Sri Lanka Telecom Annual Report 2004  
 
Sri Lanka Telecom - Focussed on Goals Beyond
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  Social Impact Report - Our Employees
   
 
They are the brain and brawn of the Company; the people who give life to vision and planning; who take enterprise from the drawing board to the customer and beyond. Increasingly more so than ever before, our employees are the “face” of the Company; the image that is imprinted and remains in the “minds eye” of the customer.

For the year in review, SLT had a total cadre of 7,129 employees.

Our people constitute the Company’s single most important resource in its development and success.

It is therefore an honour for the Company to ensure that they are well cared for, in every way possible. We begin by ensuring that SLT is always an attractive career option, providing a work life that is rewarding and satisfying, where skill and knowledge enhancement is encouraged as are personal development and initiative.

In achieving these objectives, SLT has put in place a whole range of activities and systems such as training opportunities, motivational programmes, productivity development and employee empowerment initiatives, welfare and recreational facilities and a whole lot more.

Let us examine some of the key initiatives the Company took in 2004.

Through Learning we Thrive
SLT operates five training centres amongst several other initiatives, imparting the skills and qualities required for continuous personal development of employees.

In terms of numbers, the Company trained 14,045 persons at its own training centres, whilst another 545 received training overseas. A further 908 were trained in other institutions within Sri Lanka.

In a broad sense, our training initiatives focused specifically upon the areas of Customer Satisfaction and Brand Image. Thus, training
programmes to improve customer service such as Customer Service Excellence, plus English Language instruction to improve the skills of our front office staff were conducted.

We also provided programmes on Positive Attitude Development and Personality Development to complement those enhancing technical know-how.

In another important development, the Company took training to the regions. Here, we imparted training in Project Management Skills, specifically targeting regional staff who must manage projects at local levels.

In the field of IT, we continued to impart training particularly in terms of implementing Geneva (our Billing System) and Clarity (our Fault Rectification & Servicing System).

SLT practises the 5S and Kaizen productivity development regimes, and the Company has been rewarded for outstanding achievements this year too.

SLT forged and developed important affiliations with prestigious organisations, to augment training opportunities offered.

The Company entered into partnership with City & Guilds, UK and Edexcel BTEC, UK to provide internationally recognised programmes to Sri Lanka, especially in the field of Telecommunications.

We also continued our close relationship with the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO), both as a requesting body and an offering partner. SLT offered 7 programmes under CTO’s PDT activities for developing countries, Mauritius, Mozmbique, Bangladesh, Lesotho and Uganda.

Good Qualities in Life
Inculcating good habits and best standards as an everyday practice, is encouraged at SLT. Encouraging staff to develop not only good work habits but also well rounded personalities provides a true win-win situation - on the one hand, staff develop the skills to perform their daily chores, whilst on the other, they find fulfillment in life beyond the workplace.

The Company organised a series of competitions during National Quality Week and World Standards Day, both of which fell in the month October.

Quality Circle and Continuous Improvement teams from across the Company’s departments and regional offices took part and annexed many an award.

We encourage a wide range of sports at SLT. During the year in review the SLT Cricket team met the Mobitel Cricket team in two friendly matches, both of which were won by SLT. The fellowship and good sportsmanship served to unite people from both companies and depicts exactly what we try to achieve in promoting a “life beyond the workplace”.

Improving the quality of life for our people is a constant priority for the Company. A revamped medical assistance scheme was launched in collaboration with the Ceylinco Insurance Company Limited.

Under the scheme, employees will be able to avail themselves of a range of medical and health services, the reimbursement of which will be borne by the Company within certain prescribed limits. Some of the benefits will apply to the employee’s family as well.

Recognising and Rewarding
Encouraging people is a great way to show your appreciation of them as well as motivate them to greater heights.

SLT has a continuous process of recognition integrated deep into its culture and work processes. For example, 29 of our Telecom Engineers obtained Charter status during the years 2003 and 2004 and were duly felicitated at the Institution of Engineers. The event was organised by the Telecom Engineers’ Union.

One of the Company’s key areas of focus was the development of its Call Centre systems. The staff manning this area were called upon to re-skill and enhance their knowledge base, adopt a fresh persona in terms of dealing with a wider subject base whilst offering customer satisfaction at every point of service delivery.

Similarly, the staff managing these changes had to display resource in providing correct leadership and applying technology whilst constantly assessing the needs and expectations of the customer.

A felicitation and awards ceremony was held to honour and reward the staff leading the reorganisation of the Call Centre system.

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