The Purpose Coalition & Teleperformance Force for Good Impact Report
Forewords
Rt Hon Justine Greening, The Purpose Coalition
Lisa Dolan, Teleperformance
Gary Slade, Teleperformance UK & RSA
Teleperformance and its Purpose
Poor social mobility remains entrenched in Britain. Recent research into intergenerational mobility shows that if you are born in a position of disadvantage it is still difficult to move up the social ladder. It also highlights striking contrasts between different parts of the country and different groups in their ability to move up income and wealth brackets, with those from areas of traditionally poor social mobility faring worse.
The talent pool in these areas is just as strong as elsewhere but without the privilege or connections that exist in wealthier areas of the country, it is often left unnurtured. That means that those individuals and their communities miss out on opportunity, in a generational cycle of disadvantage. Government must play its part in levelling up these left behind regions but so too must every organisation, institution and business, helping to drive an equality of opportunity agenda forward by ensuring that each is delivering a positive social impact.
Teleperformance is a global company which has set its sights on leading the field in delivering opportunity to social mobility cold spots across the UK and to those most in need. This report demonstrates how a purposeled organisation with an ambitious leadership team can translate its mission to make every interaction matter into making a difference not only for its customers but also for its employees and the communities where it operates.
Its activities have been assessed against a framework of Purpose Goals which cover key life stages and which identify the barriers that prevent people from achieving their potential. There is a sharp focus on Goal 3 Positive destinations post-16+ where Teleperformance works with strategic partners in particularly disadvantaged areas to bring opportunities through job fairs, work experience and employment to under-skilled and under-resourced individuals. It has achieved great results in Gateshead but is also rolling out its efforts to Glasgow. Its commitment to Goal 6 Fair career progression is seen in the range of training and development programmes it runs, such as JUMP! and Teleperformance University, which not only help participants understand the business better but actively prepare them for managerial and leadership roles. It recognises that Goal 8 Good health and wellbeing should be an integral part of its business strategy and offers innovative ways to encourage employees to stay healthy, physically, mentally and emotionally. As a digital business, it is doing crucial work to meet Goal 10 Closing the digital divide, ensuring that its employees have the skills needed for the twenty-first century and extending that to those who may previously have had little experience of technology. In a company where 54% of its employees are female and 48% of its management positions are filled by women, it is also working hard to meet Goal 14 Achieve equality through diversity and inclusion by facilitating positive change in its own workforce.
This report showcases how one business’s best practice can be a force for good in areas which are often under-resourced and under-invested. It leans into the needs of its customers, colleagues and communities and reflects those in its empathetic approach to purpose. It also shows that there is the potential to go even further and I am looking forward to continuing to work with Lisa Dolan and her team at Teleperformance to explore how the company can have an even greater impact, and help shape the equality of opportunity agenda, in the future.
As I reflect on Teleperformance's journey I'm filled with immense pride in the transformative evolution of our company. Boasting a dedicated workforce of over 500,000 talented individuals globally our commitment to our colleagues remains unwavering.
Teleperformance's belief that every interaction matters is an ethos that shapes our mission to positively impact lives through the power of meaningful engagement. It's embedded in our DNA and fuels our efforts across 95 countries and 170 markets, where our passionate workforce, proficient in over 300 languages, crafts a truly inclusive global environment.
At the heart of our purpose lies a dedication to providing cutting-edge, digitally driven business services that not only support leading brands but also operate sustainably and responsibly. We harness advanced solutions, data analytics, and disciplined processes to simplify, accelerate, and secure lives, all while nurturing talent from within our diverse talent pool.
Our commitment extends beyond business success; it encompasses a deep-rooted responsibility to effect positive change.
In the United Kingdom, where Teleperformance maintains a substantial footprint, our 9,000 professionals across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland work diligently to help our clients develop tailored customer experience strategies. Our services span omnichannel
customer support, social media engagement, Customer Relationship Management, visa application services, and more, showcasing our dedication to excellence and innovation.
It brings me great pride and humility with our numerous accolades, including being recognised as a Great Place to Work and featuring consistently among the UK's Best Workplaces. These honours underscore our commitment to fostering outstanding workplace cultures and experiences. Simply put we are nothing without our people.
