Dear Mr. Gaurav,
The problem that you have posted is not new and every organisation faces this to some degree. As I see it if there is a greater level of attrition in one department in your organisation, there can only be a few specific reasons: (i) The domain knowledge of this department may have a booming market and there may be a market pull and your salaries are not in tune with the market; and (ii) There is serious relationship problem within the department and perhaps people are disenchanted working under a specific boss/manager.
Remedies: Talk to everyone who leaves, perhaps a structured Exit Interview. This will give you some indication, but not the truth. No one will tell all the truth on the day of leaving, pending receipt of full and final settlement and proper relief. They also would like to land on a new job without any hinderance from the organisation that they are leaving. Therefore, talk to them overphone after a couple of weeks and you will get all the pent up emotions and feelings flowing out naturally. A couple of discussions with the same guy with a gap of a week or so will reveal more. That would help you to get to the bottom of the chronic problem that exists in this department.
a) If you salary does not match, you need to escalate to the appropriate level with evidence and help them to benchmark your salaries, designations, working conditions, terms of service, direct and indirect benefits, working time etc. and then your organisation can take correctie actions.
b) If the reason is a relationship issue, carefully but objectively look inwards. If you are careful and sensitive, you can trace it to some people within the department, who do not let others stay long enough. If this is so, any amount of salary corrections, improvement of service conditions, training, counseling, job enrichment etc., would not help. You have to address this problem. If this relates to the Team Leader or the Boss of the department or the Head, things would not improve unless this person or a group that is in control, changes his/its attitude, relationships and leadership styles. Developmental interventions suchs as training, performance couseling, plain-speaking and other soft options are perhaps the way to improve the department. You can consult an Organisational Development Expert or a Behavioural Expert to help you understand and take remedial solutions.
c) Appraise your senior Management of your assessment at every stage and let the facts speak for themselves through comparative data of attritions in different departments. You will have to get the buy-in of those who can take decisions in this regard and some of it can be really tough.
d) Paying Rs.2500/- during the training period (even if it is one month), will only attract those who are desperate for a job and once they are with you, they will try to improve their compensation, by applying to other companies. If you wish that people do not leave as quickly as they come, please review this policy specifically. Unless you invest during the training period, you have no right to harvest when someone is trained. No doubt those who are trained on a decent salary may also leave. But that is a risk that you have to take.
Hope I have been able to clarify.
EIRVALSA