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The call centers have created a new form of social divide where the young employees are separated from the rest of the family and society. They hardly exchange words with their family members. Kalyani Menon in her study on quotes that call center employees have no social life and argues that the stress and burnouts has
severely incapacitated the employees resulting in rise of alcoholism, smoking, eating disorders, stress and other psycho-somatic disorders.

Relationships are facing crisis due to the time constraints and pressure at work. Workplace romance is reaching a new high and married employees are finding it difficult to maintain a happy married life. There has been rise in divorce rate and many are favoring love marriage and even live-ins as opposed to traditional arranged marriages. These new working patterns of lifestyle are in complete contrast to the Indian traditions and value systems. The very outsourcing that motivates a large section of Indian youth is today beginning to render them culturally rootless.

Changing the Social Equilibrium

Call centers often prefer women as they are more hardworking, faithful, dutiful, patient, less aggressive and with better interpersonal skills than men. It provides a new and convenient form of employment for thousands of Indian women. This boom of call centers has come as a boon for Indian women who otherwise might have remained unemployed and married off at young age after graduation.

The employment at call centers and taking home salaries (that are very good by Indian standards) has made them more confident and independent in their attitude and outlook towards life. It has helped in overall empowerment of women. Today, call centers as viewed as 'the' choice for majority of Indian women. Also, it provides the flexibility of time and location and allows women to work from home at her convenience. This has altered the familial roles of males and females in many Indian families. In short, call centers has changed the women's status in the family. However, there has been growing concern among employees and their families about female employee's safety and security following unfortunate incidents at various call centers (Death of Pratibha Murthy and Tanya Banerjee at Bangalore)¹².

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12 http://www.rediff.com/news/2006/jul/26blore.htm

* Contributed by: -
M. S. Balaji & Diganta C.,
Research Scholars,
ICFAI Insititute for Management Teachers, Hyderabad.