As we stride forward, Teleperformance remains steadfast in its commitment to making a meaningful difference. Our collaboration & partnership with the Purpose Coalition signifies our dedication to addressing some of the UK's most pressing challenges across 14 interconnected Purpose Goals.
We aim not to merely be a successful company; but are a force for good. Our journey continues, guided by our purpose, as we aim to drive positive change, foster social mobility, and create lasting impacts in the UK and beyond.
We are super excited here at Teleperformance to share our Impact Report with you. Throughout the report you will delve into a narrative of positive change, a testament to the transformative power of a force for good. This impact report illuminates the remarkable strides made in the pursuit of a better world, highlighting the collective efforts that have shaped meaningful outcomes. As you navigate through these accounts of progress, may you find inspiration and a renewed sense of possibility, recognising the potential we hold to create a lasting impact on the fabric of our shared humanity.
Driving social mobility in the workforce is not merely a philanthropic endeavour; it is an essential catalyst for collective success. A society that fosters upward mobility empowers individuals to transcend socioeconomic barriers, unleashing a reservoir of untapped talent and potential. As diverse perspectives and talents ascend through the ranks, innovation flourishes, and economic vitality expands. This symbiotic relationship between social mobility and success is fundamental— it ensures that the fruits of progress are shared by a broader spectrum of society. By dismantling systemic barriers and promoting inclusivity, we fortify the foundations of a resilient, dynamic workforce that benefits everyone, fostering a thriving environment where individual success intertwines with the prosperity of the entire community.
In cultivating a workplace that thrives across generations, a holistic approach to well-being and employee engagement is paramount. Recognising and accommodating the unique needs and aspirations of each generation contributes to a harmonious, collaborative environment. By championing well-being initiatives that transcend age barriers, organisations foster a culture that prioritises mental, physical, and emotional health. This inclusive approach not only enhances job satisfaction and loyalty but also augments productivity and innovation.
Engaging employees across all generations in meaningful ways—acknowledging diverse perspectives, providing professional development opportunities, and fostering a sense of community—creates a workplace where every individual can contribute their best, thereby ensuring sustained success and a vibrant, resilient organisational culture.
We are proud of the work we undertake at Teleperformance for our people; setting them up for success, providing equal & fair opportunities for all, creating a workplace where everyone can thrive and come to work, knowing they can always be their authentic and true selves.
2.1 Background
Teleperformance, founded in 1978, has evolved into a global digital business services company with a workforce of over 500,000 dedicated and multilingual employees. The organisation’s extensive global presence - combined with a strong local footprint - positions it as a significant contributor to communities, its clients, and its colleagues across the globe.
At its core, Teleperformance is committed to providing cutting-edge, digitally driven business services that support some of the world’s leading brands and streamline their operations in sustainable and socially responsible ways. By harnessing advanced solutions, data analytics, and disciplined processes - all powered by a passionate workforceTeleperformance simplifies, accelerates, and secures people’s lives.
Operating across 95 countries and 170 markets, Teleperformance boasts a global workforce of over 500,000 employees - with around 40% of them working remotely. This diverse talent pool is proficient in over 300 languages and dialects, fostering a truly inclusive global environment. Impressively, 63 per cent of all non-agent roles within the organisation are filled through internal promotions, highlighting Teleperformance’s commitment to nurturing talent from within.
In the UK, Teleperformance maintains a substantial footprint with 9,000 professionals across England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The company specialises in helping clients develop tailored customer experience strategies across various communication channels. Its services include omnichannel customer support, encompassing social media engagement, Customer Relationship Management, in-person visa application services, biometric data collection, customer acquisition, back-office processing, multilingual support, and technical assistance.
Teleperformance is committed to excellence and innovation and continues to position itself as the trusted partner for businesses seeking to optimise their operations, provide exceptional customer experiences, and drive sustainable growth in an ever-changing digital landscape.
2.2
Teleperformance is deeply committed to its purpose of making every interaction matter. This underpins the company’s mission to positively transform lives through every interaction its employees are involved in. The core of this mission lies in the recognition that meaningful interactions are born out of empathetic understanding, fresh perspectives, boundless energy to provide solutions, and a genuine willingness to assist.
