It is like hitting two birds in one shot.

Faced with a shrinking talent pool, business process outsourcing (BPO) companies are using their corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs not just to help local communities but also to attract and train potential employees.

During the CSR Conference 2008 held in Makati recently, BPO executives said that more than improving the lives of communities, most of their CSR programs, particularly those that focus on education, have helped them build potential pool of workers and meet their demand for skilled workers.

Industry experts said most of their external CSR programs put emphasis in education and training of college students to address the mismatch between the quality of the supply of workers and the needs of the industry.

BPO firms have undertaken educational projects like establishing schools that offer free training on information technology (IT), donations of computers to schools, and offering and sharing technical expertise in drafting courses in colleges and universities.

Beth Lui, country manager of Accenture, said that aside from giving their workers a chance to share their talents and expertise by volunteering to train students, their CSR program also helps build a pool of IT-enabled talent pool.

"We are getting our employees to step out of the workplace and do something good for others," said Lui adding that their employees are involved in coaching and mentoring the trainees and teaching basic computer skills to students.

Free training and more

Accenture's CSR programs for education also include internships, team teaching, and providing elective classes to students. Lui added that they invite top students to participate in these programs and bring them to the workplace. The company also developed a curriculum and tie-ups with some universities to offer an elective that will familiarize students with the industry.

"We want to bridge the gap between the qualifications of the college graduates and the requirements of the industry," Lui said.

On the other hand, Sitel established Sitel Academy that provides free 30-day trainings to college students, recent graduates and to people who want to shift careers. It also gives 100 hours of re-training to the near-hires and brings its programs to far flung areas like Benguet to tap alternative potential market.

"We want and need to increase the yield of quality knowledge workers," said Dan Reyes, president of Sitel, adding that the supply of workers is crucial in maintaining the Philippine's position as a top outsourcing destination.

RP is outsourcing destination

The Philippines is cited by the United Kingdom's National Outsourcing Association as the outsourcing destination for 2007.

The Business Process Association of the Philippines (BPAP), an umbrella organization of BPO firms, estimates that by 2010 the industry can provide one million jobs and generate US$13 billion revenues, or a 10 percent share of the global market.

As of 2007, around 320,000 workers are employed by the industry. This means that BPO firms need to recruit more than 600,000 in the next two years to meet the future demand.

Companies, however, have been complaining of low English proficiency among applicants and low recruitment yield. Experts said that only around 6-20 percent of the applicants are qualified to work in the industry.

Reyes pointed out that free training provided by the BPO companies does not only produce qualified applicants but also yields workers who are most likely to stay longer in their jobs. "Trainees become loyal employees and attrition is lower by 50 percent among them."

Meanwhile, Josie Gonzales, executive director of SPi, said that aside from CSR programs that can help attract potential employees, companies should also focus in implementing programs that will improve talent retention.

Gonzales said that there should be incentives for workers who stay longer, security pay and activities that will ensure work-life balance.

Gonzales said recruitment and training of workers is very expensive. "The most important thing is to retain them." (abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak)

---

INTERACT WITH THIS ARTICLE