Rank 1 - e4e: People First

e4e is the surprise package of the DQ-IDC BPO E-Sat Survey
2006. This relatively less known BPO, established in 2000 in California with its
India headquarters at Bangalore, comes right at the top of the employee
satisfaction charts.

The last year has been significant from the employee
perspective when several new HR initiatives were undertaken, and this explains
the phenomenal performance of e4e. Aarti Rebecca Cherian, senior manager,
Marketing, e4e, says, "We gave a face-lift to our existing HR processes and
introduced a number of innovative people policies and programs to achieve a
higher level of employee engagement and to bring in fun at work."

The first restructuring exercise began with the HR function
where the employee relations (ER) function ushered in greater roles for ER
executives, who were made responsible to address all stated and unstated
employee issues and concerns.

Focused approaches were adopted to make employees a part of
the real-time global decision-making process. Communication between employees
were encouraged through regular Open-house meetings (an address by the vice
president every quarter), HR Powwows (interactive forum with HR for employees to
voice their brickbats and bouquets) and Open Door policy where the Senior
Management is accessible to all.

Compensation structure was also revised with the launch of
the 'Pay for Performance' initiative, where employees' demonstrative
skills and performances were given greater importance than experience. As per
this practice, incentives are not cleared along with monthly salaries, but paid
on half-yearly or annual basis. Stock options, salary incentives, awards,
overseas trips for an all round experience and other such incentives that are
directly linked to the performance parameter-were made more aggressive.

A company-wide Competency Mapping exercise was also
introduced to identify key competencies for each position and using it for
recruitment, training and development, performance management, and succession
planning. The Mentorship program was revamped and every new manager was placed
under the wings of a veteran. The Mentors acted as their guide, teacher, role
model and sponsor.

Interestingly, satisfaction scores on all parameters for e4e remains far
higher than all other participants in the top five. Clearly, e4e is a
beneficiary of all the new employee-centric initiatives taken in the last year.
Says Cherian, "The 10-person start-up has today morphed into a $60 mn
company but has still managed to retain the character of a small, closely-knit
organization with core values that always put people first."