In alignment with its commitment to social impact and operating as a force for good, Teleperformance actively supports the United Nations Global Compact and the Sustainable Development Goals. An impressive 26 per cent of the company’s revenue directly contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals - with a particular focus on healthcare, COVID-19 response services, and specialised interpreting services in hospitals. This commitment underpins the organisation's dedication to addressing global challenges.
Teleperformance’s unique position stems from its profound understanding of the intricate layers of customer and people relationships. As an extension of its clients, the company consistently strives to create positive impacts for brands and make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. It ensures that its people contribute meaningful interactions that resonate with individuals on a personal level.
Technology plays a pivotal role in enhancing these connections. Teleperformance recognises that its business thrives on the quality engagements established with customers - emphasising not only mutual understanding and empathy but also tolerance and acceptance of differences. This is highlighted in the organisation's strategic underpinning of equality, diversity, and inclusion as a testament to its belief that every interaction mattersregardless of one’s background.
The business’ dedication to its purpose and social impact agenda has received wide-ranging praise, especially in Britain. Teleperformance UK has received many prestigious awards; being recognised as a Great Place to Work across four consecutive years, whilst also featuring as one of the UK’s Best Workplaces for the last three years, Best Workplaces for Women, for the last three years, featuring on Best Workplaces in Europe for three consecutive years and one of the named World’s Best Workplaces for three consecutive years – all
representing recognition that highlights its commitment to the creation and upholding of sector-leading workplace cultures and leading employee experiences.
Through this leading colleague support and progression offering, Teleperformance has the potential to drive social mobility across the UK. Its country-wide footprint covers several sites spanning Measham, Bangor, Glasgow, Bristol, Manchester, Newry, and Gateshead. The locations - often in under-resourced areas - are delivering social impact to a wide range of communities, positively impacting those most in need.
Teleperformance’s collaboration with energy client E.ON also resulted in the organisation winning the ‘Utility Project of the Year’ award in 2022, another example of Teleperformance’s ability to deliver outstanding customer experiences through a prioritising of the internal colleague offering - driving business impact. Its exceptional cloud implementation earned global recognition at the 2022 NICE CX Excellence Awards, further solidifying its reputation for excellence and innovation.
In 2023, Teleperformance was awarded Silver at the ECCCSA (European Contact Centre & Customer Awards) in the category ‘Best Cross Functional Collaboration’ in partnership with Southeastern Trains.
As an organisation, Teleperformance is a leader. Not only in its industry - with innovative results-driven client experiences - but also through its underpinning purpose to operate as a force for good for its customers, colleagues, and the communities it serves. Teleperformance UK received recognition as one of UK’s Most Loved Workplaces in 2023, testament that people are the beating heart of the organisation's growth and success.
2.3 The Journey to the Purpose Goals: Tackling the UK’s Biggest Challenges in Partnership with the Purpose Coalition
The Purpose Coalition measures organisations against a set of sector-relevant social impact criteria. The Purpose Goals outline 14 interconnected impact goals. By drawing on expertise provided by academia and business, the goals are designed to specifically address some of the unique challenges facing the UK.
The Goals were designed following Justine Greening’s experience - as Secretary of State for International Development - leading the UK’s delegation to the convention of the United Nations (UN) that established the 2015 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Purpose Goals apply the SDGs in a UK context.
The SDGs as interlinked goals emphasised the interdependent environmental, social, and economic aspects of development and centralised the role of sustainability. At the time, Justine recognised how transformative a common set of accessible but ambitious goals could be in galvanising action to effect change. After leaving Government in 2019, Justine established the Purpose Coalition and Social Mobility Pledge with the intention of galvanising UK economic and social actors to improve social mobility in the UK.
The Purpose Goals focus on key life stages and highlight the main issues that need to be resolved to break down barriers to opportunity in the UK. The Goals are intended to guide ambition, provoke action, and measure progress.
Teleperformance is active across all 14 Purpose Goals but is focused in four areas of the most impact in its area of sector-specific expertise.
Positive destinations Post 16+ 3
3.1. Goal 3: Positive Destinations Post 16+
Traditionally, we’ve pushed our young people down an academic path, to A levels and then onto higher education and a degree at university. We’re seeing more young people become the first person from their family to get to university. It’s vital that this path isn’t blocked for those with the potential and who want that choice.
