With over 15 years of call centre experience serving global brands, Make The Right Call (MTRC) strongly believes in the power of “People Initiatives”. Recognizing the profound impact of effective people management and the utilization of an individual’s unique abilities, the company prioritizes teamwork and cultivates a high-performance environment. This is why the customer experience leader embraced Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) as a driving force to enhance performance and unlock opportunities.
We talked to Dick So, Training & Development Manager at MTRC, to share the successful implementation of D&I within its workplace, as well as the benefits and challenges along the way.
????How did your organization begin the D&I journey in Hong Kong?
Make The Right Call has always been committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. As a global organization, we understand the importance of having a workforce that reflects the rich cultural, ethnic, and gender diversity of our markets. This is why we embarked on our D&I journey as early as 2008.
We began by sponsoring Hong Kong’s first guide dog, Nana, and collaborating with the Hong Kong Society for the Blind on internship programs. We invited their members to join us during night shifts, providing them with valuable exposure to the customer service industry and equipping them with the necessary skills. These opportunities allowed the interns to gain practical experience and develop their abilities to handle various situations.
To date, we have almost 10% of employees with special needs as part of our team. Among them, we have a remarkable colleague who has been working with us for the past 12 years and has autism. He/she plays a crucial role in our customer service support department, ensuring not only that they meet customer service metrics but also enabling the team to achieve their goals smoothly and efficiently. All these have proven that every colleague, regardless of physical impairments, possesses distinct talents that, when coupled with technological assistance, can significantly enhance work efficiency.
We will continue to support D&I, providing equal opportunities for people with special needs to thrive and contribute to our collective success.
????Why did you decide to participate in the Jockey Club Collaborative Project for Inclusive Employment – CareER Thriving Grass Career Development Program (Thriving Grass Program)? What’s your feedback on CareER and the intern after the Thriving Grass Program? Will there be any next steps?
Some of our project clients, who embrace D&I principles, introduced us to CareER. Our shared vision centres around creating a workplace that is diverse, fair, and inclusive. MTRC is committed to providing equal job opportunities for people with differences. So, we decided to collaborate with CareER to fulfil this mission and further promote this idea.
Our partnership with CareER began earlier this year, and we have already successfully matched six candidates in this short period of time. Each member of CareER brings their own distinct talents and plays significant roles in different projects. Their performance has garnered commendation from clients, colleagues and supervisors.
Going forward, we aspire to continue our collaboration with CareER, focusing on the development of both recruitment and internship programs. The initiatives will provide more opportunities for individuals with special needs to gain work experience in our customer service centre. Undoubtedly, this collaboration creates a win-win outcome for all parties involved.
????What are the takeaways during the process?
First, education plays a key role in applying a diverse and inclusive workplace. It is essential to recognize that even within the same impairment category, there is a range of degrees and diverse needs. Additionally, we cannot ignore the existence of social biases and misconceptions. Therefore, it is fundamental to educate our team members about the abilities and support needs of their colleagues with disabilities. These will foster a smoother integration of disabled colleagues and create an inclusive work environment.
Many companies may express concerns about the financial investment required for applying D&I initiatives. However, in many cases, the accommodations needed are not as complicated. It is essential to recognize that employees with diverse backgrounds and talents can be a valuable asset to the company. Taking the first step and welcoming them into your team can bring numerous benefits.
Furthermore, at the organizational level, both the company and management must believe in and support the D&I philosophy. By embracing a mindset of respect, unity, and empathy, creating a D&I workplace becomes an achievable goal and positive changes can be adopted and sustained.