Developing Intellectual Capital: Axiata's Work-Life Balance Report

This report provides an in-depth analysis of Axiata's approach to developing intellectual capital, focusing on the critical aspects of work-life balance and its impact on employee motivation and organizational productivity. The study identifies factors influencing work-life balance, such as work pressure and customer demands, and explores their implications, including employee motivation, firm productivity, and organizational image. The report highlights Axiata's reward and recognition policies, including performance pay and attendance bonuses, while also recommending additional strategies such as loyalty bonuses and increased performance pay to further enhance employee engagement and retention. Furthermore, the report emphasizes the importance of a supportive work environment and effective communication to improve employee satisfaction and overall organizational performance. The analysis underscores the significance of work-life balance as a key driver of intellectual capital development and a cornerstone of Axiata's success in the telecommunications industry.

Running head: DEVELOPING INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL
Developing Intellectual Capital
Name of the Students
Name of the Universities
Author’s Note

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Table of Contents
Introduction:....................................................................................................................................2
1. The factors influencing work-life balance practices of organization..........................................2
2. Implication of work-life balance practices..................................................................................4
3. Recommendation of total reward system by sharing the success story of organization.............6
4. Various human resource aspects related to work-life balance practices.....................................9
a. Flexibility including employment ethics:..................................................................................10
b. Recruitment and selection of manpower:..................................................................................11
c. Talent retention strategies:.........................................................................................................13
Conclusion:....................................................................................................................................14
Reference List:...............................................................................................................................15

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Introduction:
Performance level of the employees ultimately increases productivity of the organization.
In order to achieve the success of business every organizational employee should focus on
providing best endeavor in reaching business goal. Employee motivation is one of the most
significant ways based on which business experts can get effective services. In addition, business
managers have to give sufficient space to the employees so that they can maintain an effective
work life balance.
This very specific study has focused to make an in-depth analysis on how employees can
maintain their work-life balance after being associated with the business organization. Axiata is
one of the most recognizable telecommunication brands occupied a prestigious place in the
market of Malaysia (Axiata.com 2018). After providing services for several years, one issue has
been identified from the employees’ end that the human resource managers of Axiata do not give
enough space to the employees so that they can maintain their work-life balance effectively.
1. The factors influencing work-life balance practices of organization
The overarching concept work-life balance signifies on how an individual can make a
balance between personal and professional life. In business scenario, it has been identified that
employees while taking additional pressure or overburden at their workplace cannot get personal
space effectively (Ernst, Kalliath and Kalliath 2012). As a result, employees get de-motivated in
proving their best services to the customers. This very specific study is highly effective in
highlighting the major factors that influence work-life balance of employees. Axiata while

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providing their service is facing this kind of challenges prominently at the workplace. As a
result, employees are unable to meet their organizational productivity.
Overburden of work pressure:
It is alleged that employees of Axiata have to handle huge pressure of customers from
various geographical locations. Employees have to put that much effort in order to maintain a
balance between customers’ demands and supply (Fortney et al. 2013). It is undeniable that the
employee strength of Axiata is sufficient in fulfilling customers’ needs and demands. As a result,
existing workers have to take additional burden in order to provide an effective service to the
customers.
In this very specific study, it has been observed that employees have lost their motivation
in delivering proper services due to the lack of effective work life balance. The human resource
managers of this organization are unable to get good productivity from the employees. Due to the
lack of sufficient workforce strength customers were unable to receive systematic services. In
this situation, existing employees had to take additional burden for maintaining a balance within
services (Misra, Lundquist and Templer 2012). Without getting any additional benefits and
facilities, employees had to take additional pressure.
Unable to fulfill customers’ desires:
Due to the lack of sufficient work force strength, the employees fail to deliver the
services within time to the customers. In this situation, existing employees have to put additional
effort while meeting the needs and desires of the customers (Hanleybrown, Kania and Kramer
2012). For an example, Axiata has already established their demand in the market of
telecommunication industry. The customers’ expectation as opined by the human resource

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managers of this brand is naturally high. As a result, business managers of this organization like
to give extreme level of burden on the Axiata employees for meeting the needs and demands of
customers. Consequently, the employees fail to maintain an effective work life balance.
Lack of proper guidance in delivering services:
Employees should have a proper communication among each other while providing the
services. Otherwise, the customers fail to receive the services within proper time. This very
specific study has focused to make an in-depth understanding on how employees’ work life
balance is getting affected day by day. It is alleged by the employees of Axiata that human
resource managers are not providing a systematic training session to the employees in order to
enhance their professional skill and competency (McGowan et al. 2012). As a result, employees
cannot update themselves with the current market trends. Being unable to meet the customers’
demand, employees have to invest large time at their workplace. Automatically the work-life
balance of the employees is getting affected.
2. Implication of work-life balance practices
As per the overall business scenario of Axiata, it is evaluated that the organization is
facing innumerable challenges in maintaining image and reputation due to the lack of proper
employee performances (Bolman and Deal 2017). Gap in maintaining a proper balance in
personal and professional life is one of the most important reasons due to which employees do
not get their motivation in providing best services to Axiata. Followings are the necessary
implications of work-life balance practices:
 Employee motivation:

