Understanding the Increased Attrition Rate Among New Hires
The client, an American multinational telecommunications company, needed to address and understand a rapid increase in attrition among new hires. The Covid-19 pandemic exasperated the amount of workers who quit within the first three months of employment, but the issue was longstanding prior to the global crisis. While analytics had identified pain points in distinct areas, like the experience of onboarding for example, the data lacked a full picture of how employees were internalizing those experiences especially in different cultural contexts. This evaluative and generative multi-country research engagement was motivated by the desire to build an effective strategy for the future, as well as to provide short-term solutions during an unprecedented time.
The Approach
This multi-country research engagement spanned 3 different countries, involved 30 stakeholders, 20 industry experts, many employees, and ex-employees. The research design included a unique diary study approach, one designed and implemented through daily WhatsApp activities, check-ins, media exchange, one-on-one interviews, and concept testing. To capture insights from participants, we had to meet folks where they were in terms of comfort, access, and safety. Sensitivity toward the specific political and cultural context among the different participants had to be considered and implemented.
The Outcome
My team uncovered insights that strict qualitative data could not. We were able to offer the client a distillation of the complicated web of interconnected systems that contributed to the challenges that the company was experiencing. We provided the client many recommendations for immediate implementation, because we were able to create a safe space for our research participants. This was necessary in order to learn about their physical and emotional needs, as well as important details about the work environment, tool malfunctions, infrastructure-related issues, and what actually motivates and incentivizes employees in their homes, during their commutes, on off hours, and during vacation time.
