Intelligent employers always realize the importance of retaining the best talent. Retaining talent has never been so important in the Indian scenario; however, things have changed in recent years. In prominent Indian metros at least, there is no dearth of opportunities for the best in the business, or even for the second or the third best. Retention of key employees and treating attrition troubles has never been so important to companies.
In an intensely competitive environment, where HR managers are poaching from each other, organizations can either hold on to their employees tightly or lose them to the competition. For gone are the days when employees would stick to an employer for years for want of a better choice. Now, opportunities abound.
It is a fact that retention of key employees is critical to the long-term health and success of any organization. The performance of employees is often linked directly to quality work, customer satisfaction, increased product sales, and even to the image of a company. Whereas the same is often indirectly linked to satisfied colleagues and reporting staff, effective succession planning, and deeply embedded organizational knowledge and learning.
Employee retention matters, as organizational issues such as training time and investment, costly candidate search, etc., are involved. Hence, failing to retain a key employee is a costly proposition for any organization. Various estimates suggest that losing a middle manager in most organizations translates to a loss of up to five times his salary. This might be worse for BPO companies where fresh talent is intensively trained and inducted and then further groomed to the successive stages. In this scenario, the loss of a middle manager can often prove dear.
Why people leave
In an industry like BPO, the work can often be monotonous and opportunities for career growth minimal. So when opportunities beckon, the high rate of attrition is not surprising. However, there are some common reasons that especially cause people to leave. Surveys have listed night shifts, money, inability to handle various types of stress, monotonous work, company policies, lack of career growth, problems with those in senior positions, etc., as some of the most common reasons listed by BPO employees for quitting jobs.
Finding the cause
Have a survey among employees to find the reasons for attrition. If possible, have exit interviews to know the reasons for resignations. If a key employee resigns, it should be taken up on a priority basis, and the senior management should meet the employee to discuss his reasons for leaving and evaluate whether his issues bear merit and whether they can be resolved. Steps can be taken to avoid similar reasons from occurring in the case of others in similar positions.
What can be done?
Though it is impossible to scrap problems totally, there are certain ways by which BPO managements can tackle attrition. Since the BPO environment is unique, these companies need to develop innovative ways to tackle them. The Human Resources department of a BPO must address these issues, and along with the management, need to evolve strategies to retain employees at all levels.
At the time of Recruitment
Select the right people through competency screening.
Use psychometric tests to get people who can work at night and handle the monotony.
Offer an attractive, competitive benefits package.
Make clear performance-enhanced incentives and other benefits. Keep these promises later.
BPOs can set up offices in smaller towns or recruit from there, where opportunities are few.
At the office
An employee's work must be communicated to him clearly and thoroughly. The details of the job, its importance, the way it should be done, maximum time that can be allotted to complete it, etc., must be made clear. If there are changes to any of these, let the employee know at the earliest.
Give the employees necessary tools, time, and training. The employee must have the tools, time, and training necessary to do their job well - or they will move to an employer who provides them.
Have a person to talk to each employee at regular intervals. Listen and solve employee complaints and problems as much as possible. Fairness and impartial treatment by seniors are important. Help employees manage stress, both at work and if possible, off work too. Give them special concessions when in need. Treat the employees well and provide dignity of the job.
The quality of the supervision an employee receives is critical to employee retention. Frequent employee complaints arise on this issue.
Provide the employees a stress-free work environment. People want to enjoy their work. Make work and the workplace as cheerful and fun-filled as possible.
Make sure that employees know that their work is important for the organization. Feeling valued by their employer is key to high employee motivation and morale. Recognize their strengths and help them to improve those they lack.
Employees must feel rewarded, recognized, and appreciated. Giving a periodic raise in salary or position helps to retain staff.
Offer excellent career growth prospects. Encourage and groom employees to take up higher positions/openings. If they don't get an opportunity for growth within the organization, they will look elsewhere for it.
Work-life balance initiatives are important. Innovative and practical employee policies pertaining to flexible working hours and schemes, granting compassionate and urgent leave, providing healthcare for self, family, and dependents, etc., are important for most people. Work-life balance policies would have a positive impact on retaining skilled employees, as well as on attracting high-caliber recruits.