Equally important is a strong choice for a non-academic route, latterly through apprenticeships and the growing availability of T-Levels.
3.1.1. Delivering opportunities in Gateshead
Teleperformance boasts a significant presence throughout the UK, with a notable focus on Gateshead. In a proactive effort, Teleperformance collaborates closely with external providers, offering a range of opportunities including job fairs, work experience schemes, and employment prospects to the residents of Gateshead.
The organisation has also established valuable partnerships with third-party organisations - not only in Gateshead but also in Glasgow - where the demand for potential new employees has surged. To facilitate this process, Teleperformance carries out open days, inviting candidates to experience a taste of what it's like to be part of the Teleperformance team, culminating in a brief yet strategic interview.
Amongst the partners collaborating with Teleperformance in Gateshead are the Launch Group, the Newcastle United Foundation, People Plus, local JobCentres, and Reed. Together, they work with a shared mission to eliminate barriers hindering the progress of young individuals across the Northeast.
Teleperformance's management teams actively engage with these partners, forging direct connections with the local youth population in Gateshead, ensuring that opportunities are accessible and opportunities for growth are abundant.
3.1.2. Digital recruitment
Teleperformance maintains a significant online presence alongside its strategic physical outreach.
The organisation has transformed its digital recruitment processes, implementing an Internet Collaborative Information Management System (ICMIS). This system allows Teleperformance to track a number of metrics including source of hire, time to fill and cost per hire.
This offers Teleperformance recruitment teams a highlevel overview of the hiring process, improving and boosting the equality of its recruitment metrics, the system provides insights into the entire recruiting process.
Teleperformance's commitment to apprenticeships has paved the way for collaborations with strategic partners, with a standout achievement being their partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
In the coming months, Teleperformance is poised to introduce Level 3 and Level 5 Operational Management apprenticeships, as well as Level 3 and Level 5 Learning and Development Specialist apprenticeships. While currently working closely with Penshaw View Training to administer these apprenticeships internally, Teleperformance has set its sights on a broader horizon. By 2024, the organisation aims to expand its apprenticeship programme to external candidates.
Notably, Teleperformance's partnership with the DWP is its exclusive role as the primary provider for Universal Credit calls on behalf of the DWP. Over 1,600 dedicated Teleperformance colleagues are entrusted with handling calls from some of the most vulnerable and resource -deprived individuals across the United Kingdom.
Teleperformance began the work in November 2022, coinciding with the height of the cost-of-living crisis. Since taking on this responsibility, Teleperformance has made a resolute commitment to integrating social value into its processes and strategies - with a primary focus on supporting these callers in their time of need.
Teleperformance's commitment to early careers outreach extends deep into the community, with a particular focus on the Northeast. Collaborating closely with the Northeast LEP, Teleperformance actively engages in career days and school visits to local secondary schools.
This outreach initiative specifically targets local Year 10 students who may have encountered challenges in securing work experience opportunities. Teleperformance warmly welcomes these students to a dynamic session filled with engaging tasks, illuminating talks, and valuable insights into life at Teleperformance. During these sessions, representatives from various departments, including Training, Management, IT, and social media, come forward to interact with and present to the students about Life at Teleperformance and the careers they have built for themselves.
Central to these sessions is the development of communication and teamwork skills, with a strong emphasis on interaction and collaborative tasks designed to enhance these essential skill sets. Interactive games are cleverly incorporated, allowing students to draw connections between these activities and the skill sets of Teleperformance colleagues who are present.
Teleperformance has embarked on a new partnership with My Big Career, expanding its outreach efforts to local primary schools. This expansion is particularly geared towards mentoring initiatives - demonstrating Teleperformance's dedication to nurturing talent at an even earlier stage in a student's educational journey.
"Teleperformance's commitment to early careers outreach extends deep into the community, with a particular focus on the North East."
The creation of this strategic talent pipeline within under-resourced communities is critical to the organisation’s operation as a force for good - aligning with Teleperformance's mission to boost social mobility and deliver a profound social impact. This Is especially significant as Teleperformance's workforce already comprises a significant portion of individuals under the age of 30, reaffirming the organisation's commitment to empowering the youth and creating opportunities for future generations.
