13 DEI Initiatives to Consider in Your Call Center Workplace

Modern workers want to feel accepted, included, and supported by their employers. Finding employment and career opportunities is about more than salary and benefits. Companies prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are in greater demand among job seekers because of this. A business can create an inclusive and equitable working environment by implementing multiple DEI initiatives in the workplace. Employees are more likely to stay with the company as they progress in their professional development. Consider establishing one or more of these DEI initiatives in your call center to create a company culture that people want to be a part of. 

1. Diverse Hiring Practices

Promoting diversity within the workplace starts with diverse hiring practices. Develop a strategy or procedure that encourages diverse recruiting and hiring. This can be challenging, as you do not want to skew too far by specifically hiring for race, gender, or age. This can be seen as discriminatory. However, you can encourage diverse hiring by creating a presence in various recruiting settings catering to underrepresented workers. Attend different types of job fairs, networking events, or industry organizations. Work with recruiting agencies that support diverse hiring practices. 

When developing a diverse hiring strategy, start by analyzing the current workforce. This will help you understand the current hiring practices and company employee makeup. Create diversity goals that can be used to measure strategy effectiveness. Promote the new diversity strategy among human resources and hiring managers. Encourage diverse interviewing and applicant reviewing practices to reduce the risk of bias. Promote a focus on skills, experience, and knowledge over other qualities. 

2. Promote Pay Equity

Employees will talk about pay rates. When this happens, disparities among individuals can create animosity and resentment. Promoting pay equality can foster a stronger company culture. Historically, gender and underrepresented groups have experienced pay discrepancies for performing the same or similar work. When pay discrepancies are addressed, employees are more likely to stay longer, be more productive, and contribute more to the company’s overall growth. 

The first step in establishing pay equality is to analyze the current pay structure throughout the business. Steps should be taken to equalize pay scales across the company to create a more consistent pay rate. New hires should be integrated into the new pay structure by using a standards calculator that creates consistency. Instead of asking applicants about their compensation history, offer what aligns with company standards. Maintain transparency in pay rates for your call center employees. Fair and consistent pay rates do not need to be a secret or hidden. In addition to pay, offer benefits and compensation packages that are consistent company-wide. These benefits often skew more towards women who are expected to be the ones to take time off for pregnancy and child care. However, offering generalized family care time off creates a sense of equality for all employees. It also can be used for family care beyond having children, such as elder care. 

3. Mentorship for Underrepresented Groups

One challenge that underrepresented groups face is a lack of guidance. Because there are so few individuals, it can be challenging to connect with a senior employee who could serve as a mentor. Establishing a mentorship program increases job satisfaction among senior and entry-level employees. Newer employees are more likely to stay longer, as they feel a sense of community they can identify with. Senior employees are more likely to stay because they feel valued and recognized for their contributions. They can directly see the impact their mentorship has. 

One option is to create a formal mentorship program. Employees apply to participate and are then paired with a suitable individual. Alternatively, it could be a more informal program that is more like a social event. This allows employees to naturally network and connect, finding their own mentors. A third option is a hybrid approach that encourages informal social interactions but also has the company facilitate formal mentorship arrangements. 

4. Talent Development Programs for Underrepresented Employees

Establishing talent development programs encourages employees to stay with a company longer. Employees who feel like their employer supports their career growth are more likely to stay because they don’t need to look outside for professional needs. A diverse talent development program should focus on an employee’s skills and goals rather than demographic qualities. The program should create a clear pathway to professional growth for an employee. 

Look for underrepresented groups in middle management, upper-level leadership roles, and executive positions. Create talent development groups that can actively identify promising individuals in these underrepresented groups. Enroll them in your DEI initiative development programs to encourage an increase in underrepresented groups in upper-level positions. 

5. Interview Your Diverse Employees

One of the best methods for implementing DEI initiatives in your company is to ask the people they will directly impact. Upper management may feel that a particular program is a good idea for the business. However, when the employees are asked it is another program that they would appreciate more. Conducting interviews and surveys can help you identify ways to improve your DEI initiatives. Be as authentic as possible and openly listen to the employee’s feedback. Then, act on the feedback received to encourage future participation. 

6. Start Employee Resource Groups

Sometimes, an employee can feel isolated because there is no clear path for them to seek assistance or guidance. Having employee resource groups (ERGs) can give them the support system they are looking for. These are groups of people who have similarities that can create connections for the employees to build upon. These similarities can help employees feel more comfortable reaching out for assistance or guidance on a situation they feel the other group members may have experienced. To make this DEI initiative a success, perform an audit of your current employees to determine the demographics. This can guide you toward the most in-need employee resource groups. 

