Imagine being on the frontlines of some of society’s most sensitive issues—domestic violence, disability support, tax debts—yet feeling utterly undervalued and unprepared. This is the stark reality for thousands of workers in Australia’s outsourced call centers, where bizarre bonuses and sausage sizzles are thrown at employees to mask the deeper issues of low pay, inadequate training, and high stress. But here’s where it gets controversial: while these private contractors rake in profits, the workers—often the first point of contact for vulnerable Australians—are left to fend for themselves with minimal support. And this is the part most people miss: the government agencies outsourcing these roles are essentially trading quality service for cost savings, leaving both workers and callers in the lurch.
Take Oliver*, for instance, who works at a call center in Perth. He describes the workplace as ‘pretty miserable,’ despite management’s attempts to boost morale with gimmicks like a ‘12 days of giveaways’ competition. ‘They do sausage sizzles and try to make it fun,’ he says, ‘but it’s just a distraction.’ The real issue? Workers like Oliver are handling calls about domestic violence and other traumatic topics, yet they’re paid ‘absolute peanuts’ and receive little to no training. ‘It rubs me the wrong way,’ he admits, ‘that such poorly trained staff are put on the frontlines of these conversations.’
Guardian Australia has spoken to over a dozen call center workers across four major private contractors—Probe Operations, Concentrix Services, Serco, and TSA Group—all of whom paint a grim picture. These companies, often owned by private equity firms or listed on stock exchanges, prioritize profit over worker wellbeing. For example, Probe Operations offers ‘random bonuses’ that one employee describes as ‘bizarre.’ ‘They have seat bonuses—basically a lucky dip,’ the employee explains. ‘Turn up on a certain day, and you might win $200.’ But instead of motivating staff, these incentives breed resentment. ‘Seeing someone get a bonus for just showing up made me feel undervalued,’ they add.
The turnover rate in these centers is staggering. ‘Every few weeks, there’s a new rollout of 10 to 15 people in my center alone,’ says the Probe employee. Training is often nonexistent, leaving workers to ‘sink or swim.’ Anne*, who worked at Concentrix, recalls her training as a ‘casual talk fest with substandard modules.’ She lasted just three weeks before resigning, disgusted by the lack of preparation for handling calls from vulnerable Australians. ‘We were called ‘gamechangers,’ but I’m still not sure what game we were playing,’ she reflects.
Here’s the controversial question: Can private companies truly deliver the same quality of service as government-run call centers while cutting costs and turning a profit? Emmanuel Josserand, a professor of management, calls this idea ‘nonsense.’ ‘You have to cut corners somewhere,’ he explains, ‘so they hire less qualified people and put pressure on workers.’ Yet, despite Labor’s 2023 push to reduce reliance on outsourced workers, government agencies like the ATO have barely made a dent in their outsourcing budgets. This financial year, the ATO plans to cut outsourced work by just $500,000—a drop in the ocean compared to its $4 billion budget.
The consequences are dire. A Serco employee working on the National Disability Insurance Scheme phone line admits she still struggles to answer basic questions after a year on the job. ‘Mistakes can cost lives,’ she says, ‘and it’s heartbreaking.’ Meanwhile, outsourced workers earn around $52,800 annually, compared to over $72,000 for public servants doing the same job. One Probe worker has filed a ‘same job, same pay’ application with the Fair Work Commission, challenging the Albanese government’s workplace reforms. If successful, it could upend many outsourced government arrangements.
Even the tools of the trade are subpar. Workers complain about cheap, uncomfortable headphones that fail to block out noise, frustrating both employees and callers. Jack*, an experienced Probe worker, highlights the lack of proper training, such as ‘double jacking,’ where new hires listen in on experienced colleagues’ calls. ‘They throw you in the deep end,’ he says, ‘and many new hires don’t even have call center experience.’
So, here’s the question for you: Is this system sustainable, or is it a ticking time bomb for both workers and the public? Should the government prioritize cost savings over quality service, or is it time to bring these roles back in-house? Let us know your thoughts in the comments—this is a conversation that needs to happen.