Opportunities for career advancement should be based on ability and potential, not connections. The chance to keep developing once in work and progress in a career isn’t just important from the perspective of increasing your earnings, it’s about how you can continue to feel challenged and learn even once you’ve left your school years behind. Businesses that work out how to provide those opportunities to keep growing and moving forward will do better.
More and more businesses like Teleperformance are recognising the importance of career development for both employees and the company - globally it delivered 63 million hours of employee training over 2022. Continuously upgrading skills and knowledge is vital in an everchanging environment and helps Teleperformance meet the demands of its clients whilst growing the workforce skill sets from within.
In a transformative move in May 2023, Teleperformance introduced a centralised career development and career pathways platform in the UK - revolutionising the way employees explore and navigate their professional growth within the organisation. This innovative initiative has democratised access to opportunities, bolstering internal social mobility for every member of the Teleperformance team.
The heart of this groundbreaking system lies in its structured career pathways, meticulously designed to cater to diverse career aspirations. Each pathway is thoughtfully broken down into specific workstreams, guiding employees toward their desired destinations within the organisation.
Complementing this initiative, Teleperformance also implemented a self-assessment tool, empowering employees to reflect on their abilities through a series of questions designed to gauge their self-perceived strengths and areas for growth. The tool then generates a personalised ranking, highlighting areas of excellence and areas in need of development. This ranking
seamlessly aligns with various career development programmes and e-learning opportunities - ensuring that employees can proactively address their skill gaps and chart their growth journey.
Building on the insights from the self-assessment scores, Teleperformance takes a tailored approach to recommend training plans, specifically designed to bridge the perceived skill gaps identified by the employees themselves. This personalised touch underpins Teleperformance's commitment to fostering individual growth and development of employees.
The organisation also offers an array of skills and competency training modules, supporting lateral movement across the organisation for those who wish to explore different areas of interest. This flexibility empowers employees to expand their horizons and follow passions, or areas of particular interest that are not within their current remit.
Ensuring transparency and accessibility, Teleperformance includes comprehensive job descriptions for every role in its employee matrix. This transparency not only offers a clear view of available opportunities across the organisation but also holds all colleagues accountable - promoting a culture of shared responsibility and growth.
Remarkably, this holistic approach to career development has yielded impressive results, with an astounding 90 percent of new role appointments originating from internal talent pools. This statistic is evidence of Teleperformance's commitment to nurturing and advancing the careers of its existing workforce, fostering a culture of continuous learning and upward mobility.
Foundations is Teleperformance's foundational career development resource, strategically designed to usher in and guide successful new colleagues through their initial journey within the organisation. This programme represents Teleperformance's global onboarding scheme - playing a pivotal role in acquainting candidates with their new roles and paving the way for their future success.
At its core, Foundations combines the power of e-learning certification with personalised training delivered by colleagues' superiors. This dual approach ensures that new hires receive a well-rounded and tailored
introduction to their roles, setting them on a trajectory toward success within Teleperformance. Through e-learning modules, candidates acquire the foundational knowledge and skills required for their positions. Simultaneously, they benefit from the insights and expertise of their supervisors, who provide specific guidance to help them acclimate to their roles effectively.
This approach not only accelerates the integration of new colleagues but also serves as a crucial stepping stone towards unlocking their full potential within Teleperformance's dynamic and supportive work environment.
Jump! is Teleperformance’s visionary development programme designed to pinpoint and groom highpotential employees - equipping them with the skills and confidence to ascend into leadership roles within the company's ranks.
The overarching goal of the Jump! programme is to cultivate a pool of adept and capable leaders, who will seamlessly transition from being agents to supervisors. This multifaceted programme is underpinned by a robust training framework, encompassing technical and behavioural training - as well as personalised development plans that nurture both professional growth and personal advancement.
At the onset of this career development journey, employees embark on the first step within the Jump! programme at the entry agent level. Here, they engage in a dynamic blend of e-learning certification courses, complemented by a oneday training course that fosters practical skills and insights.
Upon successful completion of the programme, employees undergo a comprehensive training assessment. This comprehensive approach ensures that Jump! participants are not only well-equipped technically but also possess the behavioural and personal attributes necessary to thrive in leadership positions, contributing to the continued success and growth of the organisation.
3.2.4.
