Our account will cover our activities within two broad categories of people - our employees and the wider community.
Our Employees
When you operate in an industry ‘evolving at the speed of light’ you need the right people with you, with ‘quick silver’ abilities that help your organisation turn challenge into an opportunity, run with passion… day in and day out, feel intense loyalty towards ‘the hands that feed’ and
can empathise with the people they offer products and services to.
Finding and hiring people with the potential to develop into this vision of perfection, is only a small fraction of the overall picture.
One has to match this with the responsibility incumbent on the employer to provide work that embodies dignity, working conditions that are safe and enabling, financial and job security of the highest order, freedom from discrimination whether it be on account of gender, caste, creed or colour, plus allowing adequate opportunities for professional development.
This could easily be the ‘human face’ of SLT.
Whilst we do not claim perfection, we can safely say, employee and employer together, that we have come far down the road on all these issues, and our track record as a responsible employer with an equally responsible work force is very good.
From a Company perspective, we seek to promote inclusiveness across rank and file – all grades of employees, management, directorate.
Against this backdrop let us evaluate 2008 from an ‘SLT Family’ aspect.
At the Outset…
Being as we are, Sri Lanka’s premier Company operating in the telecom sector, we are a technology intensive, skill intensive organisation.
The people who work for SLT are required to possess the aptitude, attitude and learning necessary to perform well in such an environment.
The Company is of the view that this is a pursuit that must be undertaken together - the employee and the Company must work in tandem to realise each other’s aspirations.
Thus, from recruitment, through training, to career advancement, the Company and the employee are on a single track journey.
SLT employs a sizeable staff, numbering 6,972 as at end 2008. Over the years the Company has sought an optimum balance between its role as a career provider and its need to enhance productivity, transform mindsets to face the new ‘com-media’ world’s demands and transform its HR base into a leaner, yet more effective and fulfilled work force.
One of the key aspects of an emancipated HR regime is the ability for both Company and employee to meet in ‘the middle ground’ to discuss and effect retirement plans that benefit both. Thus, in May 2008, SLT announced its latest VRS (Voluntary Retirement Scheme) to aid those of our employees who wished to avail themselves of a Company supported early retirement.
STAFF STRENGTH
| Employee Functional Level |
2008 |
2007 |
2006 |
2005 |
2004 |
| Executives |
1,083 |
578 |
572 |
505 |
506 |
| Technical Employees |
2,816 |
3,195 |
3,254 |
3,367 |
3,373 |
| Non-Technical Employees |
2,478 |
2,658 |
2,671 |
2,793 |
2,822 |
| Contract Employees |
595 |
583 |
650 |
509 |
473 |
| Total |
6,972 |
7,014 |
7,147 |
7,174 |
7,174 |
| Income per Employee |
|
|
|
|
|
| (Rs. ‘000) |
5,180 |
5,285 |
5,053 |
4,005 |
3,719 |
| Profit per Employee |
|
|
|
|
|
| (Rs. ‘000) |
947 |
768 |
766 |
595 |
365 |
| Assets per Employee |
|
|
|
|
|
| (Rs. ‘000) |
11,758 |
11,249 |
11,075 |
10,387 |
10,111 |
GENDER DIVERSITY (AS AT 31.12.2008)
| Employee Levels |
Male |
Female |
Total |
| Executives |
787 |
296 |
1,083 |
| Technical Employees |
2,680 |
136 |
2,816 |
| Non-Technical Employees |
1,352 |
1,126 |
2,478 |
| Contract Employees |
142 |
453 |
595 |
| Total |
4,961 |
2,011 |
6,972 |
SERVICE ANALYSIS (AS AT 31.12.2008)
The chart entitled ‘Source of Recruitment’ appearing on this page is interesting. It is a five year analysis of how the Company has filled its cadre requirements. From the year 2007 onwards, the trend of hiring from external sources as a preferred medium has been reversed in the past two years, where vacancies have been internally filled. This also reflects the manner in which SLT has inducted necessary skills in the earlier years.
