Emotional engagement, ‘intrapreneurship’ inspire eTelecare employees to perform

A call center’s employment brand would often rest on its dynamic environment responsive to the needs of the young workforce.

It promises a fast-faced lifestyle while putting in place creative engagement schemes and work-life balance programs.

Yet, in this sea of organizations promising competitive compensation in a young and open environment, eTelecare stands out as it appeals to the excellence of the Filipino talent and to his value not only as a key driver of the organization but also as a key contributor to overall nation-building.

In 2000, eTelecare pioneered the Philippine-based contact center industry. It is a story of blazing the train and positioning the country as an outsourcing hub not because of relatively cheaper labor but because of the exceptional talent that the country’s workforce possesses.

Primary of people

Almost a decade later, eTelecare still takes to heart its belief in the primacy of people and such did not go unnoticed. In 2005, eTelecare became the first contact center to receive PMAP’s Employer of the Year Award.

This, among the various accolades it has received, manifests eTelecare’s success in crafting a reputation as an employer of choice.

ETelecare boasts of a performance-based culture. For instance, even ins attrition figures are reflective of how the environment eases out non-performers: two-thirds of those who leave come from the bottom two quartile of the workforce.

However, beyond the impact of its culture in workforce planning trends and figures, eTelecare creates a convincing business case for ownership as an effective engagement tool.

Benedict C. Hernandez, eTelecare’s senior vice president and general manager, argues that emotional engagement and intrapreneurship are powerful tools that inspire the workforce to perform over and beyond expectations.

‘Malasakit’

Intrapreneurship is a concept that roughly approximates the Filipino value of malasakit. An individual is said to have an intrapreneurial mindset when he considers himself as part business owner.

This sense of ownership then translates to an innate concern for the organization’s welfare; may malasakit sa kapakanan ng pinapasukan, as we would say in Filipino.

This concern necessarily roots from a strong sense of identification with the organization’s purpose.

With this in mind, the concept of work is then transformed from a routine task that allows the individual to earn a living to a concerted effort that allows the individual to share his talents and resources to achieve a common purpose.

In eTelecare, these concepts are actualized in their performance management system which they characterize as a key success driver.

Dubbed as ownerSHIP, eTelecare’s performance management system is anchored on four key concepts: Shared responsibility, Humility, Involvement and Purpose.

Shared responsibility puts a premium on team and enterprise performance. Individual performance is seen as part of a concerted effort influencing whether the organization will succeed or not.

Humility, on the other hand, involves “sincerely listening” to the workforce and “believing that they are a source of great ideas.”

Hence, employee participation during meetings and a robust employee feedback system are key components of eTelecare’s performance management system.

Feedback is then followed through by involvement. This concept serves to close the loop which started the solicitation of employees’ feedback.

Tackle concerns

Here, the main objective is to provide employees with avenues for them to tackle their concerns as identified in the employee surveys. In this regard, eTelecare’s Champions League serves as a prime manifestation of involvement.

The Champions League is a council of employee representatives who take on various projects that address the workforce’s concerns. For instance, they were instrumental in crafting eTelecare’s employment program with LIFE @ eTelecare as end result.

And last, purpose refers to “a meaningful mission that the employee can identify with and truly embrance.”

For eTelecare, that purpose is situated in the organization’s impact on nation-building. To a certain extent, eTelecare’s appeal to the idealism of the young workforce puts on a spin on the prestige and reputation of contact centers in the Philippines.

Here, Hernandez’s explanation on the country contributions of the BPO industry proves instructive.

The BPO industry generates jobs. As Hernandez explained, their operations support secondary economies in housing, food, transport and consumer goods as manifested by the late night and 24/7 establishments that cater to the needs of BPO professionals.

Core services

Further, business provided by BPOs for their core services such as utilities, office rentals, telecoms and the like ensures employment in these secondary economies. Hence, Hernandez projected that by 2010, BPO operations in the country would have generated and supported 900,000 jobs for the Filipino workforce.

Hernandez also highlighted the contributions of the BPO industry to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

He projected that by 2010, the BPO industry’s revenue would have reached $13 billion thereby producing 8.5 percent of the country’s GDP.

And last, Hernandez pictured the BPO industry as a venue to showcare the Filipinos’ skill and superior performance.

In the global playing field, BPOs provide Filipinos with a ready platform to impress the world and consequently raise Filipino pride.

Ultimately, eTelecare rallies its workforce to improve country and company competitiveness by delivering superior performance, ensuring productivity and creating a supportive and nurturing culture.

Through these specific action areas, eTelecare closes the loop on performance and employee engagement and in so doing, highlights the Filipino workers’ ability to compete in the global stage. –Philippine Daily Inquirer