Evolution represents a groundbreaking progression programme recently developed by Teleperformancetailored to the UK market and positioned as the company's premier career pathway. This initiative is distinctive in that it operates on an application-based model, targeting employees whose Key Performance
Indicator (KPI) scores indicate their readiness to take the next significant step in their professional journey.
Evolution offers an immersive 12-week experience that delves deep into career development. Over the initial six weeks, colleagues actively engage in weekly workshops, fostering a robust foundation of knowledge and skills.
Subsequently, participants gain invaluable hands-on experience by shadowing more senior colleagues and immersing themselves in placements across various relevant departments within the organisation. This practical exposure is particularly critical as it addresses a common barrier to social mobility for those without the necessary experience to take on top-level roles.
The programme finishes with a mock interview process, offering invaluable interview skills training, constructive feedback, and targeted areas for improvement. This multifaceted approach ensures that participants not only acquire technical competence but also develop the vital soft skills necessary for career advancement.
The programme's recently concluded pilot phase was met with resounding success, bolstering Teleperformance's determination to roll out the programme fully by the end of 2023. Evolution stands as a testament to Teleperformance's unwavering commitment to empowering its employees and promoting social mobility within the organisation, providing a clear path for ambitious individuals to ascend to the top of the business.
Teleperformance University is a customised college course that transmits culture while gathering and sharing its worldwide best practices and innovative projects in customer relationship and experience management.
The business’ high-potential executives and leading managers have access to Teleperformance University - a personalised university course created to develop its future leaders - while ensuring that all of its teams share the same values and perfectly understand the Teleperformance culture.
Teleperformance University trains its business executives in key subjects related to managing and understanding the core business and prepares them to implement major changes in the business - aligned with the organisation’s strategic objectives.
Improving mental and physical wellbeing across all demographics is vital to boost overall wellness to better enable people to fulfil their full potential. Health and wellbeing inequalities lie at the heart of driving levelling up and improving social mobility.
Good health and wellbeing are often a precursor to a person being given opportunities to thrive and in the best position to make the most of their talents and in work, feel they can consider taking the next step in their career.
The COVID-19 pandemic shone a stark light on the health inequalities our country has and how they impact on wider life. The very best purpose-led organisations like Teleperformance took comprehensive action to deliver for colleagues over this challenging time, transforming their long-term approach to its internal health and wellbeing approach.
Teleperformance is constantly evaluating its employee engagement and colleague offerings based on feedback from its employees, based on their needs and requirements. It is committed to supporting its employees to achieve work-life balance; something of paramount importance to the organisation. The company’s colleague offering an approach to good health and wellbeing has been recognised in its ‘Great Place to Work’ certification across 72 countries and was recently ranked 5th in the world among 25 of the world’s best workplaces by Great Place to Work for 2023.
As previously mentioned, in recent years Teleperformance has undergone a remarkable transformation in its approach to colleague wellbeing, marking a significant shift in the organisation's commitment to fostering a supportive and inclusive work environment. This evolution is underpinned by investments in wellbeing initiatives designed to create a comprehensive support network for employees.
One notable aspect of this transformation is the establishment of a robust mental health and suicide first aid programme. Teleperformance has proactively trained over 200 mental health first aiders and more than 170 suicide first aiders across its workforce. These trained professionals are easily accessible through a dedicated channel using the special @TPHELPME tags. This innovative approach allows employees to initiate confidential conversations, seeking assistance and guidance from these first aiders who are equipped to provide support and appropriately direct individuals to internal or external resources.
Teleperformance’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic further instilled its sector-leading approach to colleague wellbeing across the organisation. In response to the crisis, Teleperformance swiftly transitioned its workforce from physical office locations to a remote work setup. Remarkably, even as of December 2023, over 70% of Teleperformance UK's workforce continues to operate from home, highlighting the sustained success of the virtual work at home model.
This shift to remote work has not only proven to be a vital response to the challenges posed by the pandemic but has also emerged as a catalyst for breaking down barriers to accessing meaningful work. The virtual work at home offering has brought about newfound flexibility, particularly benefiting individuals with disabilities or caring responsibilities. In contrast to traditional officeonly models, Teleperformance's approach allows employees to navigate work in a way that suits their unique circumstances, providing a positive impact on overall job satisfaction and work-life balance.
