hello everyone...
as i posted earlier i am a post graduate student of corporate communication .as a part of my course curriculum i m supposed to write a 200 mark dissertation on the following topic
changing trends in employee communication : case studies of corporate india
since i mnot a full time Hr Student and my course involves alot of multi tasking on other projects and other form of communications too.. i m really lagging behnid in this project
i would really appreciate if you people could guide me on some books by indian as well as foreign authors on employee communication as well as organisational communication. first of all i would like to know what all to include in this dissertation
???? i hve been briefed by my coordinator to write 4 chapters ... 1) organisational communication : an overview
2) employee communication : a conceptual note
3) case studies
4) conclusion
as for the case studies... i was thinking of choosin one IT organisation and one non it sector corporate ... but i ve made no progress in this regard .. reason being net based research results in copy paste and a proper guidance on how to proceed in this is really lacking.
i would sincerely appreciate if i could get some inputs in this regard .its not a matter of just marks but i believe if something worthwhile is to be done it shld nt b mere copy paste frm internet links.it shld be original ... but i m clueless . help please!!
thank you all
gulsheen
if some 1 can really guide i can attach my research proposal so as to know where am i really headed ....
apologies for such a lengthy post ! i hope some 1 is reading....
From India, Ahmadabad
as i posted earlier i am a post graduate student of corporate communication .as a part of my course curriculum i m supposed to write a 200 mark dissertation on the following topic
changing trends in employee communication : case studies of corporate india
since i mnot a full time Hr Student and my course involves alot of multi tasking on other projects and other form of communications too.. i m really lagging behnid in this project
i would really appreciate if you people could guide me on some books by indian as well as foreign authors on employee communication as well as organisational communication. first of all i would like to know what all to include in this dissertation
???? i hve been briefed by my coordinator to write 4 chapters ... 1) organisational communication : an overview
2) employee communication : a conceptual note
3) case studies
4) conclusion
as for the case studies... i was thinking of choosin one IT organisation and one non it sector corporate ... but i ve made no progress in this regard .. reason being net based research results in copy paste and a proper guidance on how to proceed in this is really lacking.
i would sincerely appreciate if i could get some inputs in this regard .its not a matter of just marks but i believe if something worthwhile is to be done it shld nt b mere copy paste frm internet links.it shld be original ... but i m clueless . help please!!
thank you all
gulsheen
if some 1 can really guide i can attach my research proposal so as to know where am i really headed ....
apologies for such a lengthy post ! i hope some 1 is reading....
From India, Ahmadabad
GULSHEEN,
HERE ARE SOME USEFUL POINTS FOR YOUR EXERCISE.
ORGANIZATION / EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATIONS
Organizations function by means of the collective action of people, yet each individual is capable of taking independent action which may not be in line with policy or instructions, or may not be reported properly to other people who ought to know about it. Good communications are required to achieve coordinated results.
Good two way communications are required so that management can keep employees informed of the policies and plans affecting them, and employees can react promptly with their views about management's proposals and actions. Change cannot be managed properly without an understanding of the feelings of those affected by it, and an efficient system of communications is needed to understand and influence these feelings.