SOURCE OF RECRUITMENT
| |
2008 |
2007 |
2006 |
2005 |
2004 |
| External Recruitment |
380 |
413 |
600 |
590 |
267 |
| Internal Recruitment |
982 |
669 |
238 |
519 |
607 |
Staff productivity too has been on a steady rising curve.
DIRECT EXCHANGE LINES PER EMPLOYEE
| |
2008 |
2007 |
2006 |
2005 |
2004 |
| Direct Exchange Lines per Employee |
223 |
207 |
166 |
133 |
120 |
Training
The Company has a twofold objective behind its training regime. Whilst it seeks to acquire and develop the skills necessary to keep its business at the forefront of a futuristic industry, it also seeks to open up more avenues in terms of career development and advancement, which is vital in developing a stimulated, motivated workforce who are in fact, the custodians of the Company itself.
INVESTMENT ON TRAINING
| |
2008 |
2007 |
2006 |
2005 |
2004 |
| Total Expenditure (Rs. million) |
148 |
174 |
206 |
127 |
140.7 |
| Training Investment per Employee (Rs.) |
21,228 |
24,807 |
28,823 |
17,702 |
19,612 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
TRAINING PROGRAMMES
| |
In-house |
Local |
Foreign |
Total for 2008 |
Total for 2007 |
| No. of Programmes |
669 |
153 |
92 |
914 |
828 |
| No. of Training Hours |
419,286 |
16,928 |
8,862 |
445,076 |
279,042 |
| No. of Participants |
12,802 |
802 |
237 |
13,841 |
15,787 |
 |
|
|
| During 2008, Rs. 148 million was invested on training, covering
914 programmes with a total duration of 445,076 training hours attended by 13,841 participants |
SLT’s Training has been developing in parallel with the progress of the Company in its other fields of endeavour. Today, its centres have sought and obtained affiliation with reputed qualifying bodies such as City and Guilds, where we are now able to conduct their Certificate, Diploma and Higher Diploma courses and the BTEC Higher National Diploma which we offer in collaboration with Edexcel of UK.
The next step is to seek affiliation to reputed universities, both locally and abroad after which we will be able to offer enhanced training and career development opportunities to employees who would be able to follow such courses at the SLT Training Centres for the first year, and then proceed to register themselves with universities in either UK or Australia.
SLT continues to follow 5S and Kaizen concepts as in
previous years.
Assessment for Progress
The Company has been working over the years towards introducing a performance based remuneration and reward structure. This is now a reality along with a fully fledged performance evaluation system.
We are confident that this performance evaluation and grading system is the best way forward not only for achievers who can progress to ‘next level’ career advancement, but is also a boon to others who will be provided with the necessary opportunities to train and learn and bridge the gaps in their own achievement plans.
The system encompasses career progression through its evaluation of overall individual performance which is then matched to available career openings.
Keeping an Even Tenor
As we know, where there is a sizeable body of people engaged in enterprise, there is often a divergence of views and a climate of dissension is always possible.
SLT has a vibrant culture amongst its people, and issues pertaining to their rights are represented through a number of Trade Unions.
It has not always been easy for an employee and Company to see eye to eye. However, the Company and the Unions have been working on many measures to smoothen the way ahead.
Awareness programmes for all grades, fostering a universal acceptance of industrial democracy in order that dialogue continues unhindered between management and unions, enhancing the lines of communication and the exploration of collective agreements are some of the measures being worked on.
Many more measures are in the pipeline and these, augmented by the Company’s grievance handling processes ensure we are on the right track to achieving industrial contentment across the Company.
Staff Welfare
In tandem with our efforts at providing the optimum operating environment for our employees, which in itself encompasses all that we’ve written about up to now, we are mindful of the well-being of every employee.
To this end, the Company has striven over the years to constantly improve its welfare services and staff benefits.
