The strategic human resource management (SHRM) practices at Dialog Axiata PLC

Executive Summary

Leading telecommunications provider Dialog Axiata PLC in Sri Lanka has a distinct vision and mission to empower and improve Sri Lankans' lives and businesses through multi-sensory connectivity. Dialog, which has a significant market share in mobile telephony, also provides a variety of connection services, such as Dialog Global and Dialog TV.

The strategic human resource management (SHRM) practices at Dialog Axiata PLC are the subject of this paper. In order to handle HR issues and unify HR procedures, SHRM integrates HR practices with company objectives. SHRM is essential for remaining competitive in Sri Lanka's fast evolving telecom sector. The study identifies the HR challenges that Dialog Axiata PLC is facing and suggests solutions using SHRM models and theories. It highlights how crucial it is to match business goals with HR practices, to recruit and keep employees, to create engagement, to ensure diversity and inclusion, and to solve issues like talent shortages, compliance, globalization, and technology integration.

In conclusion, Dialog Axiata PLC understands the value of SHRM and thorough training and development in preserving a competitive edge in the fast-paced telecom sector. Dialog Axiata PLC wants to empower its staff and improve the quality of life for its consumers. To do this, it aligns its HR processes with business goals and constantly improves employee capabilities.

1.     Introduction

A leading telecommunication company in Sri Lanka is Dialog Axiata PLC with company vision, To be the undisputed leader in the provision of multi-sensory connectivity resulting always, in the empowerment and enrichment of Sri Lankan lives and enterprises and the company mission is To lead in the provision of technology enabled connectivity touching multiple human senses and faculties, through committed adherence to customer-driven, ethical, responsive and flexible business processes, and through the delivery  of quality service and leading edge technology unparalleled by any other, spurred by an empowered set of dedicated individuals who are driven by an irrepressible desire to work as one towards a common goal in the truest sense of team spirit.

Which also runs Dialog Mobile, the biggest mobile network in the nation and division of the Axiata Group Berhad (formerly TM International), is one of the most valuable listed firms on the Colombo Stock Exchange. The distinction of being the first and only business in Sri Lanka to reach a market capitalization of $1 billion belongs to Dialog. The main line of business for Dialog Axiata PLC is mobile telephony, but the company also offers a diverse range of holistic connectivity services. This comprises Dialog Global, which runs a broad range of foreign communications services, and Dialog TV, a direct-to-home satellite television service. The award of being selected by Sri Lankan consumers as the Telecom Service Provider of the Year and Internet Service Provider of the Year for four consecutive years at the SLIM-Nielsen People's Choice Awards is unique to Dialog, which won two GSMA Mobile World Awards in 2015, according to the SLIM-Nielsen People's Choice Awards. Dialog, which is certified to ISO 9001, has consistently held the top spot in Sri Lanka's Corporate Accountability rankings for five years running. Numerous awards, including the Sri Lanka Business Excellence Award and the National Quality Award, have been given to the company both nationally and abroad.

Through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Dialog Broadband Networks (Private) Ltd (DBN) and Dialog Television (Private) Ltd. (DTV), Dialog Axiata complements its dominant position in the mobile telecommunications industry by entering Sri Lanka's fixed telecommunications and digital television markets. As the second-largest fixed telecommunications service provider in Sri Lanka, DBN offers voice, internet, lease lines, and customized telecommunication services to both home and business users. DBN excels as a leading supplier of transmission infrastructure facilities based on radio and optical fibre. The Pay TV market in Sri Lanka is dominated by DTV, which provides a Direct-to-Home (DTH) Digital Satellite TV service. Along with a sizable selection of Sri Lankan television stations, DTV offers a wide range of local and international material in both Standard Definition (SD) and High Definition (HD) formats. This program provides 452,000 Sri Lankan families with high-quality infotainment, which is a significant viewer base.

A strategy described as strategic HRM specifies how the organization's objectives will be met through the use of its workforce, supported by integrated HR strategies, policies, and practices. Strategic HRM can be thought of as a mentality supported by a few ideas rather than a collection of methods. It provides the framework for strategic reviews, which decide on strategic plans for the creation of general or targeted HR strategies after analysing the corporate context and current HR practices.

