subject: Ascentys - Reduce absenteeism and attrition [print this page] Ascentys - Reduce absenteeism and attrition
Introduction
The Ascentys Model is designed to address Absenteeism and Attrition and introduces vitalcomponents that are required in reducing employee non-attendance. It is imperative for anyorganization intending to retain the nucleus of its workforce, to eliminate any negative influencesand connotations contributing to absenteeism and attrition. The organization has to drivecontinuous improvement of relations with its employees.
Initially the organisation has to review and highlight the current structures within the ContactCentre, calculate precisely on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis the cost that non-attendanceand attrition contributes in loss of revenue. The structure has to diagnose the current culture withinits Contact Centres and measure demographics currently employed. Furthermore within thisfeedback, establish which areas and which designations are held by these generations.
In this solution plan, we emphasize the focus in 3 Areas that will assist in reducing Absenteeism andAttrition:
Work Environment (Branding, Dress Code, Dcor, Team Dynamics, Well-Being,Ownership, Culture, Flexibility, Look & Feel, Appearance)
Change the attitude of your organisation. Avoid using punitive measures to deal with nonattendanceand focus on rewarding employees for behaviours with results above average forattendance. Rather use stratagems, using point scoring system that allows for first pick on leave,internal prizes, overseas work trips, while maintaining a positive environment.
These strategies should be adapted to individual operations, they are not a one size fits all.Involvement from Human Resources, Workforce Management and Operations should besynchronised to maintain a consistently high performing operation.
Develop employee profiles in line with the business objectives that clearly explain the jobrequirements. Conduct comprehensive screening of the candidates properly to discover work habits,interest and attitudes. Introduce a phase work induction process, do not expect a new employee tohit the ground running. Invest in the new employee and provide a platform for them to excel in theirgiven profession.
At Ascentys Consulting, we have developed an Attendance Up surging model that focuses on 3 workaspects that affect employee attendance and lead to attrition.
Work Environment
The workplace is the most important area where your employees spend most of their day. The lookand feel of the workspace can affect the length of your employees stay with the organisation. Createa serene work environment that is welcoming to your employees and allows them to perform.Eliminate negativity around your work environment. Implement positive process that deals withobtrusive behaviours. Reward good behaviour and set aside funds to develop an employee wellbeingprogramme.
In the following areas, we provide intermediate solutions to help augment employee attendance.
Brand
Recognise your employees as internal customers, who can help build or break the brand. Thestrategy of your brand marketing and positioning should give your employees a sense of pride withbeing associated with the organisation. Their wellbeing will reflect in the manner which theyperform their duties. Develop an everlasting experience for your employees while aligning yourstrategies to the primary Business Objective. Advance brand knowledge amongst your employees,this will provide the organisation with additional indirect marketers for your brand. In line with theBusiness Objective, integrate transparency and integrity to the Brand.
Team Dynamics
Encourage team presence and a sense of belonging. Employees tend to perform better as teamplayer, where multiple solutions are discussed and implemented based on prior experience.Generally employees are measured using individual key performance indicators which expose badperforming employees. This usually develops negative responses in attitudes, behaviour and poorperformance. Set targets that will measure team performance and allow employees to coach eachother to perform better, as a team.
Employee Wellbeing
The environment within your organisation affects the performance of your employees. Implementstructures that look after the health and safety of your employees and general their wellbeing.Provide areas and bays that will encourage the employees to come to work when they could haveopted to stay away. Change the process of dealing with balancing of work and personal life, as inmost cases, employees would choose personal issues to deal with rather than come to work.Introduce flexible management style that will allow the organisation recoup hours lost by allowingan employee time off in times of need. Look after their personal health issues and encourage andeducate with intervention brochures that educates them on sleeping patterns, proper eating habits.
Flexibility
Personal life issues form part of every employee's life. Employees will often choose an organisationthat is flexible first. Flexibility weights more thank financial rewards in the long term. Developstrategies that counteract the absenteeism trends and measure the impact on a quarterly,biannually and annually. Workforce management should include employees when designing workstructures that allocates work and plan career paths. Apply these interventions on a continuouslyimproving structure. Align these structure to the Business Objective which is customer orientated.
Appearance
Maintain uniformity to your design scheme to encourage professionalism amongst employees. Thelook and feel of your brand should leave a lasting impression on its audience. The employees shouldbe proud to be associated with marketing items such as pens, t-shirts, cars provide courtesy of yourorganisation. Encourage neatness amongst employees as it will reflect in the way business isconducted with your external customer and clients.