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In order to run the entire process of business successfully employees have to play the
major role in achieving the target of business (Berman et al. 2012). People belonging to various
geographical backgrounds and attitudes are associated within the services. The responsibility of
every business organization is to provide constant motivation on the employees so that they can
performance well for achieving the business target. In this very specific study, it has been
observed that Axiata is unable to meet the customers’ demands for several years due to the lack
of effective performances from employees’ behalf.
Lack of motivation is one of the most significant reasons because of which employees of
Axiata tend to show their reluctant attitudes in providing good services. However, in order to
overcome this kind of situation Axiata has rendered reward and recognition policies within
business process. Employees who have put their best efforts towards the services are rewarded at
the end of every year (Bratton and Gold 2012). In addition, employees are instructed to provide
additional leaves due to the best performance towards business services. Automatically,
employees after being benefited and facilitated on behalf of the human resource managers can
maintain their work-life balance.
 Increasing the productivity of firm:
The two overarching terms productivity and motivation are inseparably related to each
other. If the employees can get motivated towards performances and they can easily maintain
their work life balance the productivity of the organization will be increased gradually. As stated
by Hülsheger et al. (2013), employees should be flexible with their workflow. Overburden of
pressure may hamper the employees’ personal life. As a result, at a certain point of time the
working individual can get saturated in providing their best endeavor towards the services.

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Axiata being one of the most prestigious brands in telecommunication industry has to focus on
effective customers’ services and well as product quality. Therefore, employee performance is
one of the most significant ways based on which organization can meet the productivity.
In last few years, Axiata had to face innumerable barriers while meeting the
organizational production. Human resource managers had to struggle in getting effective
response from the existing employees. In order to overcome this kind of situation the human
resource managers after having a discussion with operation managers had decided to implement
recognition policies at the workplace (Flamholtz 2012). This particular policy implies that
employees are able to get additional benefits from the organizational managers if they are
successful in meeting the business target. This particular policy has rendered a motivation on
employees. In order to maintain an effective work life balance employees intended to meet the
business target by hook or crook. As a result, both the employees and the employers get equal
benefits.
 Maintaining organizational image and reputation:
Because of maintaining proper work life balance, employees are able to deliver the
services within proper time (Paillé et al. 2014). Customers tend to show their interest in using the
services of this brand. Axiata after the implementation of different recognition policies enabled
the employees in delivering services within proper time. In this situation, organization again
gained the image and reputation in the telecommunication industry of Malaysia.
3. Recommendation of total reward system by sharing the success story of organization
It has already been highlighted that implementation of reward and recognition policy was
one of the most effective initiatives that Axiata had to take for motivating the employees towards

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services. For several years, the organization had to face immense difficulties in maintaining their
brand image and reputation due to the under-performance of employees. In this kind of situation,
the human resource managers have implanted some innovative rewards policies for regaining
employee motivation (Shields et al. 2015). These kinds of policies were successful enough in
enabling the employees for maintaining their work life balance. The organization as a result
regained the glory and reputation in telecommunication market. The reward systems that the
human resource managers of Axiata had implemented within the services are as follows:
 Additional monitory benefits will be given to the best performers from every single
department throughout the year. This particular reward system is recognized as
“performance pay”.
 Additional monitory benefits will be given for maintaining quality of services throughout the
year. This particular reward system is recognized as quality incentive.
 Additional leave benefits will be given to those employees who have maintained more than
90% of the attendance. This particular reward system is recognized as attendance pay.
 Additional leave benefits will be given to those employees who have over achieved the
target. This specific reward system is known as recognition pay.
After the implementation of these reward policies employees had show their positive
response in proving their best effort towards the business services (Knowles, Holton and 2014).
However, based on the evaluation on the reward system of Axiata, some of the major
recommendations can be provided. The recommendations are as follows:
 Providing loyalty bonus to the employees:

