Sun supports partners to fight attrition

New Delhi, Sept 29

Attrition is one big problem that every industry, along with channel community is facing. The problem has been pinching solution providers (SPs) and channel partners alike and so far it has not been practical to implement a mechanism that could put a check on manpower drainage.

In a bid to support SPs and channel partners to fight the issue of attrition and strengthen them to hold their human resources, Sun Microsystems has rolled out Sun Catalyst Program. The program is conceptualized to train the employees of SPs at managerial level that could help them to retain their draining manpower.

“The rate at which the partners face the issue of attrition is around 29 to 30 percent. Sun Catalyst Program has been designed in a manner that contributes to the training of people at middle management level, who are responsible for handling a team under them. The prime objective is to help them in controlling the outflow of employees so that less resources are utilized in appointing new people,” commented Sudhir Nayar, Director-Partner Sales, Sun Microsystems India.

With the lay out of this program, Sun Microsystems is not targeting to enhance their business from the partners but to strengthen their relation with the team of their partners.

Sun enrolls 20 partners for each training sessions and the managers are kept under training for one year. The first batch of partners was put on training in July this year.

The program is designed to provide interactive training session for the initial 15 days and then a follow up is maintained for different phases. The entire program is divided into five phases and each phase is objected to enhance different aspects of managing a team and retaining them. Phases include developing self-awareness of the managers, developing their skills, direct interaction with the principal company and solving the pain points related to HR issues. The sessions are conducted by experts in different skills and segments and are outsourced from third party.

Speaking further, Nayar shared that for the last two years, since growth has been taking place in the industry, focus on HR issues has reduced and the program is objected to pull the attention of the partners to put equal emphasis on the issue.

Partners have to go through a nomination process and have to meet certain criteria to get enrolled into the program.

Speaking on the benefits of program, Rajesh Bahshi of Netlink Business System who is enrolled into the first batch of the program mentioned that the entire program is well designed and is beneficial for practical aspects of team management.

“Today attrition is a serious issue and is a challenge that partners are facing. The program will not only help in retaining manpower but in developing the skills of managers to well handle the entire team and this would further help in growth of a team and the organization altogether,” said Bakshi. On global perspective, China, Latin America and southeast Europe are the other regions that will follow India for the implementation of the program.