Employee Retention in sales department (Salary deduction for non achievement and for late comings)

Hi, I am a frequent viewer of this site and find it very helpful. This is my first time here to post, hoping to get advice and help from everyone.

I am the Senior HR in a small media company with an employee strength of 30. The problem here is retention of employees, specifically in the sales department. We have a salary deduction policy for non-achievement and late arrivals. I need your help to find me a few solutions to improve this situation and retain employees. Kindly suggest ideas to motivate and retain them.

Hi Nalanda,

Your post reminded me of my school days when I had to pay Rs.10 for arriving late. This method seemed effective in controlling tardiness during my schooling years. However, as an HR professional in a small company, it is important to handle late arrivals differently. Treating professionals like students could create a negative impression of the company.

Instead of resorting to penalties, it is advisable to investigate the reasons for tardiness and implement a more professional approach. Consider holding a meeting to discuss the issue with employees, or involve the Managing Director in addressing the matter. Developing a policy or issuing a circular stating the consequences of frequent lateness, such as considering late days as absences, could also be effective.

Employees may leave an organization for various reasons, including:

1. Unclear roles and responsibilities that do not enhance their profiles or provide learning opportunities.
2. Below-market compensation or inadequate facilities, along with a lack of a robust reward and recognition system.
3. A lack of professionalism in a family-run business, resulting in an absence of proper systems and controls.
4. Weak training and development programs within the company.

To address these issues, engage in open discussions with employees to understand their concerns and expectations. Communicate these insights professionally to the Managing Director to explore immediate solutions.

In any company, there are three types of employees:
1. Those who adapt to the existing system after attempting to introduce new ideas.
2. Individuals who actively contribute, innovate, and leave if their efforts are not recognized.
3. Employees with a lack of motivation or commitment.

Identifying the predominant type of employees in your company is crucial. If you notice valuable contributors leaving (Type 2), it is essential to revamp the system to retain talent. Communicate the necessity for change to the Managing Director to ensure employee satisfaction and retention.

Remember to address the issue of disengaged employees (Type 3) promptly.

Regards,

M. Kannan

Hi M. Kannan,

Thank you for your valuable suggestion. I will speak to every individual and find a way to address it.

Once again, I appreciate your response.

Non-achievement is one of the problem areas mentioned by the original poster. Does the problem still persist, considering the time lag from the original post? If so, what types of analysis were made regarding likely reasons? Is the product up to the mark in the civil market? How does it compare with similar products in terms of price, quality, and performance? Are your salesmen well-informed about the product and adequately compensated compared to competitors? How is the after-sales effort by your organization? (This is generally a weak link in most products with an emphasis on sales first.) Questioning yourself along these lines would help you identify weak areas and facilitate improvement.