COMMUNICATION AREAS AND OBJECTIVES
The main communication areas and their associated objectives are
COMMUNICATION AREAS AND OBJECTIVES
A.MANAGERIAL
AREA.1 .the communication downwards and sideways of corporate or functional objectives, policies plans and budgets to those who have to implement them
OBJ.1.to ensure that managers and supervisors receive clear, accurate and prompt information on what they are expected to achieve to further the company's objectives
----------------------------------------
AREA.2. the communication downwards of direct instructions from a manager to a subordinate on what the latter has to do
OBJ.2.to ensure that the instructions are clear and precise and provide the necessary motivation to get people into action
----------------------------------------
AREA.3.the communication upwards and sideways of proposals, suggestions and comments on corporate or functional objectives, policies and budgets from those who have to implement them
OBJ.3.to ensure that managers and supervisors have adequate scope to influence corporate and functional decisions on matters about which they have specific expertise and knowledge
-------------------------------------------
AREA .4.the communication upwards and sideways of management information on performance and results
OBJ.4.to enable management to monitor and control performance in order that, as necessary, opportunities can be exploited or swift corrective action taken
B. INTERNAL RELATIONS
AREA. 5. the communication downwards of information on company plans, policies or performance
OBJ.5.to ensure that (i) employees are kept informed of matters that affect them, especially changes to working conditions, and factors influencing their prosperity and security; (ii) employees are encouraged to identify themselves more completely with the company
-------------------------------------------
AREA.6. the communication upwards of the comments and reactions of employees to what is proposed will happen or what is actually happening in matters that affect them
OBJ.6.to ensure that employees are given an opportunity to voice their suggestions and fears and that the company is in a position to amend its plans in the light of these comments
-----------------------------------------------
C. EXTERNAL RELATIONS
AREA.7. the receipt and analysis of information from outside which affects the company's interests
OBJ.7.to ensure that the company is fully aware of all the information on
legislation and on marketing, commercial, financial and technological matters that affect its interests
AREA.8. the presentation of information about the company and its products to the government, customers and the public at large
OBJ.8. to exert influence in the interests of the company, to present a good image of the company, and to persuade customers to buy its products or services
-----------------------------------------
Employee relations are mainly affected by managerial and internal communications, although external communications are an additional channel of information. The strategy for managerial communications is concerned with planning and control procedures, management information systems and techniques of delegating and giving instructions. The procedures and skills can be developed by training programmes.
COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY
The strategy for internal communications should be based on analyses of:
* what management wants to say;
* what employees want to hear;
* the problems being met in conveying or receiving information.
These analyses can be used to indicate the systems of communication that need to be developed and the education and training programmes required to make them work. They should also provide guidance on how communications should be managed and timed. Bad management and poor timing are frequently the fundamental causes of ineffective communication.
What management wants to say
What management wants to say depends upon an assessment of what employees need to know, which, in turn, is affected by what they want to hear.
Management usually aims to achieve three things:
first, to get employees to understand and accept what management proposes to do in areas that affect them;
second, to obtain the commitment of employees to the objectives, plans and values of the Organization; and,
third, to help employees to appreciate more clearly the contribution they can make to organizational success and how it will benefit them.
Communications from management should be about values, plans, intentions and proposals (with the opportunity for discussion with and feedback from employees) as well as about achievements and results.
What employees want to hear
Clearly, employees want to hear about and to comment upon the matters that affect their interests. These will include changes in working methods and conditions, changes in the arrangements for overtime and shift working, company plans which may affect pay or security, and changes in terms and conditions of employment. It is management's job to understand what employees want to hear and plan its communications strategy accordingly. Understanding can be obtained by conducting 'focus groups' discussions which bring together groups of employees to focus on particular issues that concern them, by means of attitude surveys, by asking employee representatives, by informally listening to what employees say, and by analysing grievances to see if improved communications could modify them.
Analysing communication problems
Specific examples of employee relations problems where communication failures have been the cause or a contributory factor should be analysed to determine exactly what went wrong and what needs to be done to put it right. The problems may be any of these , including lack of appropriate channels of communication, lack of appreciation of the need to communicate, and lack of skill in overcoming the many formidable barriers to communication. Problems with channels of communication can be dealt with by introducing new or improved communications systems. Lack of skill is a matter for education and training.
COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS
Communication systems can be divided into those
-using an intranet,
-using the written word such as magazines, newsletters, bulletins and notice boards,
- using oral methods such as meetings, briefing groups and public address systems.
The aim should be to make judicious use of a number of channels to make sure that the message gets across.
Communications through an intranet system
Organizations are increasingly relying on an internal e mail system (the intranet) to communicate information, especially in workplaces where all or most of the employees have direct or indirect access to a computer. The advantage of intranet communications is that they can be transmitted swiftly to a wide audience. They can also be used for two way communications employees can be invited to respond to questions or surveys.
