| |
| |
Social
Impact Report - Our Employees |
| |
|
| |
They are the brain and brawn of the Company; the people who
give life to vision and planning; who take enterprise from the
drawing board to the customer and beyond. Increasingly more
so than ever before, our employees are the “face”
of the Company; the image that is imprinted and remains in the
“minds eye” of the customer.
For the year in review, SLT had a total cadre of 7,129 employees.
Our people constitute the Company’s single most important
resource in its development and success.
It is therefore an honour for the Company to ensure that they
are well cared for, in every way possible. We begin by ensuring
that SLT is always an attractive career option, providing a
work life that is rewarding and satisfying, where skill and
knowledge enhancement is encouraged as are personal development
and initiative.
In achieving these objectives, SLT has put in place a whole
range of activities and systems such as training opportunities,
motivational programmes, productivity development and employee
empowerment initiatives, welfare and recreational facilities
and a whole lot more.
Let us examine some of the key initiatives the Company took
in 2004.
Through Learning we Thrive
SLT operates five training centres amongst several other initiatives,
imparting the skills and qualities required for continuous personal
development of employees.
In terms of numbers, the Company trained 14,045 persons at its
own training centres, whilst another 545 received training overseas.
A further 908 were trained in other institutions within Sri
Lanka.
In a broad sense, our training initiatives focused specifically
upon the areas of Customer Satisfaction and Brand Image. Thus,
training
programmes to improve customer service such as Customer Service
Excellence, plus English Language instruction to improve the
skills of our front office staff were conducted.
We also provided programmes on Positive Attitude Development
and Personality Development to complement those enhancing technical
know-how.
In another important development, the Company took training
to the regions. Here, we imparted training in Project Management
Skills, specifically targeting regional staff who must manage
projects at local levels.
In the field of IT, we continued to impart training particularly
in terms of implementing Geneva (our Billing System) and Clarity
(our Fault Rectification & Servicing System).
SLT practises the 5S and Kaizen productivity development regimes,
and the Company has been rewarded for outstanding achievements
this year too.
SLT forged and developed important affiliations with prestigious
organisations, to augment training opportunities offered.
The Company entered into partnership with City & Guilds,
UK and Edexcel BTEC, UK to provide internationally recognised
programmes to Sri Lanka, especially in the field of Telecommunications.
We also continued our close relationship with the Commonwealth
Telecommunications Organisation (CTO), both as a requesting
body and an offering partner. SLT offered 7 programmes under
CTO’s PDT activities for developing countries, Mauritius,
Mozmbique, Bangladesh, Lesotho and Uganda.
Good Qualities in Life
Inculcating good habits and best standards as an everyday practice,
is encouraged at SLT. Encouraging staff to develop not only
good work habits but also well rounded personalities provides
a true win-win situation - on the one hand, staff develop the
skills to perform their daily chores, whilst on the other, they
find fulfillment in life beyond the workplace.
The Company organised a series of competitions during National
Quality Week and World Standards Day, both of which fell in
the month October.
Quality Circle and Continuous Improvement teams from across
the Company’s departments and regional offices took part
and annexed many an award.
We encourage a wide range of sports at SLT. During the year
in review the SLT Cricket team met the Mobitel Cricket team
in two friendly matches, both of which were won by SLT. The
fellowship and good sportsmanship served to unite people from
both companies and depicts exactly what we try to achieve in
promoting a “life beyond the workplace”.
Improving the quality of life for our people is a constant priority
for the Company. A revamped medical assistance scheme was launched
in collaboration with the Ceylinco Insurance Company Limited.
Under the scheme, employees will be able to avail themselves
of a range of medical and health services, the reimbursement
of which will be borne by the Company within certain prescribed
limits. Some of the benefits will apply to the employee’s
family as well.
Recognising and Rewarding
Encouraging people is a great way to show your appreciation
of them as well as motivate them to greater heights.
SLT has a continuous process of recognition integrated deep
into its culture and work processes. For example, 29 of our
Telecom Engineers obtained Charter status during the years 2003
and 2004 and were duly felicitated at the Institution of Engineers.
The event was organised by the Telecom Engineers’ Union.
One of the Company’s key areas of focus was the development
of its Call Centre systems. The staff manning this area were
called upon to re-skill and enhance their knowledge base, adopt
a fresh persona in terms of dealing with a wider subject base
whilst offering customer satisfaction at every point of service
delivery.
Similarly, the staff managing these changes had to display resource
in providing correct leadership and applying technology whilst
constantly assessing the needs and expectations of the customer.
A felicitation and awards ceremony was held to honour and reward
the staff leading the reorganisation of the Call Centre system.
|
|
|
