Employee issues in IT industry - Talent Acquisition
1. Employee Issues
in
IT industry
Talent Acquisition
Symbiosis Institute
of
Computer Studies and Research
!
By ,
Kapil Shendge
Ankita Goyal
Hussain Inamdar
Abhishek Pachisia
PoojaToprani
Bhagyashri Kadam
Pragati Gulavadi
Nikita Kakadiya
2. Introduction
• Many elements determine an individual's behaviour in the
workplace.
• Employees are shaped by their culture and by the
organisation's culture.
• These influences affect the way employees communicate
and interact with one another and with management.
• An employee's beliefs affect his or her ethics and sense of
ethical responsibility
3. Internal/External Forces
• Companies rely on employees to produce and deliver high-
quality products and services.
• Employee behaviour is impacted by a variety of forces, both
internal and external, as they attempt to perform their job
duties.
• Employers who are aware of these forces, and who are
prepared to leverage or counteract them, can have a
positive impact on the employee's behaviour.
5. Issues Faced by Employees
• Stress :
Today, many organizations and employees are experiencing
the effects of stress on work performance.The effects of stress
can be either positive or negative.What is perceived as positive
stress by one person may be perceived as negative stress by
another, since everyone perceives situations differently.
• Workplace :
Employee rights topics regarding the workplace, such as
drug testing, office dress code (including employee uniforms),
employee privacy, sexual harassment and working for a bad
boss.
6. Issues Faced by Employees
• Health :
! Workers in information technology (IT) like business process outsourcing
and call centers working with visual display units are reported to have various
Health and Psycho social disorders.
The work consists mainly of activities that use telephone and computer, with
the objective of developing standardized and continuous actions of marketing or
to manage communication with clients, public or government agencies.
Musculo-skeletal disorders, ocular disorders and psycho-social problems
were some of the key health problems observed among IT professionals.
The Call Center ranked high for attrition due to health reasons. Sleeping disorders were
observed among 83% compared to the industry average of 39.5% and voice-loss among 8.5% as
against 3.9%. Other health problems are ear problems (8.5%), digestive disorders (14.9%) and eye-
sight problems (10.6%).
7. Issues Faced by Employees
• Technological Changes:
Technology is a significant factor that can have both positive and disruptive
influences on employee behavior.While technology can often help streamline
processes and make work easier for employees, learning how to use new
technology while remaining productive can be stressful. Factor in the rapid
advent of technology, in general, and employers seem to be faced with an
almost ongoing need for new training, process improvement, and
documentation.
• Rapidly changing Customer Demands:
Customer demands can be an external force that exerts pressure on
organizations to continually stay ahead of the competitive curve. Employees must
adapt to the changing needs of customers, the growing shrewdness of customers,
and the heightened expectations that customers put on employee behavior.
8. Issues Faced by Employees
• Married Couples Cant be Co-Workers :
• Employee Furlough
• Poor Communication
• Age Harassment
• Compatibility Issues
• Feeling Forgotten
9. Employee Relations Issue
Employee relations involves all aspects of an employee's relationship with an employer. Human
resources personnel, managers and supervisors maintain this relationship by implementing
employee policies that establish rules regarding performance, conduct, conflict of interest and
discipline.
!
Legal Issues
Employee relations issues stem from various aspects of employment and labor law. Legal issues such
as workplace harassment, discrimination and equal opportunity are among the employee relations
issues employers must face. Employers are obligated to investigate harassment and discrimination
allegations in the workplace and provide a possible remedy to the situation. Employers also must
reasonably accommodate workers who require modification of job duties because of disability or
pregnancy.
!
Conflict Management
Conflicts often arise in the workplace between co-workers, as well as between employees and
managers. When disputes arise, managers must implement specific procedures for resolution while
maintaining optimal working relationships. These procedures allow employees to voice their
concerns and have the issues resolved internally. Conflict management also helps employers
document the circumstances surrounding a particular incident and how the matter was resolved.
This will assist employers if a similar situation arises.
10. Employee Relations Issue
Attendance
A strong attendance record and adherence to their schedule is the responsibility of all
employees and essential to the employer's bottom line. If an employee is tardy, misses
work or does not adhere to his schedule, it affects his co-workers and
supervisors.Employers regulate attendance through defined attendance policies. An
attendance policy defines absence and tardiness and outlines the consequences for
unexcused time away from work.