The report will be covered the strategic human resource management and how it applies in practical scenarios in a real world business environment and Applying strategic human resource management models and theories. Mainly the report will indicate what are the issues in Dialog Axiata PLC and practical Human Resources issues that they are facing as an organization. In the communication industry of Sri Lanka, there are many issues can be identified in the Human capital field. Strategic management is the set of choices and actions that lead to the creation and application of plans intended to further the goals of an organization. In addition to that the report will be expressed strategic human resource management is not only an abstract idea, but rather a real necessity in the fast-paced telecommunications sector, according to Dialog Axiata PLC. The organization can handle important human resource challenges and align its workforce with its strategic goals by utilizing SHRM models and theories. Dialog's dedication to effective SHRM helps it stay competitive and adaptable in the rapidly changing environment of Sri Lanka's communication industry, where technology, rivalry, and consumer expectations are all constantly changing.

The purpose of the report is to express the HR related issues and how to analyse those problems as well as how to apply strategical human resources theories to resolve these types of issues. Aligning HR practices with corporate goals, attracting and retaining talent, developing people, fostering engagement, and guaranteeing diversity and inclusion are just a few of the major benefits of strategic human resource management. To assist an organization's strategic success, SHRM also handles a variety of HR concerns such talent shortages, compliance, globalization, and technology integration. The report is going to be indicated the strategic management of human resources is essential in Dialog Axiata PLC. In addition to addressing a variety of HR difficulties, it also harmonizes HR processes with corporate goals. Organizations may adapt, thrive, and maintain a competitive edge in a constantly changing business environment by methodically assessing HR challenges and using pertinent theories.

02. HR issues in the Dialog Axiata

Strategic issues are pressing problems or worries that could have a big impact on an organization's long-term objectives, course, and general success. The leadership and management of the business must frequently carefully examine, plan, and make strategic decisions in response to these difficulties. Usually complicated and varied, strategic dilemmas can involve both internal and external forces. For the organization to succeed and to preserve a competitive advantage, these concerns must be resolved. We can identify the HR issues under the following key HR function:

1.  Planning:

Planning for human resources entails predicting the organization's future labour requirements and ensuring that the necessary talent is accessible to achieve those requirements. The major elements in the planning process are covered in the HR planning concept, which also emphasizes the value of alignment with business goals, stakeholder communication, and flexibility.

· Disengaged Workforce: A disengaged staff that doesn't understand the connection between their efforts and the company's goals can result from a lack of alignment. Employees at Dialog Axiata are said to have a disengaged workforce when they are unmotivated, alienated from their jobs, and uninterested in the long-term objectives of the business. These workers might be lacking in passion, dedication, and a sense of direction in their work. This disengagement may have a detrimental effect on individual and group performance, productivity, and the organization's capacity to meet its goals. Under the 2020, Dialog Axiata identified their major HR issues under the planning step and they Dialog Axiata can be recognized as a place where individuals from many racial, cultural, and national origins work. In order to accomplish its goals and objectives over the years, Dialog Axiata has been able to combine all of these differences. By coaching and enabling the workers to pursue their own personal goals concurrently, Dialog Axiata was able to satisfy its internal workforce. Dialog's dedication to provide top-notch services to their clients is cantered on digital transformation. They have concentrated on enabling their functional units over the past year so they can leverage digital adoption to enhance customer service and operational efficiency.

 2.     Recruitment

The process of identifying, assessing, and choosing qualified people to fill open positions is known as recruitment. The complexity and difficulty of recruitment in the HR profession might vary depending on the sector, size, and location of the firm. The following list of typical hiring-related HR problems that Dialog Axiata experience, along with viable solutions,

· High Turnover Rates: The dynamics of the team might be harmed by constant turnover, and recruitment costs can rise. Conduct exit interviews to pinpoint attrition factors, develop staff retention plans, and optimize the on-boarding procedure. Dialog Axiata's turnover rate is lower than 2022. According to Ensure that Dialog Axiata offers competitive compensation packages and benefits. Regularly review and adjust salaries to match industry standards. Consider offering additional benefits like healthcare, retirement plans, and flexible work arrangements. Additionally, the performance-related components of compensation have been created to link incentives to both company and individual success and to match the interests of the executive director with those of shareholders. They have built the best salary range and best work environment to reduce their turnover rate.

