We provided management consultancy and SOP design services to Unifin, a full-service business process outsourcing and accounts receivable management service provider. Unifin initially got in touch with us due to a lack of procedures for their offshore resources, especially their performance management process. On an in-depth study of their existing procedures, we also suggested that they invest in other areas as well which includes
- A robust contingency plan
- Clearly defined HR policy and Roles
- Process development for coaching and feedback to employees
Deliverables
As per the client’s requirements, Infinikey solutions delivered the following solutions
There were no clearly formulated Performance Management Processes in place
We formulated SOPs pertaining to performance measurement and management for offshore resources, which is equal parts important and challenging when most of the resources are offshore. Do achieve this, industry standards and best practices were utilised both in terms of setting KPI’s and performance benchmarks. Such for done for a myriad of factors ranging from telephone to service benchmarks. Furthermore, a system to review and report KPIs and employee’s performance with regards to them was also developed.
There was an absence of clarity on what steps to take with regards to performance outliers
Having no system in place to deal with outliers, or simply employees whose performance is not up to scratch came up in the course of our contract with the client. To counter this, or at least manage it, Unifin was given different strategies ranging from informal methods like coaching and counselling to formal methods like a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP)
HRM processes, roles and descriptions were not in place
Since this was a new segment to the business, no real definitions were in place in order to help managers and line workers with understanding their roles and responsibilities better. Furthermore, there was no plan in place to deal with the day to day of operations, and they were being dealt with what we commonly refer to as firefighting. Not only were jobs and responsibilities defined for the client, a schedule for regular meetings was also suggested in order to keep all the actors in the loop of the day to day of the organisation.
Contingency plans for disruptions in business were not in place
A modus operandi on what to do when any event, natural or man-made, disrupts operations was sadly missing from the client’s repository, so a plan was formulated to deal with any occurrence that could impact standard business operations. Since the business is largely concerned with electricity, telephone and internet connectivity, therefore, a business continuity plan was put in place to deal with uncertainties arising from such events.
The process for managers to counsel and give feedback was put in place
Managers need to be able to counsel and give feedback in a manner that builds up the employees morale as well as their skills. This process starts right from the planning for a task to the execution. To do so, we recommended different models for both counselling and feedback to employees
The Impact
Six months after we delivered the project to our client, we reached out to them to enquire about how their performance was progressing, and the report they presented us with was very encouraging.
- Managers were now communicating expectations to employees in a better and clearer way
- Regular feedback gave employees a true assessment of their capabilities while also giving them a goal to reach out for, thus positively impacting their productivity and efficiency.
- Coordination issues that were previously arising due to lack of proper work definitions as well as a serious dearth of regular meetings and huddles was also resolved.
In conclusion, establishing a robust performance management system and implementing effective management practices changed the clients business for the better, while catering to the weaknesses within their framework.