Magazines
Glossy magazines or house journals are an obvious way to keep employees informed about the company and are often used for public relations purposes as well. They can extol and explain the achievements of the company and may thus help to increase identification and even loyalty If employees are encouraged to contribute (although this is difficult), the magazine can become more human. The biggest danger of this sort of magazine is that it becomes a public relations exercise which is seen by employees as having little relevance to their everyday affairs.
Newsletters
Newsletters aim to appear more frequently and to angle their contents more to the immediate concerns of employees than the glossier form of house magazine. To be effective, they should include articles specifically aimed at explaining what management is planning to do and how this affects everyone. They can also include more chatty 'human interest' material about the doings of employees to capture the attention of readers. Correspondence columns can provide an avenue for the expression of employees' views and replies from management, but no attempt should be made to censor letters (except those that are purely abusive) or to pull punches in reply. Anonymous letters should be published if the writer gives his name to the editor.
The key factor in the success of a newsletter or any form of house magazine is the editor, who should be someone who knows the company and its employees and can be trusted by everyone to be frank and fair. Professional expertise is obviously desirable but it is not the first consideration, as long as the editor can write reasonably well and has access to expert help in putting the paper together. It is often a good idea to have an editorial board consisting of management and employee representatives to advise and assist the editor.
Organizations often publish a newsletter in addition to a house magazine, treating the latter mainly as a public relations exercise and relying on the newsletter as the prime means of communicating with employees.
Bulletins
Bulletins can be used to give immediate information to employees which cannot wait for the next issue of a newsletter; or they can be a substitute for a formal publication if the company does not feel that the expense is justified. Bulletins are useful only if they are distributed quickly and are seen by all interested employees. They can simply be posted on notice boards or, more effectively, given to individual employees and used as a starting point for a briefing session if they contain information of sufficient interest to merit a face to face discussion.
Notice boards
Notice boards are an obvious but frequently misused medium for communications. The biggest danger is allowing boards to be cluttered up with uninteresting or out ofdate material. It is essential to control what goes on to the boards and to appoint responsible people to service them by removing out of date or unauthorized notices.
A more impressive show can be made of notices and other material if an information centre is set up in the canteen or some other suitable place where the information can be displayed in a more attractive and compelling manner than on a typical notice board.
Employee involvement
Employee involvement through such means as consultative committees provides a channel for two way communication. Sometimes, however, they are not particularly effective, either because their thunder has been stolen by union negotiation committees, or because their proceedings are over formalized and restricted and fail to address the real issues. It is essential to disseminate the information revealed at committees around the offices and works, but it is impossible to rely on committee members to do this. Minutes can be posted on noticeboards, but they are seldom read, usually because they contain too much redundant material.
Videos
Specially made videos can be a cost effective method of getting across personal messages (eg from the chief executive) or information about how the company is doing. They can, however, be regarded by employees as too impersonal and/or too slick to have any real meaning.
IF I COME ACROSS SOME USEFUL BOOKS, I'LL POST IT
FOR YOU.
REGARDS
LEO LINGHAM
From India, Mumbai
260HERE ARE SOME USEFUL POINTS FOR YOUR EXERCISE.
ORGANIZATION / EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATIONS
Organizations function by means of the collective action of people, yet each individual is capable of taking independent action which may not be in line with policy or instructions, or may not be reported properly to other people who ought to know about it. Good communications are required to achieve coordinated results.
Good two way communications are required so that management can keep employees informed of the policies and plans affecting them, and employees can react promptly with their views about management's proposals and actions. Change cannot be managed properly without an understanding of the feelings of those affected by it, and an efficient system of communications is needed to understand and influence these feelings.
