Posted by on December, 16 2019 8:29 pm
Diversifying the workforce - and therefore the workplace - is a common goal for businesses today. So many talented candidates that were once overlooked because of what made them different are finding their voice and their place in the modern workplace and making it a better place to be.
Your contact center should be no exception. If your center isn’t already comprised of a diverse group of skilled individuals, it’s time to branch out in your hiring approaches and make that a priority. Already feel that your staff is diverse? Check out this list of benefits of call center diversity and see if you’re enjoying all of them. If not, it may be time to rethink your hiring strategy and improve the way you do business as a result!
The larger talent pool you have to draw from, the more talented individuals you have to choose between when filling positions in your center. Increasing diversity opens the door to a larger pool of talent. This is important to highlight because many people believe the opposite to be true.
When you think about call center diversity, what comes to mind? For some, they may mistakenly feel that people who are representative of their race, religion, or background will take jobs that other, capable applicants might otherwise get. What they often fail to realize is that these diverse applicants are just as capable and qualified - and bring a lot of bonuses to the table with their employment.
Another thing to remember is that increased call center diversity doesn’t just open the door to people of different ethnicities and cultural backgrounds. It should also open positions to applicants who are physically disabled, those with hearing or visual impairments - things people may have once viewed as a hindrance to getting hired in the customer service industry. Those applicants may need additional accommodations, but the quality of their work - and everything else that they offer your company - is more than worth the effort on the part of management.
When you’re looking to shake up your call center strategies, few things can assist you in that effort like shaking up the composition of your staff. When you bring in more diverse team members, you bring in fresh perspectives and ideas that can help you provide better service and experiences for consumers. Now, that’s a winning strategy!
Perhaps one of the biggest benefits of diversifying your workforce is the potential for expanding your reach to consumers who might otherwise be difficult for your agents to serve. This may include people who speak different languages or who cannot communicate via the telephone. Bring in Spanish or French-speaking agents to reach South American or Canadian clients. Add people fluent in sign language to your team to video chat support an option for the hearing impaired. Every adjustment of this type that you make broadens the reach of your company and expands your business ins a positive way.
When employees feel supported, they are more likely to show up to work and perform at their best. You can support your employees by showing them that they matter and that their unique perspectives and experiences are welcome in your center.
It’s also important to note that people who are from various cultural and religious backgrounds won’t always celebrate the same holidays and Holy Days. This means new hires may be available when other agents will not be, further improving agent attendance and helping your center rise to meet staffing challenges.
When you increase call center diversity, you increase the potential for creativity and innovation in your center. By bringing in fresh perspectives and viewpoints, you create a workplace culture where people feel more inclined to share what makes them unique - and that includes their creativity and new ideas. Encourage this in your workforce and foster a collaborative culture in your center. Before long, new projects and campaigns will be met with enthusiasm as team members work together to accomplish common goals.
It has been shown that women, African-American people, Spanish speakers, and Muslims all have a common sentiment in the professional environment of today. They all feel more comfortable and more willing to participate and collaborate if they can see themselves reflected in the team around them. Too many times, people from those specific minorities are the only person on a business team with the kind of personal or cultural experiences that they have, leading to a feeling of isolation and alienation. For many, this can also lead to feelings of being unsafe at work, since they may fear that their differing opinions and approach may upset coworkers.
Prevent all of this - and offer employees more comfort and the platform to freely collaborate - by embracing call center diversity. Hire more people of color, more women, people of more diverse cultural and religious backgrounds and enjoy the enhanced social atmosphere that results.
Want to get in on these big benefits of call center diversity? The biggest step you can take toward doing so is to rethink and revamp your hiring strategy. Hiring is where everything happens in terms of bringing new people into your center. It should be a focus when your company moves toward a more diverse team of agents.
For the tools and technology you need to create a better, more streamlined hiring process, talk to the industry experts at ChaseData. We have everything your center will need to better compare potential hires, to train new employees, and to offer new agents support and assistance as they learn the ropes. In no time at all, you’ll be boasting one of the most diverse - and successful - teams in your industry. To learn more, give us a call today!