 · Diversity and Inclusion: Failure to attract a diverse pool of candidates may lead to a lack of diversity in the workforce. Numerous problems exist for Dialog Axiata as a result of their management allocation. As a result, they significantly increased the diversity of the board in 2022, which resulted in a substantial increase in the number of women in positions of leadership inside the company.

 3.  Selection

In the context of human resources, "selection" refers to the process of determining and selecting the most qualified applicants from a pool of applicants for a specific employment vacancy inside a company. In order to decide whether a candidate is a suitable fit for the position and the firm, this process include evaluating candidates based on their credentials, abilities, experiences, and other pertinent characteristics. Below, we mention candidate experience, which mainly affects the company's performance.

·  Candidate Experience: A negative candidate experience might damage the company's reputation and deter potential applicants. Dialog Axiata increased the recruitment cost due to their issues in the process in the recruitment. Therefore, they change their process to recruit the best employee for their workplace. Accordingly, Dialog looking the internal candidate to fulfil their requirement they can’t found that they use the advertisement option to select the candidate. This can be done on new papers, company website and other job listing websites. They also will increase the probability of getting better candidates with vast experience in internally. Then HR manager will shortlist a set amount of candidates for the second interview, these are the candidates who scored highest in the first interview and the verification process. Then they test their analytical knowledge under the financial and other sector by using the questioner’s paper and finally they recruit best knowledgeable and experience candidate to achieve their objectives easily. The procedure tries to match candidates' experiences and talents with the qualifications for the position and the company's values. Dialog Axiata can create a knowledgeable and engaged staff that supports its objectives by carefully evaluating candidates and making educated judgments.

4. Training & Development

Employees are given the exact knowledge and skills they need to carry out their existing work tasks successfully throughout training. It usually consists of organized learning exercises that are pertinent to the duties and obligations of the work. The goal of development is to support employees' long-term progress and position them for future employment with the company. It entails learning in a more comprehensive way that goes beyond doing urgent job responsibilities. After identified that issues, The TM Forum's AI Maturity Index, which reveals that Dialog Group AI Maturity has improved from 50% to 80% in 2022, has recognized our efforts. With over 100 experts in the newest analytics technology and over 50% of our staff up- and re-skilled, they made sure our team was prepared to accept the changes and further their development. And also, achieving "Exceptional Performance" was made possible by their dedication to empowering dialog’s employees and fostering a culture that values diversity, inclusion, accountability, and growth. With a merit-based hiring process and policies that reflect this commitment, they maintain fairness throughout the employee lifecycle as an equal opportunity employer.

They also provide several speak-up channels, including a Whistleblowing facility, and have procedures in place to safeguard our employees from all forms of harassment, including sexual harassment and forced employment. Dialog Company made a lot of strides in our talent development activities in 2022. With the use of hybrid learning techniques, they provided more than 1900 different training programs with a combined learning time of over 47,000 man-hours. In order to inspire employees and boost performance, they also introduced the GIG economy model. Their Talent Management team also ran a number of training sessions to strengthen their staff members' technical and interpersonal skills.

5. Performance Appraisal: Performance reviews and evaluations, commonly referred to as performance appraisals, are important components of HR management that entail evaluating employees' job performance and identifying areas that need development and improvement. But the performance review process might come with a number of difficulties.

·       Clarity Issues with the Objectives:

Employees who are unclear about their work tasks, responsibilities, and performance expectations frequently experience the performance appraisal problem known as "Lack of Clarity in Objectives." Confusion, annoyance, and erroneous assessments can result from this lack of clarity during the appraisal process. In the past decades, dialog did not allocate the responsibilities in an appropriate manner and they have not balanced organizational hierarchy. Therefore, they can mitigate their issue by using the best strategy.

