Business Immersion: Mataer Edutech Case by Entrepreneurial Marketing MBA Students in Collaboration with SBM ITB

Mataer Edutech is an Indonesian IT company driving digital transformation in higher education. Partnering with universities nationwide, it delivers innovative, secure, and user-friendly technology to improve governance, operational efficiency, and academic services.

With a vision to be a leading Edutech provider, Mataer combines technical expertise, practical solutions, and collaborative partnerships to position itself as a trusted partner for modernizing campuses and advancing higher education across Indonesia.

Challenges

Mataer Edutech, a fast-growing Indonesian EdTech company, has faced employee retention challenges that threaten operational continuity and growth. High turnover and limited retention, particularly in Marketing & Sales and Technical teams, have affected project timelines, service consistency, and institutional knowledge.

Key drivers of these challenges include:

Imbalanced Workloads

Rapid scaling
increased pressure
on staff, creating
stress and dissatisfaction.

Limited Career Development & Role Clarity

Employees had unclear progression paths and insufficient learning opportunities.

Compensation & Market Competitiveness

Salary and benefits were perceived as less competitive relative to peers.

Knowledge Management Gaps

Critical expertise was informal and undocumented, creating dependency on a few key employees.

Operational Focus Over Employee Experience

Leadership prioritized efficiency and cost control, unintentionally deprioritizing engagement and retention.

Together, these factors affect revenue stability, service quality, and the ability to scale sustainably, highlighting the importance of treating HR and employee experience as a strategic growth enabler rather than a purely administrative function.

Analysis: Root Cause (Fishbone)

The Fishbone diagram highlights that high employee turnover and low retention at Mataer Edutech are driven by interrelated factors across People, Process, Material, Environment, Machine, and Measurement. Key drivers include misaligned competencies, workload imbalances, insufficient career development, limited HR analytics, and gaps in compensation and wellness support.

This analysis demonstrates that turnover is systemic rather than isolated: operational processes, leadership priorities, and organizational culture collectively influence retention. Addressing these root causes requires integrated, strategic interventions spanning HR systems, knowledge management, and employee experience, rather than focusing on single factors.

5 Whys: Understanding Employee Turnover at Mataer Edutech

Employee turnover is a common challenge in growing organizations. A structured 5 Whys analysis helps identify the underlying factors and opportunities to strengthen talent retention and organizational systems.

#1

Why are employees leaving?
They feel frustrated and disengaged due to workload imbalance, unclear career paths, misaligned roles, and limited recognition.

#2

Why do they feel dissatisfied and disengaged?
The organization’s HR processes, communication channels, and technology systems do not adequately support career growth, learning, or collaboration.

#3

Why does HR lack such systems?
Leadership has not prioritized strategic human resource development, focusing more on operational efficiency and cost control than employee experience.

#4

Why does HR fail to act as a strategic partner?
HR is treated as an administrative function, limiting its influence on talent strategy, performance management, and retention programs.

#5

Why is strategic HR not embedded in organizational priorities?
The company emphasizes rapid growth and operational delivery without integrating HR as a strategic enabler in long-term planning.

Employee retention is a system-wide opportunity rather than a problem. Strengthening HR systems, knowledge-sharing practices, and career development initiatives can enhance employee engagement and support sustainable organizational growth.

Current State & Impact

As Mataer Edutech continues its growth journey in the educational technology sector, maintaining a strong workforce and smooth operational continuity is essential. Understanding how current retention trends affect different parts of the organization helps highlight opportunities for improvement and strategic alignment. The table below highlights the impact on each part of the organization, along with opportunities to strengthen growth and collaboration.

Stakeholder/Function

Current State

Opportunities

Top Management

Managing growth while balancing workforce planning

Integrate talent strategy more deeply into business expansion

Human Resources (HR)

Supporting recruitment, development, and engagement programs

Enhance HR processes, career pathways, and employee experience

Marketing & Sales

Transition periods require knowledge sharing and onboarding

Maintain client engagement and build scalable performance systems

Technical Teams

Projects rely on existing expertise; cross-training ongoing

Strengthen collaboration and service quality through structured skill documentation

Clients

Service delivery remains consistent

Reinforce trust through transparent communication and reliable project management

These observations show opportunities for growth and optimization. By reinforcing HR systems, knowledge management, and cross-functional collaboration, Mataer Edutech can continue scaling effectively while delivering value to employees, teams, and clients.

