Ballad of a Call Centre Employee

Tonight for some random reason I read MetLife Identifies Chronic Absences and Lost Productivity Among Call Center Employees; New Report Provides Employers with Key Data on Call Center Productivity Issues, Offers Ideas on Reversing High Absence Trends and I honestly can't understand why these and other researchers are having such a hard time figuring out why there are high absentee rates (among other things) at call centers.

I've worked at two different centers, both for around 6 months. The first was incoming food sales - simple enough, take their order and have the food sent to them in 40 minutes or it's free. The current one is outgoing market research - call people at home and ask their opinions on everything from politics to their health. Both have made me crazy, and both were great places to procure vast quantities of drugs.

I don't understand how the scientists can't see that an anonymous work environment without a set place to call your own or set hours can be good for the human psyche. Almost everyone I have worked with is insane or getting there. How can it possibly be humane to be told to call over 100 a day, mostly during their dinner hour, and have 95% of them tell you to fuck off in no uncertain terms? And to be competing against your fellow employee for the highest productivity rating...or else you're fired. Is this honestly healthy? There is a reason people drink before they come to work.

I just don't get it. It's not a good work environment, how can companies think they will have happy, productive employees in an environment like this? It's beyond me. And clearly our plight is beyond the scientists.