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Friday, August 28, 2009 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES
http://www.bworldonline.com/BW082809/content.php?id=055
DAVAO CITY — Business process outsourcing (BPO) firms in the city are trying to cope with the dearth of mid-level managers by investing in human resources and developing an employee-friendly environment.
A mid-level manager handles about 15-20 call center agents and is responsible for motivating them to meet work targets.
Alex Dy Reyes, director for administrative services of Cyber City Teleservices, said the lack of mid-level managers has become an issue and the company is doing everything — from training its current pool of supervisors to assume managerial roles to looking for potentials among new recruits — short of pirating from other call center firms.
He said that promising employees join the eight-week leadership course for development of mid-level managers that is run by the Business Processing Association of the Philippines. "Of the 100-200 recruits, how do you find a supervisor from among them?"
However, the company found that luring managers from the other call centers is not a solution since "job butterflies" are unreliable, since they are always looking for better offers.
But Arnel Sugay, senior trainer of Cyber City, said having an employee-friendly environment helps rein in the attrition rate. This, he said, includes training managers and supervisors to be constructive in their criticism of subordinates.
Cyber City has around 2,000 employees in Clark Freeport, Manila and Davao City.
The lack of mid-level managers is forcing some companies to promote even those who turn out to be unfit to lead, said Lizabel G. Holganza, president of ICT Davao, the trade association of information technology-related businesses.
"It’s already worrisome for us," she said.
There are nearly 50 offshore and outsource companies in Davao City, but only six of them have 200 seats or more.
Joseph T. Fournier, consultant to several call center firms, earlier said the lack of mid-level managers, who earn 30% more than the highest-level call center agent, has been serious enough to prevent some companies from expanding. - JBE
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