Human Resource Management (HRM) Issues in Mobile Telecom Industry: A Comparative Study on Public and Private Mobile Operators in Bangladesh

Md. Akram Hossain

Abstract

Cellular telephone system is such an amazing mode of communication all over the world that produced unexpected results in the socio-economic development of the developing countries like Bangladesh. As a whole, the mobile market got dramatic expansion and mobile phone became a common mode of communication in Bangladesh. The contribution of the telecom service sector to the GDP is 3.54%[1] and the mobile phone penetration rate is 56%[2]. At present, Grameenphone has an experience of 15 years of operation, while Teletalk is nearly to complete 7 years of operation in the market. An organization’s advancement and profitability depends on both the factors inside and outside the organization. As the market is vibrant and expanding, the operational environment is fully supported by the government and the investment and progress is also satisfactory, the success of mobile operators in Bangladesh mostly depends on the inner qualities of the companies. Modern management theories assume that the productivity and efficiency of an organization are very closely related to the treatment the employees get while working in the organization. The Human Resource Development Policy is the determinant of the outcome of all the policies and strategies in an organization, especially in case of operating in a service sector. If the HR policy is not designed to ensure the employees’ minimum benefit and maximum scope of flourishing their potentials, the marketing, finance or technological strategies may not produce the expected result. And this is the key point of the comparison made on the HR policies of two mobile phone operators in Bangladesh – Grameenphone and Teletalk, keeping special focus on the issues like: training, human resource development policy, employment benefits, health & safety issue, equal opportunities at workplace, voice of employees or employee association, CSR programs, etc. The article also depicts a comprehensive picture on present status of mobile operators and ever rising subscribers in Bangladesh.

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