Beyond individual benefits, the virtual work at home model has extended its positive influence to remote communities. In regions such as the Highlands & Islands of Scotland, as well as remote parts of England and Wales, Teleperformance has facilitated job opportunities in areas where employment options may be limited. The organisation's commitment to remote work not only aligns with the evolving nature of work but also contributes to the economic development of remote communities, fostering a more inclusive and geographically diverse workforce.
Teleperformance's forward-thinking approach to employee wellbeing and remote work stands as a testament to its dedication to creating a workplace that values and supports its diverse workforce in the face of contemporary challenges. Good health
3.3.2.
Teleperformance is committed to:
• Providing and maintaining safe and healthy working conditions, including secure facilities, equipment, workstations, and furnishings.
• Providing adequate control of the health and safety risks arising in workplaces by performing risk assessments to identify potential health and safety risks and then implementing ways to mitigate those risks.
• Preventing accidents, incidents, and cases of workrelated ill health at facilities and responding quickly and effectively if an accident or incident occurs to protect employees, clients, contractors, and visitors.
• Providing all employees, clients, contractors, and visitors if an accident occurs, with appropriate information and resources to enable them to conduct their work-related activities safely.
• Consulting with employees and their representatives on matters affecting their health and safety in the workplace.
• Evaluating performance under this Policy through regular reviews and audits.
• Complying with all applicable laws, regulations, and codes of practice and maintaining management systems to track the fulfilment of our compliance obligations.
• Identifying and communicating opportunities for continual workplace safety management system improvement.
• Reviewing and revising this Policy and workplace safety management system at regular intervals.
3.3.3.
Teleperformance has embarked on a collaborative venture with Newcastle University's psychology department, marking a significant step in the organisation's innovative training and development initiatives.
The partnership entails a comprehensive pilot scheme that spans a duration of 12 weeks. During this time, both Teleperformance and Newcastle University's psychology department are working in tandem to provide clinically led training and development programmes. This strategic
collaboration draws upon the expertise and insights of the psychology department to enhance and enrich the learning experiences of Teleperformance employees.
3.3.4.
Teleperformance places a critical emphasis on trust as the foundational pillar of its organisational culture, extending from the highest echelons of leadership to every colleague in its global network. Recognising that the collective wellbeing and optimal performance of its colleagues is pivotal to the organisation thriving, Teleperformance has instituted several key initiatives.
One notable practice is the scheduling of virtual town hall sessions conducted every six weeks. These sessions serve as an open forum where employees are granted a direct line of communication with the CEO, allowing them to engage in insightful Q&A sessions. During these sessions, the CEO not only shares updates about the company's progress but also articulates its future aspirations and celebrates noteworthy achievements and success stories. These sessions are attended by a remarkable 1,000 employees each month - highlighting the organisation's commitment to transparent and open dialogue.
Teleperformance ensures its dedication to the fostering of a supportive workplace culture is further entrenched through thorough and consistent review. It participates in assessments conducted by Great Place to Work, offering an outside perspective on the colleague experience and organisational culture. This assessment is a global process spanning across the 92 countries it operates in.
Teleperformance UK was most recently evaluated on the five core ‘Trust Model’ metrics - Credibility, Respect, Fairness, Camaraderie, and Pride - receiving an impressive score of 74 out of 100.
Broken down by each metric, Teleperformance has improved across the board on its 2022 ratings:
• Camaraderie, 75% up 3 per cent on 2022 - Measures whether employees believe their company is a strong community where colleagues are friendly, supporting, and welcoming.
• Credibility, 77% up 4 per cent on 2022 - Employees see management as credible, believable and trustworthy. This assesses employees' perception of management’s communication practices - competences and integrity.
• Fairness, 75% up 3 per cent on 2022 - Measures the extent to which employees feel that management practices are fair by assessing the equity, impartiality, and justice employees perceive in the workplace.
• Pride, 69% up 4% on 2022 - Measures how employees feel about their own individual impact through their work, their pride in the work of their team, and their pride in the company overall.
• Respect, 73% up 5% on 2022 - Employees feel respected by management. This assesses employees perceptions of professional support, collaboration and involvement in decisions, and the level of care management shows for employees as people.