About 3000 individuals are currently employed at Dialog Axiata. Both Dialog Axiata's employment practices and business planning strategy are integrated. The expertise, aptitude, and abilities required for a position has to be established by the tasks and obligations involved. When it comes to hiring new personnel, Dialog Axiata follows a number of rules. The major objective of recruitment policy is to find skilled employees who, regardless of where they are from, will support rising earnings while also progressing each person's career. Performance reviews and annual business plans trigger the need for training and growth within the company.

Labour retention

Employee retention, also known as labour retention, is a significant issue for HR departments because it involves keeping competent employees on staff for an extended period of time. High employee turnover costs money and can harm team dynamics and output. Poor leadership, poor communication, and ineffective management practices can all contribute to employee dissatisfaction and attrition. The ILM - recognized Executive Leadership development program is therefore made available to all Dialog Axiata staff. The program's objective is to increase participants' comprehension of management soft skills, leadership fundamentals, and necessary leadership development. A group of skills that have been improved and developed above the rest in order to lead. It's a mind-set and a set of abilities. On the other hand, a lack of collaboration leads to duplicate work. Employee dissatisfaction with the work environment thus leads to a higher turnover rate. As a result, Dialog Axiata uses a computer-based system to transmit every information and keeps a system-based calendar that assigns duties.

7.     Change Management

Change Management

In order to successfully navigate transitions, implement new strategies, adopt technological breakthroughs, or undertake organizational reorganization, firms must engage in change management. Organizations may raise the likelihood of successful change implementation and reduce adverse effects on workers and productivity by resolving resistance, fostering clear communication, and providing the appropriate tools. HR-related change management might come with its own set of difficulties. In order to ensure that employees' needs are satisfied while supporting and guiding organizational changes, HR specialists are essential.

·       Competitor challengers

The Sri Lankan telecommunication sector is mature, with Dialog holding 50% market share in 2008 (Dharmawardena, 2004). Privatization led to rising rivals' market shares, but Dialog maintained its industry leader position after introducing GSM. This position made Dialog's competitors, Mobitel, Hutch, and Etisalat, no longer rivals but competitors still earning substantial profits. After 2009, Sri Lanka's telecommunications sector underwent two major shifts. One factor was the rapid growth of Airtel's client base after its inception, which reached 1 million in less than 6 months. Another was the acquisition of Tigo by Emirates Telecommunication Corporation. Following these events, Dialog Axiata's market share started to drop, by as much as 38% (Jain, Hatt, & Wills, 2013).

Since the products are comparable and there is fierce competition, value-added services are also improving and becoming more comparable when compared to other service providers. Even though Dialog was recognized as the top innovator, other rivals were able to simply follow its lead.  Additionally, other rivals were able to offer extensive signal coverage across the entire island, so dialog was no longer the sole option. These factors made acquiring new customers and keeping them over the long term difficult for Dialog Axiata.

In order to be sustainable, a business must both draw in new clients and keep them over the long term. Since there have been no significant changes to the product or service, there is a good probability that clients may go to a competing brand if you can't satisfy them. Customer loyalty therefore has a significant role to play in this situation. Finally, Organizations like Dialog Axiata may manage change more successfully by tackling cultural resistance in a considerate and inclusive way, ensuring that changes are accepted and assimilated into the current company culture.

3 .Training & Development Strategy

Industry / Sector Best practices for Training & Development

This best practice approach focuses on the idea that there is a set of best HRM practices that are universal, meaning they are the best in every circumstance, and that implementing them will improve organizational performance. In any industry or sector, training and development are essential parts of human resource management. In addition to being advantageous for individual development, ensuring that personnel possess the knowledge and abilities to succeed in their positions is crucial for organizational success. Organizations in the communication business can guarantee that their workforce is competitive and adaptive in a market marked by quick technical change and shifting consumer expectations. In this fast-paced industry, training and development become crucial for long-term success and sustainability. The totally digital induction program for new hires at Dialog was maintained throughout the year. To avoid duplicating content and concentrate on developing fundamental skills and talents, the program was drastically compressed. Two half-day programs covering crucial topics including corporate values, a company overview, employee benefits, occupational health and safety, the code of conduct, information security best practices, and compensation and benefits were created with new hires in mind.

