 | Rita Chan, executive vice president, human resources, CSL Limited
Photo: Nolly Leung | | |  |
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Innovative mobile phone company nurtures a versatile, customer-focused workforce
With telecommunications rapidly advancing to improve connectivity between people, it is vital for industry professionals to focus on their customers' specific needs. Leading Hong Kong mobile network operator CSL Limited prides itself on its workforce's pioneering, customer-oriented approach.
The company has in recent years taken a fresh look at its recruitment strategy, aligning it with its vision and values, says Rita Chan, executive vice president, human resources, CSL Limited. With a mission to provide communications for everyone, connect everything and unleash the potential of human networks, the organisation's hiring policies must reflect this to further consolidate its position as a market leader, she stresses. "We're always looking for people with the skills and attitude to fit into our customer-centred corporate culture."
As the company's multi-brand strategy covers different customer segments, it strives for a workforce that is a mix of energetic newcomers and more experienced professionals across a range of positions.
Market segmentation
CSL's management trainee programme, divided into sales-, commercial- and engineering-management streams, is a key aspect of its grooming of future leaders. When selecting graduate candidates to train, the company looks for a creative and innovative mindset, as well as a genuine interest in the company's sales business.
Requirements for other positions vary according to the field and position, says Ms Chan. For its mass-market business, CSL seeks young candidates well-versed in digital and IT trends. The firm also seeks more mature candidates for its retail-store sales staff, particularly to ensure that people who may be less familiar with digital advances are correctly advised and served. When it comes to premium services, CSL seeks professionals with experience in high-end sales.
In addition to conventional recruitment activities such as campus talks and job advertisements, the company has also expanded its talent search to social networks. "We keep a keen eye on market changes and are always on the lookout for bright, young newcomers," Ms Chan stresses.
CSL has a "70/20/10" staff-training philosophy to nurture high-calibre staff. This means that 70 per cent of training consists of experiential learning, such as attachments to a particular department and assignments with cross-functional teams, 20 per cent is dedicated to coaching and relationship building with senior supervisors, and 10 per cent to formal training, including classroom learning.
The emphasis on experience is extended to the management trainee programme and participants spend the last three months of the 24-month period working on projects requiring them to research and present solutions to real-life CSL issues.
There is also an initial induction programme focusing on the company's values, mission and vision for staff in general. CSL tailors training on various functions for staff in individual departments, while management and leadership coaching is devised for managerial candidates on different levels. Throughout, there's an emphasis on CSL's customer-centric business model. This extends to reviews of operations and business-management processes.
"Staff needs to be equipped to examine their own work processes in order to reduce waste. For example, if customers have to spend time waiting for us to call them back, it's a form of waste, and our teams have to consider how they can better work together in order to streamline the whole process," Ms Chan explains. "We therefore intend to introduce more coaching on project-management soft skills and stimulate our employees' creative thinking."
Staff focus
Given the fast-paced telecommunications environment, there is often a high staff turnover on the frontline. CSL maintains a stable workforce, but Ms Chan stresses the importance of reinforcing the company's reputation as a preferred employer.
One important staff-retention tool is to understand and respond to employees' needs. The company therefore holds quarterly communication sessions to keep its workforce informed of the latest developments, new strategies and upcoming plans.
Employee surveys are conducted annually to review staff's expectations and opinions. Following last year's survey, for instance, the firm will be launching a new "recognition programme" in January. In addition to the company's usual quarterly and yearly staff-performance reviews, the new initiative will encourage staff to express their appreciation for the efforts made by peers, seniors and subordinates in an all-round manner.
"They will be able to send immediate thank-you notes to colleagues and also note their recognition of others' performances for further review by management," Ms Chan says.
Another item on CSL's agenda is a comprehensive salary review, as "pay for performance" is an integral part of the company's culture. Since a large portion of the business consists of retail, sales incentives are continuously revised, as are pay scales in other departments. "We want to make sure that we're a competitive employer in all areas, from compensation and career-advancement opportunities to job satisfaction," Ms Chan concludes.
Building a solid team
- Workforce a mix of energetic newcomers and experienced professionals
- Company seeks creative, innovate candidates with a real interest in sales
- Emphasis on experience extended to management trainee programme
- CSL wants to reinforce reputation as a preferred employer
Taken from Career Times 6 January 2012, A16