INVESTMENT ON STAFF WELFARE
| |
2008
(up to 17.12.2008) |
2007 |
2006 |
2005 |
2004 |
| Total Investment |
1,000.02 |
1,459.60 |
858.8 |
693.6 |
554.2 |
ICT
One of the key initiatives we have been working on over the years is the increasing deployment of ICT across the Company. Quite apart from the obvious benefits to the employee from computerisation of several important HR processes, ICT is also a pivotal measure in moving the work culture and processes of the Company from the conventional, to a modern, more open and proactive system.
IT/e-based communication processes are also transforming the paper-based internal communication systems of the Company.
These developments help to make work life for the SLT staffer a less stressful and more productive experience.
The Wealth that is Health
It has always been a core value area to SLT - the sustained well-being and health of its employees. Healthy lives are often productive lives and where our employees are concerned, we aren’t just referring to the productivity that is derived by the Company. We look at the benefits to the individual; the quality of personal and family life; the value gained through a healthy balance of work and leisure.
SLT continues to implement its annual medical programme ‘Suwatha” which has been operating since 2006. This programme helps our employees to check their health at regular intervals and has been invaluable in early detection of medical conditions, which has led to timely treatment and recovery. Employee participation remains high.
‘Suwatha’ is also augmented by a year round health education programme.
Here are some of our vital statistics as regards employee health and welfare.
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|
 |
 |
|
|
| The Company supports a well-structured sports regime offering employees of all grades the opportunity to participate in sports |
The total number of employees who retired from service in the year 2008 was only 171. As a result, our employee turnover ratio is maintained at a healthy rate. The total number of work accidents for the years 2007 and 2008 respectively were 51 and 57. In the year 2007, the number of lost man days due to accidents was 2152 whilst the cost to the Company in this respect was Rs. 1,351,525/-. In 2008, the number of lost man days due to accidents was 1,603 whilst the cost to the Company was Rs. 1,705,000/-.
An evaluation comparing the total staff strength as against the actual risk of work place accidents showed a minimal risk level. This healthy trend will be further maintained by continuing to provide better health and safety methods and educating employees about health and safety methods.
The continuous efforts of SLT to improve the quality of worklife of people and the deployment of improved technology will also mitigate the risk of accidents at the workplace.
The Company supports a fully-structured sports regime, which offers employees of all grades, sans any discrimination, the opportunity to indulge in sports such as Cricket, Swimming, Karate, Badminton, Netball, Football, Basketball, Elle and Tennis.
We conduct Inter-Group Tournaments in many of these sports too.
A case in point – for the past three years, a much looked forward to annual event is the cricket encounter between SLT and Mobitel, played off for the Convergence Cup.
On a socio-cultural level, we have a full calendar of events that range from the religious to the arts and cultural spheres.
Access to Information and Learning
SLT places great emphasis on the value of awareness and knowledge amongst all its people. We believe that the more information an employee gains of the Company and its affairs, the better equipped he/she is not only to carry out their daily work, but also to be able to contribute to the Company’s planning processes and to act as ambassadors for their place of work, in the face of misconceived perceptions that could arise outside the Company.
To this end, SLT’s management processes are structured around several tiers of formal meetings that take place at Group, Divisional, Sectional, Operational, Provincial and Senior Management levels.
This system helps to educate all employees on management decisions taken and disseminates information on a variety of other matters such as industrial developments, technological developments, information security issues, policy developments as well as socio-cultural material.
We have several delivery mechanisms that, in addition to meetings, facilitate this information flow such as - the intranet, info-mails, Information security newsletters, Amathuma, Media Watch and Art Watch – the latter two are vehicles for dissemination of industrial information and socio-cultural information.
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| SLT operates 3 libraries in different locations offering borrowing to both employees and their families |
The Company also operates three libraries – at its Head Office, Havelock Town and Welisara Training School. These are proper libraries with borrowing facilities that are extended not only to employees, but to their family members as well.
Together all three libraries offer an inventory of over 25,000 books, magazines and periodicals, whilst some material is also available in electronic formats.
The Company acknowledges the support and contribution of the Asia Foundation and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) who donate material regularly to us.
These libraries are proving to be a vital resource provider for employees, particularly those preparing to sit for Company examinations. |
