Why do startups have high attrition levels?
By Geetha Kannan
Startups in India have been on a phenomenal rise over the recent years. According to an Assocham report, India was the world's third biggest tech startup hub. The Economic Survey 2015-16 by the government of India stated there were more than 19,000 tech-enabled startups.
New-age entrepreneurs are very savvy and know the first few years of starting a business are extremely crucial. Majority of them are highly focused on getting the best investors on board, adopting the right business model, deciding the product service offerings, calculating their RoI and so on. Though, there is very little or almost no talk about building an inclusive work culture among startups.
Inclusion and diversity (based on gender, race, age, experience and so on) are considered the 'not-so-essential' aspects of the starting years of a business. Whereas it is these elements in the culture of any organisation that serve as the bedrock for its growth and success. Take some of the biggest technology organizations of today that started out in the late 1980s or early 90s.
The one thing their employees and customers will vouch for, is the great culture and sense of belonging they have provided to all from the very start. Lately, we've seen many senior professionals from these current large organisations bitten by the startup bug. They join startups with great enthusiasm, seeking a change and believing they are contributing to a new business and maybe even the larger 'Made in India' dream.
But within a few months, they seem disillusioned by the work culture and are willing to make a comeback to their old jobs. Attrition levels among startups is a huge challenge. Ever wondered why? While the lack of inclusion and diversity are not the only reasons, they are a large part of the infamous startup work culture. A startup needs employees that are dedicated and willing to push themselves to grow the business. That can't happen without an inclusive culture. It's happened in the west and now we can see it happening again, here. Indian tech startups are dominated by men.
While there are many talented women entrepreneurs in the tech space today, we definitely need more! There are still only a handful of women entrepreneurs that come up, when referring to the successful technology startups of these times in any context. This discussion of inclusion and diversity is not about focusing on a minority gender group. The need is for creating equal opportunities for all and making things better for women and men.
Startups in India have been on a phenomenal rise over the recent years. According to an Assocham report, India was the world's third biggest tech startup hub. The Economic Survey 2015-16 by the government of India stated there were more than 19,000 tech-enabled startups.
New-age entrepreneurs are very savvy and know the first few years of starting a business are extremely crucial. Majority of them are highly focused on getting the best investors on board, adopting the right business model, deciding the product service offerings, calculating their RoI and so on. Though, there is very little or almost no talk about building an inclusive work culture among startups.
Inclusion and diversity (based on gender, race, age, experience and so on) are considered the 'not-so-essential' aspects of the starting years of a business. Whereas it is these elements in the culture of any organisation that serve as the bedrock for its growth and success. Take some of the biggest technology organizations of today that started out in the late 1980s or early 90s.
The one thing their employees and customers will vouch for, is the great culture and sense of belonging they have provided to all from the very start. Lately, we've seen many senior professionals from these current large organisations bitten by the startup bug. They join startups with great enthusiasm, seeking a change and believing they are contributing to a new business and maybe even the larger 'Made in India' dream.
But within a few months, they seem disillusioned by the work culture and are willing to make a comeback to their old jobs. Attrition levels among startups is a huge challenge. Ever wondered why? While the lack of inclusion and diversity are not the only reasons, they are a large part of the infamous startup work culture. A startup needs employees that are dedicated and willing to push themselves to grow the business. That can't happen without an inclusive culture. It's happened in the west and now we can see it happening again, here. Indian tech startups are dominated by men.
While there are many talented women entrepreneurs in the tech space today, we definitely need more! There are still only a handful of women entrepreneurs that come up, when referring to the successful technology startups of these times in any context. This discussion of inclusion and diversity is not about focusing on a minority gender group. The need is for creating equal opportunities for all and making things better for women and men.
