Organizational Psychology

Purpose. The study investigated the relationship between components of burnout and coping strategies used by them with a stressful situation among call center operators. Methodology. Data was gathered from a sample of 185 employees with experience from 0 to 9 years of the. The questionnaire included two techniques: "Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI)" and "The Strategic Approach to Coping Scale" (SACS). Results. Exhaustion is positively correlated with the coping strategies of «avoidance» (r = .271), «aggressive actions» (r = .264) and negatively correlated with coping strategies «seeking social support» (r = –.186) and «assertive action» (r = –.224). Cynicism has a negative relation with the coping strategies of «social joining» (r = –.219) and the «seeking social support» (r = –.217). Coping strategies positively correlated indicator of cynicism are: «assertive action» and «avoidance». Inefficacyis positively associated with coping strategies «assertive action» (r = .27), «social joining» (r = .147),«seeking social support» (r = .286). A negative association was found between inefficacy and strategyof avoidance (r = –.192). The positive relationship of work experience of the operator and the level of cynicism (r = .231), as well as the positive relationship between the experience of the operator and inefficacy (r = .158). In addition, the operator’s work experience is positively related to coping strategy «cautious action» (r = .178). Conclusions. Research has shown that adaptive coping strategies negatively associated with high levels of burnout, and mal adaptive coping strategies positively associated withhigh levels of burnout. Value of the results: The study results allow managers to reduce the risk of burn-out of the contact center agents through the formation of a corporate culture which includes adaptive coping strategies, as well as through training and encouraging staff to use coping strategies associated with low levels of burnout components.