Toxicity: CCI Under Fire Over Staff Harassment Claims

Toxic work cultures have been the centre of discussion among young people joining the labour market in the country. Over the past few weeks, allegations of sexual misconduct, bullying, overworked employees and general abuse have been meted upon Call Centre International Kenya.

Call Center International Kenya is a leading customer service outsourcing company. They have come under fire as current and former employees expose the toxic work environment and the toxic leadership they have endured at the workplace.

According to allegations from both male and female employees, sexual harassment is rampant in the company. Some employees claim that promotions are not based on merit but on who has had relations with senior managers. Employees have also revealed that their employer does not provide security when they leave work late, risking their safety.
Furthermore, employees claim that they work a 10-hour night shift which is against labour laws in Kenya. An employee at CCI Kenya explained that within the 10-hour shift, they have a 1-hour break, 30 minutes for lunch and another 30 minutes, divided into two 15-minute and 15-minute breaks. This leaves them only 8 hours to complete their work duties, which can be overwhelming and exhausting.

Employees also alleged that they are overworked and not paid overtime, violating labour laws. Staff also accuse the company of providing poor working conditions, with some employees claiming they are forced to work under very uncomfortable conditions.

Our sources at the company painted a toxic work culture, including employees working while sick. Notably, WhatsApp messages showed supervisors and managers do not allow employees to stay home when sick.
In a WhatsApp conversation, a manager threatened to have a junior staff member fired if they did not personally drop off their sick sheet, which a doctor signed.

A current employee of CCI Kenya shared their experience with workplace bullying and mistreatment. The employee stated that although they were not a victim of sexual harassment, they had experienced bullying and threats by their supervisor, who would allegedly force them to work overtime and fire people who didn’t meet her expectations.

When asked why they chose to come forward now, the employee mentioned that seeing others speak out about their experiences gave them the confidence to do the same.

Another employee stated that the management was aware of the bullying and sexual harassment allegations made by employees; the interviewee noted that the management was not only aware but were also the ones responsible for such actions. The power hierarchy made it difficult for employees to report such incidents as they feared being fired. While the employee didn’t have any proof of sexual harassment, they mentioned that it was an open secret that people were made to work even during riots and were criticised for their performance by a senior manager.

According to another employee who currently works at CCI Kenya, the management has yet to make any efforts to change the toxic work environment even after Kenyans on social media advocated for better work culture. “Nothing has been done even after all this has been made public. The management is burying its head under the sand and pretending everything is okay.”

Our sources also intimated that the management had tried to coerce people into taking overtime but had not implemented any measures to help employees.

When asked if they felt safe at work and feared being targeted for speaking out, current employees expressed fear of a senior manager called Leah Musuya, whom they described as an authoritarian and bully. The employees stated that they fear her because of how vicious she is.

COTU secretary general Francis Atwoli was also on the receiving end when the allegations of harassment and bullying were made public, with Kenyans criticising the trade union for slacking on such matters. The government has also been urged to take action against Call Center International Kenya, with some calling for the company to be fined or shut down if the allegations are true. The government has yet to comment on the matter.

The allegations made by Call Center International Kenya employees highlight the ongoing problem of workplace harassment and toxic work environments in Kenya. Many workers in the country face similar issues, with few avenues for recourse or support.

Companies must take allegations of harassment and misconduct seriously to create safe and healthy work environments. The Kenyan government has also been challenged to take a stronger stance against workplace harassment and ensure that labour laws are enforced to protect workers’ rights.

As the outcry against Call Center International Kenya continues, it remains to be seen what action will be taken to hold the company accountable. The employees who have come forward with their stories have vowed to continue to fight for their rights and a better workplace.