to abide with commercial regulations but also to ensure high call volume and quality engagement with clients, these being the most important performance indicators. High staff absenteeism and attrition levels account for large financial losses in the industry. To date no studies have been found considering the impact of sensory processing of call centre agents on their performance, absenteeism and attrition. Sensory processing considers the neuro-physiological and behavioural components of individuals in the interactions with their daily work occupations and life environments. Although predominantly applied in paediatric clinical populations in occupational therapy, sensory processing provides universal truths about human behaviour which can add value to promoting wellness amongst healthy adults in work environments. Design: A quantitative, non-experimental and correlational study design was used to measure and compare demographic, sensory processing and performance data from 459 call centre staff within four fully operational call centres, which varied in type of operation, employer and geographical area in South Africa. The standardised and validated 60-item Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile (Brown, Tollefson, Dunn, Cromwell & Fillion, 2001) was used to measure sensory processing as neurological thresholds and potential propensity for individuals to cope with high sensory stimulating work environments. Agent performance data in each of the four centres were recorded daily, in real time, using sophisticated information technology systems, and included details about absenteeism. Attrition data were collected after the initial data intake to reflect true attrition. Results: Data were analysed using statistical methods to obtain locality (e.g. means, medians), dispersion (e.g. standard deviations and interquartile ranges) and associations (e.g. Spearman Rank correlations). Results showed strong, consistent and significant correlations between agents who displayed sensation avoiding processing and poor performance. Agents who exhibited sensation seeking processing had higher performance ratings. To a lesser, yet still significant, degree agents with low registration and sensory sensitivity also had lower performance ratings. Sensory sensitive agents were absent less often than other workers and sensation seeking agents showed a tendency for higher attrition. Results differed between service inbound call centres to sales and collections outbound ones. Team leaders, who are high performing agents promoted into these positions, had less sensory sensitive and sensation avoiding processing styles. A novel subset structure was designed to account for the multidimensional capacity of the AASP, and this was correlated with all the performance data. It provided a preliminary method for use in further research studies. The study strengths were the innovative sample in measuring sensory processing of healthy populations at work and the compilation of performance data through sophisticated computerised systems, which minimised the margin of error. Study limitations were the use of a self-questionnaire format for profile data collection and small sample sizes in subsequent data collection stages. Recommendations: The AASP has the potential to be used by call centre human resource practitioners for recruitment and performance management. Improved sensory environmental considerations and adaptations supportive of a more successful and healthier agent-job-environment fit are provided. The study findings support knowledge transfer into other general human resource management, education and training, occupational health management and occupational therapy practises. It expands the application of sensory processing theories and informs future research.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    The experience of being an occupational therapy student with an underrepresented ethnic and cultural background
    (2000) Ramugondo, Elelwani; Watson, Ruth
    Bibliography: leaves 91-96.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    A preliminary study of a correlation between scores on a 6-item cognitive impairment test and a modified Bristol Activities of Daily Living Scale obtained from older women in Khayelitsha
    (2001) Brodrick, Kathleen; Ferreira, Monica; Watson, Ruth
    The absence of culturally appropriate assessment tools for the measurement of cognition and activities of daily living in an older black African population living in South Africa was the reason for embarking on the study. The purpose of the study was to develop culturally appropriate screening tools for dementia in a South African, Xhosa speaking urban black population. The aim of the study was to determine a correlation between the scores on a six item cognitive test ( 6CIT) (Brooke and Bullock 1999), and a modified Bristol Activities of Daily Living Scale (BADL) (Bucks, Ashworth, Wilcock and Siegfried 1996), in order to assess the usefulness of the cognitive test as a screening tool for dementia in black older women. A random sample of women (N=92) was drawn in an urban area (Khayelitsha) near to Cape Town, South Africa. Data were gathered with the use of three instruments. Background information was obtained from the subjects. The 6CIT was administered to the subjects. The BADL, an informant-based scale, was administered to the primary carers. The instruments were modified for local use and translated into Xhosa, the home language of the majority of residents in Khayelitsha. The results of the study showed a correlation between the scores on the two measurement instruments (r =.49745) at a 95% confidence interval. The instruments were found to be culturally appropriate for the black African older population. However, low education was a confounding factor for the cognitive test and cut-off scores, used in previous studies to detect the possible presence of early dementia, were found to be too low for this population. The modified BADL scale showed that none of the subjects were fully dependent on their carers for the performance of activities of daily living. Recommendations are that the instruments, 6CIT and modified BADL, which have been shown to be easily administered by community health workers be further validated and translated into other black South African languages. Easy to administer screening tools for dementia should be developed for detection of the disease in the population so that provision is made by health authorities and occupational therapists for treatment plans to minimise the detrimental effects of the disease on the individuals, their families and communities.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    The production of an appropriate and culturally sound isiXhosa translation of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Checklist
    (2007) Ka Toni, Mzolisi; Jelsma, Jennifer; Watson, Ruth
    This study arose out of the necessity to have an isiXhosa version of the ICF Checklist to use in a study on the living conditions of people with disabilities in the Eastern and Western provinces of South Africa carried out by a partnership between the University of Cape Town, the University of Oslo, The Foundation for Scientific and Industrial Research at the Norwegian Institute of Technology (Sintef) and Disabled People South Africa (DPSA). The purpose of translating the ICF Checklist was to make sure that the tool was appropriate and culturally sound for use by isiXhosa speaking disabled people in the Eastern and Western Cape.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    The relationship between leisure boredom and substance use amongst high school students in Cape Town
    (1998) Wegner, Lisa; Flisher, Alan J; Watson, Ruth
    The purpose of the study was to determine the relationship between leisure boredom and substance use in adolescents attending high school in Cape Town. The degree of leisure boredom experienced by adolescents was investigated, as well as the extent to which boredom is associated with alcohol use, cigarette smoking and cannabis use, gender, grade and race. A stratified sample of 39 high schools in and around Cape Town was selected, using the postal distribution areas as stratification criteria. Students were then randomly selected from two Grade 8 and two Grade 11 classes at these schools, producing a sample of 621 adolescents. Data were gathered using two instruments: the Leisure Boredom Scale which is a self-report scale consisting of 16 items, with demonstrated reliability and validity (Iso-Ahola and Weissinger, 1990); and a questionnaire which was used to obtain demographic data and substance use data (Flisher et al. 1993). These were self-report questionnaires, available in English, Xhosa and Afrikaans, and were completed by students during two consecutive school periods. Administrations took place during the second and third school quarters of 1997. The results of the study showed that leisure boredom was significantly associated with gender (p = 0.003), race (p = 0.000) and alcohol use (p = 0.031). Further analysis showed no significant association between leisure boredom and substance use when controlling for demographic variables. Female adolescents, younger adolescents and black adolescents experienced the highest degree of leisure boredom and may be at risk of using substances as an exciting way of alleviating boredom. Recommendations are that leisure education programmes should be incorporated into lifeskills programmes at high schools, as part of a "lifestyles approach" (Flisher et al. 1996) to dealing with substance use in adolescents. Leisure education programmes should enable adolescents to explore different leisure activities, structure their leisure time constructively, and to become aware of the value of leisure in personal development. Occupational therapists, as part of their role in health promotion, should form partnerships with teachers and parents in order to implement these programmes effectively. Finally, adequate leisure resources for adolescents should be developed, particularly within the more disadvantaged communities in Cape Town.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Open Access
    Understanding stress reducing adaptation in the work place
    (2004) Henshall, Claire; Van Niekerk, Lana; Watson, Ruth
    Bibliography: leaves 120-126.