Parvati Swamyamrojgar (Vikas) is a microcredit non-profit that started in 2001 and now has 9 branches across Pune serving over 15,000 families. The author conducted interviews with 40 staff members across 7 branches to assess job satisfaction, work environment, and suggestions for improvement. Major findings included that about half of staff wanted opportunities for growth, 70% of loan officers found recovery visits frustrating, and job stress was a key indicator of dissatisfaction. Staff emphasized the importance of communication, cooperation, and addressing issues like work-life balance to improve performance and retention.

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Behind the Scenes: Reflections of
the PSW Staff
Claudia Anderson
December 11, 2014

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Introduction to PSW
 Parvati Swamyamrojgar (Vikas)
started microcredit services in
2001
 HMF started in 2003
 9 branches across Pune
 Each consists of a manager, 3-4
loan officers, a service executive,
2 ECD employees, and a
coordinator
 IGP, HMF, and ECD programs
 Orientation and FLT meetings
 Have served over 15,000
families

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My Role
 Website Suggestions Report
 Update success stories
 Better visual aids
 Attend most activities and
programs provided by PSW
 Branch wide staff interviews
of the IGP and the HMF
programs
 Job satisfaction
 Work environment

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Task List and Outcomes
 40 interviews
 7 complete branches out of 9 and the financial literacy trainer
 Created individualized interviews based on job profile
 Outcomes for organization:
 Higher administration can proactively make internal changes from
the feedback
 With these improvements, higher staff motivation and positivity will
result
 Staff reflected on their true perceptions of the organization’s work
environment and their likes/dislikes

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Academic Paper Topic
 Organizational practices that are significant to improving the
overall performance of NGOs and retaining their employees
 Job stress
 Adequate compensation
 Training and Development
 Availability of technology and other resources
 Rewards System and Recognition of Hard Work

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Major Findings
 A successful workplace needs
opportunity for growth
 About 50% of the staff interviewed
had something in mind that they
would do different or change
 70% of loan officers agreed that the
most frustrating aspect of their job
are the recovery visits
 Job stress was a key indicator for
dissatisfaction among branch
employees
 Staff cooperation and teamwork are
the most important factors for job
efficacy

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Reflections
 Hard to record high quality answers
 Seasoned employees vs. newcomers
 Instances of group interviews
 No previous background required for field workers
 Complete lack of prioritization of health
 Importance of communication and staff cooperation
 Unavoidable minor issues with translation

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Academic Learnings
 Witnessed a very popular type of poverty alleviation scheme,
its successes and drawbacks
 Difference between how banks and NGOs disburse loans
 Studied one subjective definition of poverty
 How a developing nation tries to solve its own issues
independently

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Professional Learnings
 First time working with microfinance NGO and working so
closely within slum areas
 Acquainted with the different positions in this type of NGO and
how they interact with one another
 I hope to work abroad for a significant amount of time in the
future so this really helped me gain some initial experience

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Personal Learnings
 Observed the realities of slum areas and was able to interact
with the residents
 Generosity knows no socio-economic bounds
 Met people whose lifestyles have completely changed because
of PSW’s work
 Staff friendships