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INFORMATION SHEET FOR PARTICIPANTS
REC Reference Number:[INSERT ONCE PROVIDED BY REVIEW BODY]
YOU WILL BE GIVEN A COPY OF THIS INFORMATION SHEET
Investigating voluntary employee turnover intentions of call centre agents in the UK.
Invitation Paragraph
I would like to invite you to participate in this research project which forms part of my PhD
research You should only participate if you want to; choosing not to take part will not
disadvantage you in anyway. Before you decide whether you want to take part, it is
important for you to understand why the research is being done and what your
participation will involve. Please take time to read the following information carefully and
discuss it with others if you wish. Ask me if there is anything that is not clear or if you
would like more information.
What is the purpose of the study?
The aim of this study is to provide a better understanding of employee turnover intentions
of call centre agents in the UK. I am specifically interested in employee satisfaction with
various facets of their job (e.g. compensation, promotion, work role) and satisfaction with
their relationships at work (e.g. co-workers, supervisors). This will involve semi-structured
interviews with a sample of call centre staff at three organisations.
Why have I been invited to take part?
I am inviting frontline call centre agents in three organisations to take part in this study.
Do I have to take part?
Participation is voluntary. You do not have to take part. You should read this information
sheet and if you have any questions you should ask the research team.
What will happen to me if I take part?
If you decide to take part you will be given this information sheet to keep and will be asked
to sign a consent form. I will then discuss the interview procedure with you and arrange to
interview you in a private place (for confidentiality reasons) on the premises where you
work (or at a suitable venue in a local public site if you prefer).
The interview will take approximately one hour and be based on the interview topic guide,
but it is designed to be flexible so as to meet your needs. The interview will be recorded,
subject to your permission. All recordings of data on audio-equipment will be deleted after
transcription.. Even if you have decided to take part, you are still free to stop your
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*THIS IS A GUIDANCE DOCUMENT AND MUST BE TAILORED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF
YOUR STUDY.*
participation at any time during the interview and to have research data/information
relating to you withdrawn without giving any reason up to 1st September 2016.
What are the possible benefits and risks of taking part?
The information I get from the study will help to further understand the factors that shape
voluntary employee turnover in UK call centres. Furthermore, I will provide you with a
summary of a final report describing the main findings. The main disadvantage to taking
part in the study is that you will be donating around an hour of your time to take part.
There are no foreseeable risks in participating in the study.
Will my taking part be kept confidential?
What is said in the interview is regarded as strictly confidential and will be held securely
until the research is finished.. All data for analysis will be anonymised. In reporting on the
research findings, I will not reveal the names of any participants or the organisation where
you work. At all times there will be no possibility of you as individuals being linked with the
data.
The UK Data Protection Act 1998 will apply to all information gathered within the
interviews and held on password-locked computer files and locked cabinets within King’s
College London. No data will be accessed by anyone other than me; and anonymity of the
material will be protected by using false names (add annotation box to emphasise different
ways to anonymise). No data will be able to be linked back to any individual taking part in
the interview.
How is the project being funded?
The project is being funded by the researcher. The study has been approved by the
King’s College London Research Ethics Committee.
What will happen to the results of the study?
I will produce a final report summarising the main findings, which will be sent to you. I also
plan to disseminate the research findings through publication and conferences within the
UK.
Who should I contact for further information?
If you have any questions or require more information about this study, please contact me
using the following contact details:
Matthew Ponsembeat
Department of Management
King’s College London
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Strand Campus
London
SE 1 2AB
Mponsembeat@kcl.ac.uk
Tel: 020 7123 4554
What if something goes wrong?
If this study has harmed you in any way or if you wish to make a complaint about the
conduct of the study you can contact King's College London using the details below for
further advice and information:
Dr Philip Feet
Department of Management
King’s College London
Strand Campus
London
SE 1 2AB
PFeet@kcl.ac.uk
Tel: 020 7123 1111
Thank you for reading this information sheet and for considering taking part in this
research.
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