Service Delivery
The delivery of your service affects the loyalty received from customers. Any negative connotationto your customer service could lead to attrition and the organisation having to spend more money toacquire new customers. Establish efficient customer service platforms that enable the employeesperform their work properly. Integration of Telecoms and IT capabilities should be boundless anddrive to augment employee performance rather than intrude with the execution of service. Developemployee soft skills, equip them with adequate information with regard to the company workprocess and eliminate unnecessary escalations of queries, requests and enquiries.
In the following areas, we provide intermediate solutions to help augment employeeperformance.
Execution
Establish proper customer service strategies that are customer orientated. Align these strategies toadequate service delivery platforms that allow employees to perform efficiently and reduces workrelated stress. Develop accountability amongst divisions in your organisation, to avoid unnecessaryescalations and obstacles in the resolution process. Place sufficiently skilled employees in strategicpositions that often require immediate attention without being elevated to the top of yourorganisation.
Skills
Define a clear employee profile of competences that will help the acquisition of the right person forthe right position. Align recruitment of new employees to a customer orientated proposition toserve as a guide to enable employees to master their domain. Acquire the assistance of your QualityAssurance division in designing the profile and align to customer experience requirements.Constantly monitor and talents of your employees to plan career paths properly and take advantageof naturally skilled employees. Provide adequate coaching and training that will focus on theBusiness Objective.
Quality
Develop a quality framework which assesses and develops quality on all operational activities withinthe entire organisation. The Quality Assurance division of your business should help in developing aquality job profiles to be used in recruitment. Built it in as a culture of work and maintain highstandard at all times. The quality of your service will strengthen customer retention. The feedbackreceived from customers will build moral amongst quality driven employees. Measure accuratelythe satisfaction (adequate index) of your customers and drive to continuously improve the quality ofthe service rendered.
Competence
Develop an above average standard of delivering customer service. Use appropriate best practices asa guide to continuously improve to a world class service measure. Recognise the areas that needdevelopment amongst employees and coach properly. Avoid allowing incompetent employees tolearn at the expense of your customers as it will reflect a poor service from the organisations pointof view. Provide the necessary remedial process to instil employees with the necessary competencyskills in development.
Recruitment
Adopt a robust recruitment practice that is aligned to the Business Objectives. Improve your talentreward and recognition policies and align to quality assurance set standards. Develop recruitmentstrategies on proven service expectations. In highly structured environments, recruit to meet thehigh skill requirements and language capabilities. Work pressure affects low performing employeeswho cannot cope with their job requirements.
Implement a talent recognition policy, allow for internal development of your employees withadequate skills and capabilities. Explain job descriptions clearly to be understood by potentialcandidates. Detail the responsibilities and additional duties that might be required or requested byother divisions.
Development Provisions
Employee development is an integral part of reducing levels of non-attendance and attrition withinyour organisation. A joint effort from both the organisation and an employee, which should becontinuous for the length of the individual's vocation. With the input of an employee, identify anddiscuss the employee's individual development plan in line with their experience, skills andqualifications.
In the following areas, we provide intermediate solutions to help augment employeeperformance.
Employee Wellness Programme
Consult with your employees on a regular basis, arrange and implement properly structuredwellness programmes to optimise performance on an on-going basis. Engage your employees; dealwith the emotional and psychological state of mind; develop a tailored remedy for issues that affectyour type of environment. Engaged employees are likely to remain with your organisation as theyare satisfied and emotionally connected.
Where possible, rotate duties to allow the employees to deal with a variety of tasks within theirbusiness division. Promote relations with division that escalate duties to and from to build workbonds. Support your employees balance life and work by introducing lifestyle aids (chill area,makeover salon, gym, etc.)
Peer Grooming
Employees are likely to accept interventions from peers, which makes this form of coachingeffective. Introduce peer educate forum where product and organisation coaching would beperformed. Ensure that you have efficient communication channels and encourage work relatedchat forums.
Select well equipped employees to partner new recruits during induction.
Training
Develop a comprehensive induction programme. Ensure that new recruits are introduced to theentire organisation, brand, products, and the slogan that drives the company. Dedicate more time toinform about other divisions and the duties performed and how they will affect escalations to andfrom. Adapt to new technology quicker and enhance product and soft skills to equip employees withclearly outlined programmes. Select highly skilled buddies to partner new recruits and document thedevelopment of each individual.
Review
Introduce a programme to review and document findings on employee development. Use theinformation to align to a development path that will be suitable for each employee. Formulate astrategy to monitor performance, behaviours, attendance and provide a platform to remedyineffective processes and behaviour. Use the results to drive for continuous improvement in linewith set Business Objectives.