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It has been observed from the employees’ psychological backgrounds that an individual
after getting a better scope and opportunity from other organization intend to switch their
workplace. In this situation, organization ultimately loses a loyal employee from their team. In
order to overcome this kind of situation, organization like Axiata can render loyalty bonus for
motivating the employees (Odle-Dusseau, Britt and Greene-Shortridge 2012). The primary
objective of implementing this loyalty bonus is maintaining the rate of employee retention. Every
year after spending three or four peak months, employees can get certain amount of money along
with two or three additional leaves. As a result, employees would like to provide their best
services throughout the year instead of searching better opportunity in outside. Therefore,
implementation of loyalty bonus is highly significant in getting gaining employees’ loyalty.
 Increasing the amount of performance pay:
It has been observed that Axiata has paid minimum amount of money to the employees in
their performance pay scheme. As a result, employees do not show their level of interest in
achieving the criteria of performance pay. However, it is undeniable that amount of money plays
a major role in drawing the attention of employees. Therefore, it can be recommended that the
human resource managers can increase the amount of performance pay so that employees get
attracted in achieving the target (Stahl et al. 2012). It is undeniable that Axiata does not have to
face difficulties in investing sufficient amount of money in their reward and recognition policies
due to their economic strength. Therefore, the human resource managers are suggested to
increase the rate of amount based on which the employees’ attention towards good performances
can be dragged.
 Implementing monthly recognition policy:

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As per the reward system implemented in Axiata, employees have to wait for one year in
order to receive the award. As a result, some of the employees lost their interest in surviving
within the organization for long. In this kind of situation, Axiata is suggested to amend their
reward and recognition policy. The human resource managers can arrange a monthly recognition
policy that will be able to motivate the employees constantly (Stredwick 2013). In addition, the
human resource managers can make a competitive environment within the employees in
achieving the business target. As a result, the organizational productivity would be increased
automatically.
 Improvement in recruitment and selection:
It is alleged that Axiata did not intend to recruit the employees as per their cultural
backgrounds. As a result, employees having proper skill and competency from different cultural
attribute get less opportunities in being associated within the business organization. In this kind
of situation, organization failed to meet the customers’ needs and demands (Bonoli and Hinrichs
2012). In quest of overcoming this kind of situation, Axiata should focus on improving their
recruitment policy. Employees having proper skill and competency should get the scope of being
associated with the organization. As a result, employees would be able to maintain work life
balance automatically.
4. Various human resource aspects related to work-life balance practices
Human resource managers have to create a friendly environment in order to motivate the
organizational employees. Existing workers should not be forced in maintaining strict
organizational culture and discipline. Managers with the help of participative form of leadership
style enable the employees in maintaining agile workspace. As a result, they would be able to

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maintain their both personal as well as professional life systematically. This very specific study
has focused to make an in-depth overview on how human resources aspects leave a major impact
on work-life balance practices (Klot et al. 2013). Followings are the some areas of significance
where the various aspects of human resource management related to work-life balance have been
mentioned:
a. Flexibility including employment ethics:
Employers in every business organization before expanding their wings in the market
tend to follow a proper ethics, values and code of conduct. Employees after being appointed
within the business process have to maintain those values beliefs and ethics (Amin et al. 2014).
This specific code of conduct is otherwise named as employment ethics. Like the same way
Axiata has followed a particular employment ethics. The existing employees associated with
Axiata have alleged that the human resource managers tend to impose a strict code of conduct on
the workers. The human resource managers have imposed that employees are not allowed to
share their point of views on the floor (Gamage 2014). If they wish to exchange necessary views
and ideas regarding the business services employees should use the conference hall. Creating any
kind of noise on the floor is strictly prohibited at the workplace of Axiata.
After the implementation of this particular plans and policies, employees had to face
difficulties in sharing their own point of view on the floor. In this kind of situation, employees
felt monotonous at the workplace. They intended to show their reluctant attitude in providing
good services to the employees (Kucherov and Zavyalova 2012). It is undeniable however, that
maintaining employment ethics at the workplace is the basic responsibility of an individual
performer. At the same time, it is undeniable that employees need to get an agile work

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environment based on which they would like to enjoy the workflow. Employees should be
allowed to use their phone on the floor so that they can communicate with their family members
(Breaugh 2017). This kind of flexibility enables the employees in maintaining a systematic work
life balance. Automatically, the students do not have to face challenges in providing their best
efforts for achieving the success of business.
After facing innumerable challenges in maintaining an effective organizational culture,
Axiata has decided to render flexibility in maintaining employment ethics. Employees are
allowed to make their own sitting arrangement. Employees do not have any specific login time.
They have to stay around eight hours by logging at the office in any time. Employees should
have the flexibility in sharing their views and ideas on the floor (Melanthiou, Pavlou and
Constantinou 2015). They would not have to use conference hall while communicating with each
other. This kind of flexibility enables the organizational employees in providing good services.
b. Recruitment and selection of manpower:
Recruitment and selection is one of the most important factors based on which the
success of a business organization is highly dependent. People belonging to various geographical
backgrounds and attitudes are associated within the organization. Before selecting a particular
employee, the organization should focus on diversity management (Cook, Faulconbridge and
Muzio 2012). People of various geographical boundaries and attitudes should be given equal
priority and response so that employees can be judged as per their level of competency. A major
issue has been identified within the recruitment and selection procedure of human resource
department of Axiata. It is observed that the human resource managers tend to show their
cultural biasness while selecting an individual employee. As a result, deserving candidates are