The general significance of training can be explained as increasing employee performance by raising their levels of job knowledge and abilities, reducing potential employee issues that may arise from a lack of job knowledge, skills, and abilities, reducing employee turnover in the workplace, and providing long-term development for both businesses and individuals.

It can be identified many best practices in training and development in communication sector such as Sales and marketing training, Customer services training, Technical training, Digital Skills, Cybersecurity training, Regulatory training, Soft skills, Ethical training, Leadership Training, Industry training, Products and service knowledge and mobile learning.

Sales and marketing training: A face-to-face interaction between salespeople and customers occurs during both the processes of selling products and business opportunities in multi-level marketing, a system of direct selling. Due to this link, salespeople must receive training in order to properly complete multi-level marketing tasks using advanced selling abilities and strategies. Additionally, multi-level marketing positions require the development of presentation and leadership abilities in order to perform the sponsorship function. This highlights the significance of multi-level marketing training even more.

Customer services training: Customer service is always cantered on interacting with consumers, regardless of the particulars. And dealing with others is part of that. By integrating people skills like attitude toward a customer, dispute resolution, and stress management, make sure the course curriculum reflects this. Additionally, you ought to provide material that promotes virtues like cheerfulness, thankfulness, and empathy.

Technical training: Although technical skills differ greatly between industries, they generally consist of the abilities and knowledge required to carry out job-specific tasks, whether they be digital or manual. They are the abilities needed to successfully complete a job.

Digital Skills training: For HR professionals to be relevant and productive in the modern workforce, digital skills are essential. To succeed in HR management, you must always learn new things and keep up with the most recent technological developments. Social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are among the most popular digital resources. Learn how to use social media effectively and come up with innovative ways to hire people there to secure the future of your HR job.

Cybersecurity training: Cyber security is the most important field at the present competitive environment. Moreover, to being a useful resource for employee skill development, including specific training for internal systems, human resources (HR) plays a crucial role in maintaining cybersecurity and data protection within a business. The main risk for the business world is they have to protect their information from third parties because of there may be any cyber-attack at any time since the development of IT field including AI, Robotic technology and other mobile related technology in the world. Due to these reasons organizations need to train their staff in accordance with the developing technology to protect and face those type of risk, especially for telecommunication businesses. Dialog has made great efforts to ensure the security of the personal data of its customers, including posting their Personal Data Privacy Policy & Privacy Notice and requiring rigorous training on Cyber Security and Data Privacy for all staff members.

Regulatory training, Soft skills, Ethical training, Leadership Training, Industry training, Products and service knowledge and mobile learning are also need to train and develop those skills within the company’s staff to achieve organizational goals. Strategic human resource management has to identify potential risk that can be faced by the organization and need to introduce how to face those kind of risk at any time.

Dialog Axiata PLC probably customizes its training and development plans to satisfy the particular requirements of its personnel and those of the telecoms sector. These tactics are crucial for maintaining employee expertise, motivation, and alignment with the mission and objectives of the business.

Dialog Axiata PLC made a lot of innovations in the talent development activities in 2022. With the use of hybrid learning techniques, they provided more than 1900 different training programs with a combined learning time of over 47,000 man-hours. In order to inspire employees and boost performance, they also introduced the GIG economy model. The Talent Management team also ran a number of training sessions to strengthen the staff members' technical and interpersonal skills. As strategic training and development program the company has conducted many skill development and training related programs. Such as Together with the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Dialog has established the "Diriya.lk" initiative to give SMEs in Sri Lanka quicker access to knowledge on practical subjects. Through the 'Aya' initiative, sponsored by the State Ministry of Women and Child Development, they also helped women become more powerful and combat bias. Through ICT facilities and training, our Ideamart for Women project kept boosting digital entrepreneurship and enhancing technical skills for women. In addition, teamed up as the Platinum Sponsor for the 11th annual "Top50" Professional and Career Women Awards, honouring remarkable women from a variety of fields.

