A Comparative Analysis of Cognitive Fatigue and Operational Efficiency Between Day- Shift and Night-Shift Employees in BPO Environments
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20269386Keywords:
cognitive fatigue, operational efficiency, shift schedules, BPO industry, customer service representativesAbstract
This study examined the cognitive fatigue and perceived operational efficiency of voice-based Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) in selected Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies in Dumaguete City. It focused on differences between day-shift and night-shift employees and the relationship between cognitive fatigue and performance outcomes. A quantitative, descriptive-comparative, and correlational research design was employed using a stratified sampling technique. A total of 384 full-time CSRs participated in the study. Data were analyzed using percentage, mean, Shapiro–Wilk test, Mann–Whitney U test, and Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. The findings revealed that respondents experienced a moderate level of cognitive fatigue in terms of intrinsic and extraneous load, while germane load was low, indicating that higher-order cognitive processes were generally maintained. Perceived operational efficiency, measured in terms of processing speed and quality accuracy, was also at a moderate level, suggesting acceptable but not optimal performance. No significant differences were found between day-shift and night-shift employees in both cognitive fatigue and operational efficiency. In terms of relationships, no significant association was observed between cognitive fatigue and operational efficiency overall, although a weak but significant relationship emerged among day-shift employees. Age demonstrated a weak but significant relationship with operational efficiency, whereas tenure showed no significant relationship with either variable. These results suggest that performance is largely sustained through structured workflows, system support, and employee adaptation rather than demographic or shift-related factors. The study underscores the importance of integrating fatigue management and performance support mechanisms to promote employee well-being and maintain consistent operational efficiency in BPO environments.
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Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analyzed in this study; all data used were obtained from previously published sources as cited in the reference list.
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