COMMUNICATION AREAS AND OBJECTIVES
The main communication areas and their associated objectives are
COMMUNICATION AREAS AND OBJECTIVES
A.MANAGERIAL
AREA.1 .the communication downwards and sideways of corporate or functional objectives, policies plans and budgets to those who have to implement them
OBJ.1.to ensure that managers and supervisors receive clear, accurate and prompt information on what they are expected to achieve to further the company's objectives
----------------------------------------
AREA.2. the communication downwards of direct instructions from a manager to a subordinate on what the latter has to do
OBJ.2.to ensure that the instructions are clear and precise and provide the necessary motivation to get people into action
----------------------------------------
AREA.3.the communication upwards and sideways of proposals, suggestions and comments on corporate or functional objectives, policies and budgets from those who have to implement them
OBJ.3.to ensure that managers and supervisors have adequate scope to influence corporate and functional decisions on matters about which they have specific expertise and knowledge
-------------------------------------------
AREA .4.the communication upwards and sideways of management information on performance and results
OBJ.4.to enable management to monitor and control performance in order that, as necessary, opportunities can be exploited or swift corrective action taken
B. INTERNAL RELATIONS
AREA. 5. the communication downwards of information on company plans, policies or performance
OBJ.5.to ensure that (i) employees are kept informed of matters that affect them, especially changes to working conditions, and factors influencing their prosperity and security; (ii) employees are encouraged to identify themselves more completely with the company
-------------------------------------------
AREA.6. the communication upwards of the comments and reactions of employees to what is proposed will happen or what is actually happening in matters that affect them
OBJ.6.to ensure that employees are given an opportunity to voice their suggestions and fears and that the company is in a position to amend its plans in the light of these comments
-----------------------------------------------
C. EXTERNAL RELATIONS
AREA.7. the receipt and analysis of information from outside which affects the company's interests
OBJ.7.to ensure that the company is fully aware of all the information on
legislation and on marketing, commercial, financial and technological matters that affect its interests
AREA.8. the presentation of information about the company and its products to the government, customers and the public at large
OBJ.8. to exert influence in the interests of the company, to present a good image of the company, and to persuade customers to buy its products or services
-----------------------------------------
Employee relations are mainly affected by managerial and internal communications, although external communications are an additional channel of information. The strategy for managerial communications is concerned with planning and control procedures, management information systems and techniques of delegating and giving instructions. The procedures and skills can be developed by training programmes.
COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY
The strategy for internal communications should be based on analyses of:
* what management wants to say;
* what employees want to hear;
* the problems being met in conveying or receiving information.
These analyses can be used to indicate the systems of communication that need to be developed and the education and training programmes required to make them work. They should also provide guidance on how communications should be managed and timed. Bad management and poor timing are frequently the fundamental causes of ineffective communication.
What management wants to say
What management wants to say depends upon an assessment of what employees need to know, which, in turn, is affected by what they want to hear.
Management usually aims to achieve three things:
first, to get employees to understand and accept what management proposes to do in areas that affect them;
second, to obtain the commitment of employees to the objectives, plans and values of the Organization; and,
third, to help employees to appreciate more clearly the contribution they can make to organizational success and how it will benefit them.
Communications from management should be about values, plans, intentions and proposals (with the opportunity for discussion with and feedback from employees) as well as about achievements and results.
What employees want to hear
Clearly, employees want to hear about and to comment upon the matters that affect their interests. These will include changes in working methods and conditions, changes in the arrangements for overtime and shift working, company plans which may affect pay or security, and changes in terms and conditions of employment. It is management's job to understand what employees want to hear and plan its communications strategy accordingly. Understanding can be obtained by conducting 'focus groups' discussions which bring together groups of employees to focus on particular issues that concern them, by means of attitude surveys, by asking employee representatives, by informally listening to what employees say, and by analysing grievances to see if improved communications could modify them.
Analysing communication problems
Specific examples of employee relations problems where communication failures have been the cause or a contributory factor should be analysed to determine exactly what went wrong and what needs to be done to put it right. The problems may be any of these , including lack of appropriate channels of communication, lack of appreciation of the need to communicate, and lack of skill in overcoming the many formidable barriers to communication. Problems with channels of communication can be dealt with by introducing new or improved communications systems. Lack of skill is a matter for education and training.
COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS
Communication systems can be divided into those
-using an intranet,
-using the written word such as magazines, newsletters, bulletins and notice boards,
- using oral methods such as meetings, briefing groups and public address systems.
The aim should be to make judicious use of a number of channels to make sure that the message gets across.
