Even as the local business process outsourcing (BPO) sector expands and is touted as one of the main drivers of growth over the next few years, some workers in the sector are labelling their current salary packages as being inadequate.

Many argue that with turnovers from a lot of the large Fortune 500 companies for which they do outsourcing transactions raking in billions in profits annually, the monthly salaries they take home could nowhere compare.

Fortune 500 companies, which includes some of the largest entities in the United States, are usually ranked on a list by virtue of their annual earnings. These companies, which include popular and big names such as Amazon, Walmart, Total, Toyota, Samsung Electronics, Apple and many others, also fall among some of the accounts that are outsourced to local BPO operators. According to international job search platform Jooble, the average Fortune 500 salary is capped at US$77,500 per year with entry-level positions starting as low as US$29,000 which could climb to as much as US$165,000 per year in the United States.

The Jamaica Observer in looking at the concerns spoke to a few local BPO workers who believe that the average $300-400 hourly base pay that they are currently billing was no match for the salaries paid out by the companies for which they often handle transactions.

Janet (name changed on request), a former call centre employee who worked in the industry for the last 10 years, said that after deducting her monthly expenses, her remaining salary was not enough to even fund her until the next pay cheque.

“As agents we are paid based off a matrix, so it is only if you are hitting certain targets of this matrix such as quality control and good call handling time that one could see their way, if that is not the case then you would be pretty much working the base pay without any added incentives and without these incentives we’re pretty much left with nothing,” she said, lamenting that even after she had risen to the level of trainer, the pay was no much better than when she operated as a customer service agent.

“As a trainer you are paid based on agent’s performance. I found that while I was climbing up the ladder I was more demotivated as despite the promotions, I still wasn’t going home with any money,” she added.

She said that given the increased cost of living spurred by rising inflation and the continued effects of the novel coronavirus pandemic worsened by new global challenges, she was earlier this year forced to leave the sector in search of better opportunities.

Lisa (name also changed on request), a current BPO employer with whom the Sunday Finance also spoke, expressed similar experiences and also called for an increase in the current hourly wage.

“All the call centres in Jamaica are either paying between $300-$400 hourly, I think this can be a little better, so I think $500 per hour is not bad, as we’re doing a lot of work in talking to clients and being on the front line,” she opined.

Both respondents while noting the benefits of health insurance as a plus within the salary packages being offered by BPOs, called for more to be done in ensuring that employees may want to stay for longer terms and not just use these jobs as temporary substitutes. They believe that with proper structures and better compensation, the returns could be significant.

Responding to the concerns, president of the Global Services Association of Jamaica (GSAJ) Gloria Henry said that while she did not have full knowledge of the salary scales across tiers and operators, she believes the salaries currently offered by BPO centres were far better than those paid in several other sectors. She also said that in addressing the salary issue her association was “now in discussion to have a salary survey done of which the findings will help them to make useful comparisons.”

Referencing a World Bank study which she said indicated that higher wages were coming for the sector, particularly those within higher value-added jobs, she urged workers who may be unsatisfied at entry-level posts to consider moving up the value chain.

“There are a myriad of opportunities in the sector and for different positions ranging from supervisory, director, human resources, project management and more. It’s a diverse sector so there are many options for persons not wanting to remain in the entry-level positions or to be stuck in the lower salary bands. Persons just need to look at the opportunities and upgrade themselves with the requisite skills to tap the more salaried posts,” she said.