Client - Midsize, rapidly growing network engineering firm
Situation - The company does very sophisticated LAN-WAN integration, requiring
a high level of skill and expertise. At the beginning of the engagement they were experiencing attrition at a 100% annual rate. Due
to the skill level required, engineers were difficult to replace and the training cycle was lengthy, averaging six months. Turnover
was inhibiting growth into new markets.
Analysis and Action - The problem was diagnosed as a mismatch between personality
types of engineers and the flexibility demanded by the firm's aggressive approach to the market. A tool was used to classify both
engineers and customers in order to make better assignments. Sales staff were also asked to provide more complete information about
new accounts. Hiring criteria were modified to bring in more adaptive personality types.
Results - Since the recommendations
were implemented, turnover has been practically 0%. Recruitment efforts have been focused on opening offices in two new markets rather
than struggling to replace existing engineers. The company has been nominated for the Arthur Andersen Award for Innovation in Employee
Retention.
Client - Call center for national car rental agency.
Situation - The company was experiencing high stress levels during training
and low productivity among telephone reservations agents, post training. The turnover rate was averaging 15% per month. Making this
loss worse was the fact that agents tended to quit right after reaching peak efficiency, thus depriving the firm of the chance to
recoup its investment in the agents' training and on-the-job learning.
Analysis and Action - Investigation revealed that the
main contributor to the high stress levels was contact overload: the agents were handling too many calls with too few breaks. The
performance measures used to evaluate the agents and center management were inappropriate, and were largely responsible for the overload
problem.
Results - Several changes were recommended: a reduced time-on-the-phone requirement; refurbishing of the agents' break
area; more flexible break schedules; increased call variety; use of overlapping shifts to handle peak-load times. Following implementation
of these changes turnover improved to less than 10% per month.
Client - High-tech communications products company.
Situation - The company was experiencing 50% annual turnover among customer engineers
who provide field support to end-users. Positions require high skill levels with a lengthy training cycle. The intangible effect of
high turnover was the disruption to the customers of frequent changes in support personnel. Financial problems due to customer defections
were causing the threat of bankruptcy.
Analysis and Action - Investigation showed that many of the problems were due to insufficient
communication by management about the future direction of the firm.
Results - Turnover among customer engineers was reduced
to less than 10% annually. The number of lost service-contract renewals was reduced dramatically, from over one half of all accounts
to fewer than 5%.
Client - Large financial-services institution with telemarketing and customer-service divisions.
Situation - The company was
losing 15% of new employees per month in the recruiting and training processes, inhibiting growth and adversely affecting quality
and productivity.
Analysis and Action - Observation of the training classes showed that there was a large social-class gap between
the instructors and the trainees. It also revealed that the classes were conducted in a very one-way manner, with little two-way interaction
between instructors and trainees. The training process was made more "hands-on" and the social-class disparity between the trainers
and the recruits was de-emphasized. Trainees were given a glossary of terms, which made them feel more confident and less self-conscious
about asking "stupid" questions.
Results - Retention in the recruitment process improved (dropout rate reduced) by 10% immediately
after recommendations were implemented. There is the expectation of achieving a 25% improvement. Retention in the training process
has improved by 25%, with expectations of 50% improvement in the next few months.