Communications through an intranet system
Organizations are increasingly relying on an internal e mail system (the intranet) to communicate information, especially in workplaces where all or most of the employees have direct or indirect access to a computer. The advantage of intranet communications is that they can be transmitted swiftly to a wide audience. They can also be used for two way communications employees can be invited to respond to questions or surveys.
Magazines
Glossy magazines or house journals are an obvious way to keep employees informed about the company and are often used for public relations purposes as well. They can extol and explain the achievements of the company and may thus help to increase identification and even loyalty If employees are encouraged to contribute (although this is difficult), the magazine can become more human. The biggest danger of this sort of magazine is that it becomes a public relations exercise which is seen by employees as having little relevance to their everyday affairs.
Newsletters
Newsletters aim to appear more frequently and to angle their contents more to the immediate concerns of employees than the glossier form of house magazine. To be effective, they should include articles specifically aimed at explaining what management is planning to do and how this affects everyone. They can also include more chatty 'human interest' material about the doings of employees to capture the attention of readers. Correspondence columns can provide an avenue for the expression of employees' views and replies from management, but no attempt should be made to censor letters (except those that are purely abusive) or to pull punches in reply. Anonymous letters should be published if the writer gives his name to the editor.
The key factor in the success of a newsletter or any form of house magazine is the editor, who should be someone who knows the company and its employees and can be trusted by everyone to be frank and fair. Professional expertise is obviously desirable but it is not the first consideration, as long as the editor can write reasonably well and has access to expert help in putting the paper together. It is often a good idea to have an editorial board consisting of management and employee representatives to advise and assist the editor.
Organizations often publish a newsletter in addition to a house magazine, treating the latter mainly as a public relations exercise and relying on the newsletter as the prime means of communicating with employees.
Bulletins
Bulletins can be used to give immediate information to employees which cannot wait for the next issue of a newsletter; or they can be a substitute for a formal publication if the company does not feel that the expense is justified. Bulletins are useful only if they are distributed quickly and are seen by all interested employees. They can simply be posted on notice boards or, more effectively, given to individual employees and used as a starting point for a briefing session if they contain information of sufficient interest to merit a face to face discussion.
Notice boards
Notice boards are an obvious but frequently misused medium for communications. The biggest danger is allowing boards to be cluttered up with uninteresting or out ofdate material. It is essential to control what goes on to the boards and to appoint responsible people to service them by removing out of date or unauthorized notices.
A more impressive show can be made of notices and other material if an information centre is set up in the canteen or some other suitable place where the information can be displayed in a more attractive and compelling manner than on a typical notice board.
Employee involvement
Employee involvement through such means as consultative committees provides a channel for two way communication. Sometimes, however, they are not particularly effective, either because their thunder has been stolen by union negotiation committees, or because their proceedings are over formalized and restricted and fail to address the real issues. It is essential to disseminate the information revealed at committees around the offices and works, but it is impossible to rely on committee members to do this. Minutes can be posted on noticeboards, but they are seldom read, usually because they contain too much redundant material.
Videos
Specially made videos can be a cost effective method of getting across personal messages (eg from the chief executive) or information about how the company is doing. They can, however, be regarded by employees as too impersonal and/or too slick to have any real meaning.
IF I COME ACROSS SOME USEFUL BOOKS, I'LL POST IT
FOR YOU.
REGARDS
LEO LINGHAM
From India, Mumbai
ATTRITION
Defining attrition: "A reduction in the number of employees through retirement, resignation or death"
Defining Attrition rate: "the rate of reduction in number employed"
In the real world, employees, do leave, either because they want more money, hate the working conditions, hate their coworkers, want a change, or because their spouse gets a dream job in another state. So, what does all that turnover cost? And what employees are likely to have the highest turnover? Who is likely to stay the longest?
It is no easy task for an HR manager in to bridge the ever increasing demand and supply gap . The HR manager is not only required to fulfill this responsibility, but also find the right kind of people who can keep pace with the unique work patterns in organization. Adding to this is the issue of maintaining consistency in performance and keeping the motivation levels high, despite the monotonous work. The toughest concern for an HR manager is however the high attrition rate.
