The Transformation in Philippine BPO Companies: The Impact of Digital Workplace Transformation to the Front Office CSR in terms of their Work Culture

Abstract

The workforce in various industries, particularly the BPO industry, experiences significant impacts from digital workplace transformation. It is affected by employee skill levels, knowledge, efficiency, and rationalization. This research aims to investigate the impact of digital workplace transformation on work culture, represented by the following variables: employee retention, motivation, and productivity. Participants in this study work as front-office customer service representatives (CSR) for business processing outsourcing (BPO) companies in the Philippines, specifically the top BPO companies on the list issued by the IT & Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP). Using a mixed method approach, the researchers incorporated qualitative and quantitative data for this study, allowing them to compile all the necessary information. Using Somer's delta, the researchers identified the association between the dependent and independent variables. After analyzing the data, researchers found that the development of the digital workplace positively impacts work culture. At the same time, the shift to a digital workplace benefits worker productivity, motivation, and retention. On the contrary, with the interview results of the study conducted with the respective team leaders of these employees, the researchers discovered that despite the magnificent benefits of digital workplace transformation, it can still cause stress and work overload. In conclusion, our research findings contradicted our initial hypothesis that the digital workplace would not significantly impact work culture in BPO companies. Instead, we discovered that digital workplace transformation impacts employee retention, motivation, and productivity. The transformation to a digital workplace progressively enhances the quality of work performed by customer service representatives in BPO companies, leading to a better work experience. Researchers recommend that BPO companies focus on skills development, effective communication, work environment enhancements, and supervisor support to ensure a successful transformation.