Implement competency models, which are well-integrated, with HR processes like selection and recruitment, training, performance appraisal, and potential appraisal.
Night shifts
Have doctors advise them about health problems and the ways and means to deal with them. Provide dietary advice: - Dos and don'ts. Help them maintain their health.
Organize programs where people from other professions, who have night shifts, talk to BPO employees about their experiences. Other organizations like the Army, Railways, Hospitals, and various government services, etc., also have night shifts.
Organize training, counseling, and development programs for employees. Tell them that their work is important. Encourage the best performers to share their experiences with others and guide others. The emphasis is to create the desire to learn, enjoy, and be passionate about the work they do.
If needed, provide special lights in the office/workplace to ensure that their bodies get sufficient vitamin D.
One distinct disadvantage of night shifts is the sense of disorientation with friends and family members. Concentrate on this problem and develop innovative solutions and ways to deal with it. Additional holidays for work on national holidays and festivals, holidays for family functions, etc., can go a long way.
Conclusion
As they say, happiness can be contagious. So make sure the workplace is a happy one, which every employee would love to spend time. The Human Resources department along with senior management must take steps to ensure this.
Effective human resource management must be practiced at both strategic and day-to-day levels. HR management practices must reflect company policy as to how it will manage and relate to its employees. The HR strategy should evolve from a transactional support role to partnering in the organization's business strategy. HR must take steps to be aware of employee problems and try to solve them creatively.
From India, Bangalore
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5In an intensely competitive environment, where HR managers are poaching from each other, organizations can either hold on to their employees tightly or lose them to the competition. For gone are the days when employees would stick to an employer for years for want of a better choice. Now, opportunities abound.
It is a fact that retention of key employees is critical to the long-term health and success of any organization. The performance of employees is often linked directly to quality work, customer satisfaction, increased product sales, and even to the image of a company. Whereas the same is often indirectly linked to satisfied colleagues and reporting staff, effective succession planning, and deeply embedded organizational knowledge and learning.
Employee retention matters, as organizational issues such as training time and investment, costly candidate search, etc., are involved. Hence, failing to retain a key employee is a costly proposition for any organization. Various estimates suggest that losing a middle manager in most organizations translates to a loss of up to five times his salary. This might be worse for BPO companies where fresh talent is intensively trained and inducted and then further groomed to the successive stages. In this scenario, the loss of a middle manager can often prove dear.
Why people leave
In an industry like BPO, the work can often be monotonous and opportunities for career growth minimal. So when opportunities beckon, the high rate of attrition is not surprising. However, there are some common reasons that especially cause people to leave. Surveys have listed night shifts, money, inability to handle various types of stress, monotonous work, company policies, lack of career growth, problems with those in senior positions, etc., as some of the most common reasons listed by BPO employees for quitting jobs.
Finding the cause
Have a survey among employees to find the reasons for attrition. If possible, have exit interviews to know the reasons for resignations. If a key employee resigns, it should be taken up on a priority basis, and the senior management should meet the employee to discuss his reasons for leaving and evaluate whether his issues bear merit and whether they can be resolved. Steps can be taken to avoid similar reasons from occurring in the case of others in similar positions.
What can be done?
Though it is impossible to scrap problems totally, there are certain ways by which BPO managements can tackle attrition. Since the BPO environment is unique, these companies need to develop innovative ways to tackle them. The Human Resources department of a BPO must address these issues, and along with the management, need to evolve strategies to retain employees at all levels.
At the time of Recruitment
Select the right people through competency screening.
Use psychometric tests to get people who can work at night and handle the monotony.
Offer an attractive, competitive benefits package.
Make clear performance-enhanced incentives and other benefits. Keep these promises later.
BPOs can set up offices in smaller towns or recruit from there, where opportunities are few.
At the office
An employee's work must be communicated to him clearly and thoroughly. The details of the job, its importance, the way it should be done, maximum time that can be allotted to complete it, etc., must be made clear. If there are changes to any of these, let the employee know at the earliest.