Keeping low attrition levels is a major challenge as the demand outstrips the supply of good employees by a big margin. Further, the salary growth plan for each employee is not well defined. All this only encourages poaching by other companies who can offer a higher salary.
. Once the employees join the sector and understand its requirements, they are taken aback by the long working hours and later monotony of the job starts setting in. This is the reason for the high attrition rate as many individuals are not able to take the pressures of work.
The toughness of the job and timings is not adequately conveyed. Besides the induction and project training, not much investment has been done to evolve a "continuous training program" . Motivational training is still to evolve in this industry. But, in all this, it is the HR manager who is expected to straighten things out and help individuals adjust to the real world. I believe that the new entrant needs to be made aware of the realistic situation from day-one itself, with the training session conducted in the nights, so that they get accustomed to things right at the beginning.
The high percentage of females in the workforce (constituting 30-35 percent of the total), adds to the high attrition rate. Most women leave their job either after marriage or because of social pressures caused by irregular working hours in the industry. All this translates into huge losses for the company, which invests a lot of money in training them.
If I only had retention.
So goes the cry of many managers. Intuitively, they know how
expensive it is to replace people. Unfortunately, there’s no wise and powerful wizard able to solve the
attrition riddle, and clicking your heels three times doesn’t seem to keep talented employees in your
center. While there may be no panacea, not too many organizations effectively draw back the great
curtain that surrounds attrition and expose the rope-pulling and lever-pushing components that make it
such an expensive proposition. But once attrition is analyzed from the inside out, the solutions for
managing it – and the resulting benefits – become much clearer.
================================================== ======
Total resignations [resignations+sackings+deaths]
annual attrition rate %= -----------------------------------------------------------------------------x 100
no. of employees at the beginning +new joinees-resignations
================================================== =============
If calculating in monetary terms, it includes the following:
The Four Major Costs of Attrition
How well do you know the costs of attrition at your contact center? Companies estimate attrition to cost
anywhere from half of annual salary to four times annual salary depending on the position in question.
Data that broad, though, won’t help you narrow down a ROI model for potential retention initiatives. It’s
imperative that you understand where these costs originate before determining how best to deal with
them.
There are four major components to consider when getting your arms around the costs associated with
attrition: 1) HR administration, 2) rehiring, 3) training, and 4) loss of productivity. Due to the variances in
contact centers’ functions and the industries within which they operate, there can be innumerable subfactors
within each of these four categories. For the purpose of this article, however, we have listed a
sampling of ones likely to be common to a great majority of centers. These can serve as a starting point
for zeroing in on the exact costs specific or unique to your own center.
1.HR Administration
· Exit interview for departing employee
· Set-up of new employee in HR or payroll system
· Establishing computer and security passwords for new employee
· Identification cards
· Telephone hook-up
· Establishing e-mail account
· Leasing of other equipment
2.Training
· Orientation materials
· Position-specific materials
· Wages of new employee while in training
· Wages of instructor(s)
3.Rehiring
· Advertisements
· Internet postings
· Internal recruiter’s time to source and screen candidates
· Hiring manager’s time to interview candidates
· Placement agency fees
· Drug screening and background checks
· Skills assessments
4.Loss of Productivity
· Zero production while a seat is empty
· Zero production while someone is in training
· Diminished production while a neemployee moves up the learning curve.
It's important to remember that analyzing these factors won’t deliver a “last-penny-accurate” figure;
rather, they allow a contact center to hone in on and quantify its attrition costs. Until you can quantify the
cost, you won’t have the basis for making good, return-on-investment decisions about where to invest
your retention dollars.
HR INITIATIVES.
Reducing Attrition & Associated Costs
You already know that finding a perfect employee for every seat in your center is unlikely, but you can
implement recruitment strategies that:
· Identify candidates who extend the average tenure of the workforce.
· Minimize the time it takes to fill open positions.
· Identify candidates who will accelerate through the learning curve.
