Call Centre Voices: Why They Fatigue Fast
Working in a call centre can be stressful—and when your voice fades midday, everything gets harder. From my own time in a call-centre environment, I saw how speech therapy techniques apply to everyday tasks. Contrary to common belief, speech therapy isn’t only for brain injury, developmental, or swallowing disorders; it can benefit many professionals and be used preventatively or for maintenance.
Nodules, Polyps, and Overuse: What’s Happening
Call centre reps use their voices continuously, leading to hoarse, scratchy, or breathy quality over time. Vocal fold nodules begin as soft swelling and can harden into benign growths from vocal misuse or overuse; polyps are similar but often larger, presenting as swollen bumps, blister-like lesions, or stalk-like growths. Rest can help nodules shrink, but long periods of silence are rarely feasible at work. Surgery is reserved for severe cases. More often, a speech-language pathologist helps retrain voice use with exercises, technique coaching, and behaviour changes to reduce strain.
Better Habits & Quick Wins for Your Shift
Practical strategies include brief vocal warm-ups before calls, posture coaching to reduce neck and laryngeal tension, identifying a comfortable pitch and loudness, using pitch variation rather than sheer volume for emphasis, and optimizing the workspace—such as using a headset instead of a handset to promote alignment. Simple daily habits help too: hydrate well, pause and use tone to convey meaning instead of pushing loudness, keep your head aligned with your spine when seated, and support speech with adequate breath. Small changes compound into healthier, clearer, more resilient voice use.
[1] By: Guest Blogger, Pavithiraa Ravindran, B.A.