7. Provide DEI Training Across Levels

To make DEI initiatives a success, a business needs to have the support of its employees. This can be a challenge in a call center where employee turnover tends to be higher than in other industries and job positions. Educating employees on the importance of DEI can raise awareness and support. DEI training should be across all levels of employment. This ensures a consistent message throughout the company and in recruiting. Training should include ways to identify biases that an employee may bring to the call center. It should also include ways an employee can overcome those biases. Leadership-level DEI training should include methods for avoiding bias in management and fostering a more inclusive atmosphere for the team. 

8. Financial Wellness Programs

If an employee feels stressed about happenings in their personal life, they aren’t in a good head space to perform at their best when at work. Often, underrepresented groups come from backgrounds that can result in disadvantages that could impact professional performance. Mental health and physical wellness programs have received a significant amount of attention in recent years. However, these aren’t the only wellness programs a company can offer its employees. A financial wellness program can offer much-needed guidance and resources for employees. This can reduce the financial stress that employees experience, allowing them to develop a better relationship with money. 

A call center could offer employees financial resources such as connections to financial advisors. It could also offer training courses that explain how to create a budget and manage money. Create a course that explains the different types of financial accounts: saving, investing, and retirement planning. It could also include employees’ common financial decisions, such as purchasing health insurance. 

9. Create a Culture of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Culture is everything when it comes to lowering employee turnover rates. Fostering an inclusive culture is essential for creating an environment that prioritizes inclusion, diversity, and equity. This culture of acceptance is essential for ensuring that other DEI initiatives are successful. Otherwise, you risk employees not participating or trusting in these initiatives and them falling flat. 

To create an inclusive culture, actively seek out participation and feedback from all employees. Actively listen and act on the input and feedback received. Then, take action to show that employee’s opinions and participation matter. Publicly thank and reward employees who provide especially valuable feedback or contributions. This will encourage future participation and trust that the culture is truly inclusive. 

10. Pay Attention to Your Language

Words and language matter to people. How you phrase things will directly impact how different employees perceive and respond to those communications. Using inclusive language speaks to more people and helps reduce the risk of alienation. Instead of using gendered language, aim to use more neutral terms, such as “the candidate,” that can apply to anyone and everyone. Consider the language used across all communication content, copy, and communication produced. Applicants and employees consider all communications when evaluating a company, and you should, too. These are just some of the places where you should consider revamping the language used: 

  • Company website 
  • Blogs
  • Social media posts 
  • Company emails 
  • Marketing emails 
  • Job descriptions 
  • Training materials 
  • Presentations 
  • Meetings 
  • Call center scripts 

Similarly, sometimes messages are communicated through images and video. If your company website and socials are filled with one demographic, it’s time to consider an update. Including pictures that represent a wider range of individuals will help communicate the company’s inclusivity. 

11. Flexible Holidays

While many holidays have become a cultural norm for companies to give employees off, they do not represent everyone. For example, Christmas is a Christian holiday widely accepted as a given day off, but not everyone celebrates Christmas. While you don’t have to stop giving off these holidays to employees, consider giving employees flex holiday time. This allows employees to take time off that aligns with their cultural or religious practices.

12. Host Inclusive Social Events

Hosting company events is a great way to foster a positive culture and stronger connections among employees. Combining company-wide events with DEI initiatives ensures that everyone feels included and welcomed at these events. If team or company events are always held at the same location or catered by the same place, it can create a sense of isolation from someone who can’t participate. For example, if team dinners are always held at the best steakhouse in town, it can leave some team members who do not eat steak feeling left out. 

To create DEI thoughtful events, consider rotating events to recognize the cultures and backgrounds of those attending. This could involve hosting events at different restaurants or having different menus when events are catered. Instead, you could rotate restaurants or choose a restaurant with a menu with various options. 

13. Flexible Work Policies

Some of your best employees will have vastly different needs regarding flexible work policies. Allowing employees to create a schedule and work-life balance that works for them creates a better overall company morale. Create policies that can accommodate needs, such as flexible scheduling, hybrid options, or fully remote work. Some call centers don’t need to have employees sitting in cubicles in a large room. Create realistic productivity standards and then regularly review them with employees. Maintain transparency around performance expectations. Allow employees to establish themselves as valuable team members while also caring for their personal lives. Employees with this balance can better focus on work tasks during working hours. They are also more likely to stay with a company longer because they know the company respects the employee’s personal time. 

Establish DEI Initiatives 

Attracting top talent requires companies to take a new approach to hiring. Potential applicants know their worth and are evaluating a potential employer just as much as the employer is evaluating them. Companies that offer more are more desirable and competitive in the job market. This goes beyond salary, benefits package, and perks. Employers with DEI initiatives stand out to potential applicants because they signal that the company values individuals for what they can bring, such as experience, knowledge, and skill. Once hired, employees in your call center are more likely to stay longer because they feel accepted and valued with potential for future professional growth. 

 

Contact BOS Staffing to begin recruiting from a diverse pool of top talent. 

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