!
Disciplinary Action
When an employee engages in undesirable behavior, employers must act to correct
that behavior. Disciplinary action is designed to prevent or improve poor performance
or deal with inappropriate behavior. Employers typically implement discipline gradually
based on the type and frequency of a policy violation. For example, a manager may
give a worker a verbal warning for coming in late without a valid excuse.The next time
the worker has an unexcused tardiness, the manager may give the worker a written
warning.After the next instance, the employer might issue a final written warning
before terminating the employee.
11. Expectations of Employee Behaviour
• One of the largest expenses to any organization is the cost
of labor.
• Good managers work hard to set the expectations for each
employee.This is done through in-service meetings, monthly
staff meetings, annual reviews, and the overall culture of the
organization.
• Most employers expect their employees to work towards
accomplishing the organization's goals and ultimately its
mission.
12. Wrong Employee Behaviour because
of Issues
• Absenteeism, tardiness, leaves early
• Not following rules, policies, procedures, guidelines, agreements
• Not cooperative; is argumentative, rebellious, insubordinate, rigid
• Defensive, overly-sensitive, overly-reactive, excuse-making
• Confrontational, controlling, bossy, bullying
• Rude, insensitive, abrasive, insulting, demeaning, derogatory,
sarcastic
• Gossips, spreads rumors
• Avoids work, pawns work off on others, grudgingly accepts work
• Arrogant, self-centered, overly-confident, Prima Donas
13. Positive Environment
•Most people spend fifty percent of their lives within indoor
environments, which greatly influence their mental status, actions, abilities
and performance .
•Better outcomes and increased productivity is assumed to be the result
of better workplace environment.
•Better physical environment of office boosts the employees and
ultimately improve their productivity.
•Various literature pertain to the study of multiple offices and office
buildings indicated that the factors such as dissatisfaction, cluttered
workplaces and the physical environment are playing a major role in the
loss of employees’ productivity
14. Positive Approach towards Negative Mind
• Counselling skills are skills that employers/managers must learn and
practice in order to improve them. They must also be aware of their
limitations when counselling employees. They can't solve all the life
problems of their staff but they should be able to assist them with
difficulties they may be having at work.
• Counselling at work is to help people identify the causes of work-related
problems, such as poor performance.The employer/manager should not
feel that they must identify and solve the causes of personal problems such
as depression, alcoholism or marital problems for an employee.
• If personal problems do become apparent, it is important that employers
refer the employee to the appropriate experts.
15. Counselling Checklist
DO’s Dont’s
!
Give the employee recognition
Don't assume the role of a parent scolding a child
Provide a warm atmosphere of communication Don't moralise
Encourage the employee to gain insight into the
problem
Don't threaten the employee of the likely
consequences if they don't get their act together
Give the employee a clear picture of their
strengths and weaknesses
Don't get into an argument
Encourage the employee to bring out any
conflicts, personal problems and ideas
Don't cut off an employee's comments
Suggest positive steps to rationalise the problem
or improve performance
Don't give the employee false hope
Build a level of support that is conducive to both
friendliness and efficiency
Don't expect a dramatic change in the employee
because of one counselling session
16. Disciplinary Procedure
Sample disciplinary procedure
!
Step 1 - Employees who are performing unsatisfactorily will be counselled so they understand the standards
expected of them.They will be offered assistance and guidance in achieving the expected standards.
!
Step 2 - Confidential records of any counselling undertaken will be made.The employee will be shown and
given a copy of the written records and will have an opportunity to comment on its contents.This can be
done either in writing or orally.The record will only be placed on the employee's personal file when the
employee has been given the opportunity of responding to the record and adding any notations regarding the
contents of the record.
!
Step 3 - Employees whose performance or behaviour is unsatisfactory will be given adequate time to
demonstrate a willingness to improve. If at the end of this period the employee shows no willingness to
improve in the opinion of the employer, a final warning in writing will be issued to the employee.This notice
will inform the employee in writing that disciplinary action up to and including dismissal may be taken if the
employee does not cease the unsatisfactory performance or behaviour immediately.
!
Step 4 -The employer also has the right to summarily dismiss an employee for serious and wilful misconduct.
!
Step 5 - At every stage of the disciplinary process, the employee has the right to have another employee or
union representative present as a witness.