This is key to managing work-related stress, and a positive culture helps to reduce the risk.  Two elements of a positive culture are regular and open two-way communication between call handlers and managers and consultation with staff including, where possible, participation in decisions that may affect them.  The collective knowledge and experience of the call handlers in an organisation can be a valuable resource, especially if the managers have little or no experience of handling calls themselves.  Staff welfare must also be a priority.

Organisations with positive cultures will have a clear sickness/absence policy and should encourage call handlers to recover fully before returning to work from sick leave in order to protect the health of other employees, as, even with excellent control systems for environmental conditions, bacteria and viruses spread more easily in open plan offices.  (HSE)