· Identify candidates who are more productive than the average employee.
Easier said than done, right? Not necessarily. Making your center more productive with better employees
who stay on the job longer is a realistic goal. You’ll find the agents with the right qualifications and
attributes if you take the time to create attrition-reducing objectives and commit to creating a plan that
delivers on those objectives. To do this, consider the following:
Sourcing strategies:
· Where do you find your best agents?
· Do you have success profiles built for key positions in your center?
· Should you work with a recruiting company?
· If you already work with a recruiting company, how well do they understand your center and do
you consider them a vendor or a partner?
· Are you finding “passive” job seekers when appropriate?
Employee value proposition:
· Why would someone want to work in your center?
· How competitive is the total compensation package?
· Is it a fulfilling work environment?
· Do people have opportunity for advancement?
Professional development:
· How effective is your development program? Is it woven into your culture?
· What professional development exists beyond initial training?
· Do team leads and managers possess the necessary coaching skills to create a learning
Motivation:
*Provide the market rate payments.
*Provide rewards for work contributions.
*Provide modern amenities for employees.
*Provide staff facilities.
*Provide career planning.
Placing a Value on Retention
Too many centers confuse labor rates with labor costs. To explain this concept, it’s worth looking at a
simple example. If Center A’s fully burdened labor rates (salary, benefits, training, etc.) amount to $18
per hour while Center B’s fully burdened labor rates amount to $20 per hour, too many people assume
Center A is saving money. They certainly pay a lower labor rate. But if Center B closes 50% more calls
every day, the actual labor costs (in this case, the cost of closing a call) are significantly lower in Center B.
HOPE THIS MATERISL IS USEFUL TO YOU
REGARDS
LEO LINGHAM
From India, Mumbai
Defining attrition: "A reduction in the number of employees through retirement, resignation or death"
Defining Attrition rate: "the rate of reduction in number employed"
In the real world, employees, do leave, either because they want more money, hate the working conditions, hate their coworkers, want a change, or because their spouse gets a dream job in another state. So, what does all that turnover cost? And what employees are likely to have the highest turnover? Who is likely to stay the longest?
It is no easy task for an HR manager in to bridge the ever increasing demand and supply gap . The HR manager is not only required to fulfill this responsibility, but also find the right kind of people who can keep pace with the unique work patterns in organization. Adding to this is the issue of maintaining consistency in performance and keeping the motivation levels high, despite the monotonous work. The toughest concern for an HR manager is however the high attrition rate.
Keeping low attrition levels is a major challenge as the demand outstrips the supply of good employees by a big margin. Further, the salary growth plan for each employee is not well defined. All this only encourages poaching by other companies who can offer a higher salary.
. Once the employees join the sector and understand its requirements, they are taken aback by the long working hours and later monotony of the job starts setting in. This is the reason for the high attrition rate as many individuals are not able to take the pressures of work.
The toughness of the job and timings is not adequately conveyed. Besides the induction and project training, not much investment has been done to evolve a "continuous training program" . Motivational training is still to evolve in this industry. But, in all this, it is the HR manager who is expected to straighten things out and help individuals adjust to the real world. I believe that the new entrant needs to be made aware of the realistic situation from day-one itself, with the training session conducted in the nights, so that they get accustomed to things right at the beginning.
The high percentage of females in the workforce (constituting 30-35 percent of the total), adds to the high attrition rate. Most women leave their job either after marriage or because of social pressures caused by irregular working hours in the industry. All this translates into huge losses for the company, which invests a lot of money in training them.
If I only had retention.
So goes the cry of many managers. Intuitively, they know how
expensive it is to replace people. Unfortunately, there’s no wise and powerful wizard able to solve the
attrition riddle, and clicking your heels three times doesn’t seem to keep talented employees in your
center. While there may be no panacea, not too many organizations effectively draw back the great
curtain that surrounds attrition and expose the rope-pulling and lever-pushing components that make it
such an expensive proposition. But once attrition is analyzed from the inside out, the solutions for
managing it – and the resulting benefits – become much clearer.
