Accenture, Ateneo to set up academy on human resources

MANILA, Philippines - The local arm of global business process outsourcing (BPO) firm Accenture, Inc. has partnered with the Ateneo de Manila University for the establishment of a human resource (HR) academy that will train management on how to take care of employees in the BPO industry. In a briefing Tuesday, Accenture said the academy would help the company in the "war for talent." The academy "will be a key vehicle to build the capabilities of the HR team in our local delivery centers," Accenture Global HR Strategy Director Rahul Varma said in a statement. "Our people are our most important asset," he pointed out. Last year alone, he said, the company spent $800 million on training worldwide. He said academy shows the company’s commitment to innovate and develop the full potential of its people. The HR Academy is a joint effort between Accenture, the Ateneo Center for Organization Research and Development and the People Management Association of the Philippines. Courses dealing with HR training on handling people better will last from 11 to 18 months. Accenture Philippines cited reports that most people leave their jobs primarily because of poor management. The HR Academy is expected to help address this by improving retention rates in the people-oriented industry. Students of the HR Academy will have to work for Accenture for a year or more after they graduate. — Paolo Luis G. Montecillo