Dialog Axiata PLC is a company which is depend on information. The company is already started few training and development programs to continue their business as we mentioned above. It can be suggested few more strategies to improve training and development within the organization.

1.      Provide basic IT knowledge for every staff member in the organization.

Dialog Axiata can equip its employees with the fundamental IT skills they need to carry out their jobs effectively and securely in the modern day. In addition to enhancing individual abilities, this project helps the firm succeed overall and maintain its cybersecurity.

 2.      Provide practical training for managing customers internationally.

Increase customer satisfaction, boost the company's reputation internationally, and make sure that personnel have the tools they need to cater to the various needs of clients from various cultural backgrounds.

 3.      Introduce developed AI models to the staff to do tasks very easy.

With the help of Dialog Axiata, work may be made simpler and more effective while also ensuring that staff members are prepared to take advantage of AI's potential in their jobs.

 4.      Develop high skilled IT staff to face any cyber-attack and train them.

An IT team with a high level of ability that is capable of efficiently preventing, identifying, and countering cyber-attacks, improving the organization's overall cybersecurity posture.

 5.      Train the staff to treat various categories of customers.

In order to increase customer satisfaction and loyalty, the staff will deliver great customer service that is customized to the specific needs and preferences of different customer segments.

 

Strategic HR Implementation plan to create a high performance and competitive organization.

A human resource management (HRM) plan is a crucial step for firms to manage their human capital effectively, connect HR strategies with business objectives, and make sure that the workforce is prepared with the skills and capabilities required for success. The strategic HR plan for Dialog Axiata would be flexible, adjusting to meet the organization's and the sector's shifting needs. Furthermore, it would be in line with the company's aim to empower Sri Lankan businesses and lifestyles by enabling multisensory connectedness. It is recommended that you consult Dialog Axiata's official documentation or get in touch with their HR department for the most precise and recent information.

Dialog Axiata PLC made a lot of innovations in the talent development activities in 2022. With the use of hybrid learning techniques, they provided more than 1900 different training programs with a combined learning time of over 47,000 man-hours. In order to inspire employees and boost performance, they also introduced the GIG economy model. The Talent Management team also ran a number of training sessions to strengthen the staff members' technical and interpersonal skills. As strategic training and development program the company has conducted many skill development and training related programs. These training and development program has planned by the organization to achieve market leadership in the communication sector. The dedication to customer happiness, innovation, employee growth, and ethical business practices informs Dialog Axiata's strategic orientation. By focusing on these strategic goals, the company hopes to keep up its dominance in the telecoms sector and carry on improving Sri Lankans' lives and the lives of businesses through connectivity.

Identified prioritized key HR issues of Dialog Axiata PLC is mentioned under the section 02. From the perspective of human resources management, it may be claimed that multilevel marketing and human resources management are similar. Applications for multi-level marketing and human resources management share certain common functions. These duties can be summed up as choosing, attracting, organizing, educating, inspiring, and assessing the human resources.

According to the company vision and mission company to be the unquestionable leader in the provision of multi-sensory connectivity, resulting in the empowerment and enrichment of Sri Lankan lives and businesses constantly. And To be the industry leader in the delivery of technology-enabled connectivity that affects a variety of human senses and faculties, through steadfast adherence to customer-driven, ethical, responsive, and flexible business processes, and through the provision of superior service and cutting-edge technology unmatched by any other, sparked by an empowered group of committed individuals who are motivated by an irresistible desire to work together towards a shared objective in the truest sense of teamwork. Dialog Axiata PLC needs to achieve market leadership in the future with their most valuable products and high quality services and customer feedbacks. Up to now they have increased their number of employees up to 3000 and their employee turnover also decreased than the previous year as well as the productivity has increased than the previous year those are mentioned under the section 02 of the report.