As the global economic recession begins to become a thing of the past and companies across the world start hiring with gusto, the issue of talent will once again take centre stage. The war for talent is expected to get extremely acute in 2010, with most industry sectors, including the sunrise IT-BPO segment facing a challenge in terms of hiring right and holding on to expertise. As hiring becomes the norm, so will attrition. Interestingly, IT-BPO organisations will not only face pressure from peer firms, but also from organisations operating in other industry verticals as well. The IT-BPO industry will therefore have to focus on its internal customer, its people. This year, companies will be compelled to relook at their people management practices and embrace policies that create a conducive work environment and help retain valuable employees.

Q1 Higher employee engagement appears to be the new mantra for holding on to talent. Comment.
Q2 What are the strategies that the IT-BPO industry should adopt to lower attrition in 2010?

1. At Infosys, we work towards providing an ideal work environment as well as numerous facilities and amenities to employees that encourage them to feel engaged and motivated. We believe in establishing a strong connect with our employees to foster a sense of ownership and belonging.
   Employee engagement is an area of focus for us at all times. During slowdowns and recessions we believe it is important to keep employee morale high and create a sense of optimism. We have been carrying on with our usual programmes and initiatives in accordance with our plans and schedules. Today’s new employees have grown with technology and are heavily networked. It is imperative to not only engage them but also to leverage technologies like Web 2.0 to stay connected with them.
2. We follow a three-pronged approach when it comes to ensuring employee engagement, motivation and attrition reduction. We provide:

• Learning value-add through opportunities for learning and exposure to technology and assignments as Infosys partners with clients in transforming their businesses
• Financial value-add through competitive salaries, asset and wealth creation opportunities
• Emotional value-add through a fair and rewarding work environment and ethos and a culture that has been built in Infosys through various initiatives and systems

Srikantan Moorthy, Vice President and Head Education & Research, Infosys Technologies

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