TOWS Analysis

As Mataer Edutech continues to expand in the Indonesian educational technology sector, understanding the organization’s internal capabilities and external environment is essential. A SWOT analysis provides a structured view of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, helping stakeholders see where the company is well-positioned and where attention may be needed.

Threats

Opportunities

  • Employee turnover and retention pressures
  • Potential loss of knowledge if skills and experience are not documented
  • Standardize processes to improve efficiency and consistency
  • Digitalize HR systems to enhance talent management and employee experience

Weaknesses

Strengths

  • HR analytics and knowledge management are still developing
  • High reliance on key personnel for critical processes and client relationships
  • Agile culture enabling fast responses to market changes and innovative campaigns
  • Strong brand reputation and trust as a digital-campus partner

The SWOT analysis highlights both where Mataer Edutech excels and where there are potential vulnerabilities. By clearly identifying these factors, the organization can make informed decisions in subsequent planning stages, ensuring growth strategies are grounded in a realistic understanding of internal capabilities and market conditions.

Recommendation

Building on the analysis of workforce trends, operational impact, and TOWS insights, Mataer Edutech can strengthen growth and sustainability through targeted, strategic actions. These recommendations focus on enhancing employee experience, operational efficiency, and long-term organizational resilience.

Recommendation

Stakeholder

Expected Value

Talent Retention & EVP Enhancement

Top Management

  • Reduce turnover costs
  • Balance growth with controlled HR investment
  • Support long-term employee engagement and satisfaction

HR Analytics & Knowledge Management

Human Resources (HR)

  • Implement HR dashboards to track workforce trends
  • Establish structured career paths and knowledge-sharing platforms
  • Reduce reliance on key individuals

Capability & Skill Development

Marketing & Sales, Technical Teams

  • Improve cross-team collaboration and competency alignment
  • Maintain service quality and operational continuity
  • Reduce dependency on top performers

Employer Branding & Strategic Partnerships

Employer Branding / HR

  • Strengthen Employee Value Proposition (EVP)
  • Attract talent with flexibility, learning opportunities, and meaningful projects
  • Enhance credibility in the education technology sector

Process & CRM Optimization

Marketing & Sales

  • Standardize sales playbooks and operational processes
  • Improve CRM utilization and data-driven decision-making
  • Align incentives with sustainable, long-term performance

By implementing these recommendations, Mataer Edutech can lower turnover costs, accelerate time-to-productivity, and build scalable operations. Each action aligns with specific stakeholders, ensuring that improvements are both practical and measurable, supporting a sustainable growth trajectory and enhanced employee and client experiences.

Conclusion

Mataer Edutech’s growth journey demonstrates that workforce and operational challenges, when properly understood, can become opportunities for sustainable development. By addressing root causes of turnover, enhancing HR systems and knowledge management, investing in employee skills, and optimizing processes, the company can strengthen collaboration, maintain service quality, and support long-term scalability. These insights highlight the importance of integrated, strategic approaches that connect talent, operations, and client delivery, ensuring Mataer Edutech continues to innovate and lead in the educational technology sector.

Contributors

This is a Business Immersion article researched and written by Group 6 of the Entrepreneurial Marketing MBA (ENMARK MBA) Batch 3, consisting of:

  • Dini Fallah
  • Emanuel Damarjati
  • Hotasi Albin Sumitro
  • Muhammad Yusuf Ali
Previous Article

Business Immersion: Birth Beyond Case by Entrepreneurial Marketing MBA Students in Collaboration with SBM ITB

Next Article

Pengertian Marketing Mix 7P dan Sejarah Perkembangannya

Write a Comment

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Subscribe to our email newsletter to get the latest posts delivered right to your email.
Pure inspiration, zero spam ✨