================================================== ======
Total resignations [resignations+sackings+deaths]
annual attrition rate %= -----------------------------------------------------------------------------x 100
no. of employees at the beginning +new joinees-resignations
================================================== =============
If calculating in monetary terms, it includes the following:
The Four Major Costs of Attrition
How well do you know the costs of attrition at your contact center? Companies estimate attrition to cost
anywhere from half of annual salary to four times annual salary depending on the position in question.
Data that broad, though, won’t help you narrow down a ROI model for potential retention initiatives. It’s
imperative that you understand where these costs originate before determining how best to deal with
them.
There are four major components to consider when getting your arms around the costs associated with
attrition: 1) HR administration, 2) rehiring, 3) training, and 4) loss of productivity. Due to the variances in
contact centers’ functions and the industries within which they operate, there can be innumerable subfactors
within each of these four categories. For the purpose of this article, however, we have listed a
sampling of ones likely to be common to a great majority of centers. These can serve as a starting point
for zeroing in on the exact costs specific or unique to your own center.
1.HR Administration
· Exit interview for departing employee
· Set-up of new employee in HR or payroll system
· Establishing computer and security passwords for new employee
· Identification cards
· Telephone hook-up
· Establishing e-mail account
· Leasing of other equipment
2.Training
· Orientation materials
· Position-specific materials
· Wages of new employee while in training
· Wages of instructor(s)
3.Rehiring
· Advertisements
· Internet postings
· Internal recruiter’s time to source and screen candidates
· Hiring manager’s time to interview candidates
· Placement agency fees
· Drug screening and background checks
· Skills assessments
4.Loss of Productivity
· Zero production while a seat is empty
· Zero production while someone is in training
· Diminished production while a neemployee moves up the learning curve.
It's important to remember that analyzing these factors won’t deliver a “last-penny-accurate” figure;
rather, they allow a contact center to hone in on and quantify its attrition costs. Until you can quantify the
cost, you won’t have the basis for making good, return-on-investment decisions about where to invest
your retention dollars.
HR INITIATIVES.
Reducing Attrition & Associated Costs
You already know that finding a perfect employee for every seat in your center is unlikely, but you can
implement recruitment strategies that:
· Identify candidates who extend the average tenure of the workforce.
· Minimize the time it takes to fill open positions.
· Identify candidates who will accelerate through the learning curve.
· Identify candidates who are more productive than the average employee.
Easier said than done, right? Not necessarily. Making your center more productive with better employees
who stay on the job longer is a realistic goal. You’ll find the agents with the right qualifications and
attributes if you take the time to create attrition-reducing objectives and commit to creating a plan that
delivers on those objectives. To do this, consider the following:
Sourcing strategies:
· Where do you find your best agents?
· Do you have success profiles built for key positions in your center?
· Should you work with a recruiting company?
· If you already work with a recruiting company, how well do they understand your center and do
you consider them a vendor or a partner?
· Are you finding “passive” job seekers when appropriate?
Employee value proposition:
· Why would someone want to work in your center?
· How competitive is the total compensation package?
· Is it a fulfilling work environment?
· Do people have opportunity for advancement?
Professional development:
· How effective is your development program? Is it woven into your culture?
· What professional development exists beyond initial training?
· Do team leads and managers possess the necessary coaching skills to create a learning
Motivation:
*Provide the market rate payments.
*Provide rewards for work contributions.
*Provide modern amenities for employees.
*Provide staff facilities.
*Provide career planning.
Placing a Value on Retention
Too many centers confuse labor rates with labor costs. To explain this concept, it’s worth looking at a
simple example. If Center A’s fully burdened labor rates (salary, benefits, training, etc.) amount to $18
per hour while Center B’s fully burdened labor rates amount to $20 per hour, too many people assume
Center A is saving money. They certainly pay a lower labor rate. But if Center B closes 50% more calls
every day, the actual labor costs (in this case, the cost of closing a call) are significantly lower in Center B.
HOPE THIS MATERISL IS USEFUL TO YOU
REGARDS
LEO LINGHAM
From India, Mumbai
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