SLT to introduce a new HR management culture

Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) is to introduce a new Human Resource Development and Management culture to make the 7,000-strong workforce more efficient and to harness maximum productivity from them.

SLT’s Chief Officer HR and Legal I.C.L Bertus in an interview with The Sunday Times FT said that the restructuring of the organization was made with the aim of transforming the SLT to a modern and profit making telecom giant in the island successfully facing the challenges of other competitors.

He added that the new structure comprising 11 Chief Officers and 57 heads of divisions’ equivalent to General Managers has been approved to streamline the functions of SLT and competent, efficient and qualified persons have been appointed with the approval of the Board of Directors.

He said the new organisation structure was devised in December last year following the models of world telecom organizations. It will help to enhance the work of the SLT and fast- track the services in accordance with the company’s plan to shift its focus from voice service to modern value added services like Internet, Broadband, CDMA and WIFI wireless technology used in home networks, mobile phones, video games and more.

Bertus said that employees should understand the needs of the institution and they need to have the necessary technical training and support in order to reach the next phase of technological development planned by the SLT. He noted that work-related skills of all employees should be improved and updated to meet new developments in the telecommunication field. Therefore, he said, a new technology and e-learning initiative has been launched for SLT employees to understand the soft and hard skills that they need to develop in order to climb up the career ladder. Bertus added that promotions of officers will be made on merit, qualifications and experience in a transparent manner He pointed out that action will be taken to ensure fairness in the promotions process as well as to provide senior management of SLT with wide information about the performance of the business at the individual level. A new policy will be introduced to select officers for foreign training as a priority and that both the employee and the company will be benefited as each individual develops work-related skills.

Referring to outsourcing of core services at SLT like drivers, and technical support services, he said that it is purely a business decision and it will not affect the jobs of SLT employees who are technical personnel and their work cannot be outsourced. Over 4,000 technical staff is currently engaged in service at SLT and they are a valuable asset, he said. Bertus revealed that the institution has taken a decision to amicably settle at least 29 human rights cases filed against the SLT by its employees as the management is ready to look into this matter in a humanitarian angle.