Give the employees necessary tools, time, and training. The employee must have the tools, time, and training necessary to do their job well - or they will move to an employer who provides them.
Have a person to talk to each employee at regular intervals. Listen and solve employee complaints and problems as much as possible. Fairness and impartial treatment by seniors are important. Help employees manage stress, both at work and if possible, off work too. Give them special concessions when in need. Treat the employees well and provide dignity of the job.
The quality of the supervision an employee receives is critical to employee retention. Frequent employee complaints arise on this issue.
Provide the employees a stress-free work environment. People want to enjoy their work. Make work and the workplace as cheerful and fun-filled as possible.
Make sure that employees know that their work is important for the organization. Feeling valued by their employer is key to high employee motivation and morale. Recognize their strengths and help them to improve those they lack.
Employees must feel rewarded, recognized, and appreciated. Giving a periodic raise in salary or position helps to retain staff.
Offer excellent career growth prospects. Encourage and groom employees to take up higher positions/openings. If they don't get an opportunity for growth within the organization, they will look elsewhere for it.
Work-life balance initiatives are important. Innovative and practical employee policies pertaining to flexible working hours and schemes, granting compassionate and urgent leave, providing healthcare for self, family, and dependents, etc., are important for most people. Work-life balance policies would have a positive impact on retaining skilled employees, as well as on attracting high-caliber recruits.
Implement competency models, which are well-integrated, with HR processes like selection and recruitment, training, performance appraisal, and potential appraisal.
Night shifts
Have doctors advise them about health problems and the ways and means to deal with them. Provide dietary advice: - Dos and don'ts. Help them maintain their health.
Organize programs where people from other professions, who have night shifts, talk to BPO employees about their experiences. Other organizations like the Army, Railways, Hospitals, and various government services, etc., also have night shifts.
Organize training, counseling, and development programs for employees. Tell them that their work is important. Encourage the best performers to share their experiences with others and guide others. The emphasis is to create the desire to learn, enjoy, and be passionate about the work they do.
If needed, provide special lights in the office/workplace to ensure that their bodies get sufficient vitamin D.
One distinct disadvantage of night shifts is the sense of disorientation with friends and family members. Concentrate on this problem and develop innovative solutions and ways to deal with it. Additional holidays for work on national holidays and festivals, holidays for family functions, etc., can go a long way.
Conclusion
As they say, happiness can be contagious. So make sure the workplace is a happy one, which every employee would love to spend time. The Human Resources department along with senior management must take steps to ensure this.
Effective human resource management must be practiced at both strategic and day-to-day levels. HR management practices must reflect company policy as to how it will manage and relate to its employees. The HR strategy should evolve from a transactional support role to partnering in the organization's business strategy. HR must take steps to be aware of employee problems and try to solve them creatively.
From India, Bangalore
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Radsund.
Once again, a very useful and informative posting. If BPO employers heed much of what you have suggested, it is quite certain that their retention policies will be successful. Keep up the good work.
Jeroo
From India, Mumbai
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Once again, a very useful and informative posting. If BPO employers heed much of what you have suggested, it is quite certain that their retention policies will be successful. Keep up the good work.
Jeroo
From India, Mumbai
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I think this is one of the major challenges that we face today. The article is very interesting, and I would like to share my thoughts. We hire people for qualities and lose them very soon. Who is responsible for the formation of such an attitude? An intelligent person who makes all important decisions in domestic or social life becomes like a zombie as soon as he or she swipes the card. What happens to all the skills and creativity that the person holds? What can we do to provide the right environment? Why are we not able to utilize the full potential of the people we hire? Giving a few perks here and there are temporary solutions that may soothe feelings for some time. You will be amazed to find pockets of excellence in the sea of mediocrity. True leadership, genuine care, concern, empowerment, and delegation to people may, in my opinion, make a substantial difference.
From India, Mumbai
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From India, Mumbai
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Effective employee retention strategies-BPO. doc
Employee Retention Tools.pdf
Attrition Control and Retention Strategies for Changing times.ppt