"Attrition rate at 25 -30% in the BPO segment"

BANGALORE: A random survey in Bangalore, by one of the leading HR consulting firm Peopleone Consulting, puts the attrition rate in the BPO segment to around 25-30%. Besides, more attrition takes place within a few weeks of the joining the organisation.

Revealing the survey results, during the BPO summit of the ongoing Bangalore IT.com 2002, CEO of Peopleone consulting, Ajit Isaac, said, "The reason for the high rate of attrition in the BPO sector, particularly the call centre segment range from lack of comfort to lack of enrichment potential in terms of career growth. The other issues cited were non-standard working hours and adjusting to western work culture".

To address these, he suggested few remedial measures such as introducing fun at work concept, encouraging the staff to take up continuing education or managerial programs and providing job enrichment incentives.

Speaking on the same occasion, CEO of Ernst and Young, Shared Services (India), Sharda Cherwoo, said, " By 2010, the employment potential in India would rise to 360,000 across all states as against a mere 24,000 currently in the BPO segment that includes the non-captive market. The Millennium BPO policy by the government is a step in the right direction and play a key role in ensuring to reach that target."

Listing out key priorities towards continuing excellence, she pointed out that decision-makers need to modernize and change the educational program and effective people management. This should involve a 'people-first' culture and ensure career growth patterns. The last and important thing is to enhance employee retention policies where organisations need to counsel their employees and involve them in all their decision making process, Cherwoo added.