The improvement in the ratings is a testament to Teleperformance's relentless pursuit of a workplace environment that values trust, mutual respect, fairness, teamwork, and pride among its colleagues, fostering an atmosphere where everyone can thrive. The continual improvement and external assessment - identifying areas for improvement - will allow Teleperformance to ensure it continues to act as a force for good for its colleagues.
In June 2023, Teleperformance UK conducted their annual Great Place to Work survey, a survey delivered by Great Place To Work to review the workplace culture & experience employees have during which employees provided feedback, feedback that Teleperformance takes very seriously, with every comment reviewed and categorised to ensure clear action plans are compiled and continually updated with “You Said We Did” style communications being shared with employees regularly.
The organisation has a number of continuous listening tools to ensure employees' voices are heard on a daily basis. ‘Real-time Sentiment’ gives employees the ability to provide their sentiment everyday using the web-based tool . The tool enables people to rate how they feel, provide a reason for that feeling, with the option to provide up to 4 sub reasons for the employees to delve deeper, along with providing comments to expand even further should they wish. The tool also provides the option for employees to request contact from the HR team, which creates a ticket that is then allocated to HR to review/resolve within a short SLA with the employee.
The data from the continuous listening tool provides leaders with an aggregated view providing a net happiness score, along with summaries of the reasons, sub reasons to better enable each of the leaders to best support their teams and colleagues. The Employee Experience Team review the data daily, looking for trends relating to wellbeing, to provide support, guidance plus self-care guides for employees around those much-needed subjects; subjects highlighted by their employees
To effectively support its colleagues, Teleperformance has begun collecting extensive demographic data in key strategic areas through its internal ‘Cultural Census’. The areas are:
• Impact Sourcing
• Long-term unemployed
• Refugee status
• Young people without a degree
• Living in poverty status
• Type of income area
• Single parental status
• Disability Status
• Demographics
• Gender Identity
• Sexual orientation
• Religious identity
• Ethnicity
• Caregiver status
• Parental status
Since the Cultural Census went live earlier in the summer, Teleperformance has already collected responses from 704 colleagues, equating to 7% of its workforce. This has allowed the organisation to gain an understanding of its wider cohort of employees and make adjustments to support mechanisms for all colleagues' personal situations. They have also been able to further develop their Employee Resource Groups, based on the support employees require across varying community groups.
3.4 Goal 14. Achieve Equality through Diversity and Inclusion
Creating a level playing field of opportunity for all is vital to fully unleash Britain’s potential for the first time.
Diversity extends beyond gender and ethnicity to sexuality, disability and other challenges that can lead to disadvantage. When we look across the leadership roles in business, the judiciary, government and politics, there is a continued skew towards those from the most privileged backgrounds.
The TP Women initiative represents a proactive effort to address workplace challenges faced by women while actively championing positive change. The organisation is deeply committed to contributing to these discussions and playing a pivotal role as change agents within its industry in the UK and on a global scale. This commitment is evident through Teleperformance’s continued dedication to promoting gender awareness, fostering equality, and empowering women.
TP Women's overarching goal is to maintain a balanced gender distribution throughout the organisation’s workforce and within management positions. In the UK alone 54 per cent of the total workforce are female, and 48 per cent of management positions are held by women. It also aims to augment the representation of women in governing bodies - ensuring a more equitable and inclusive leadership landscape.
The principles guiding TP Women's advancement efforts include:
1. Equality: Establishing high-level corporate leadership and accountability for gender equality. The organisation meticulously measures and publicly reports progress on gender equality initiatives and advocacy.
2. Awareness: Providing comprehensive internal training on implicit bias and gender-related issues for both male and female employees.
3. Development and Promotion: Actively promoting education, training, and professional development opportunities specifically designed to empower women in their careers.
4. Fairness: Ensuring that all employees, regardless of gender, are treated fairly at work, with an unwavering commitment to their safety and well-being.
As part of the TP Women programme in the UK, focus is applied to women in the workplace approaching or at the stage of peri/menopause. The organisation has a dedicated “Menopause & More” Working and Employee Group, the group work together with employee experience, HR, training and recruitment teams to develop a series of awareness guides, educational tools and ways for driving change in the workplace.
Teleperformance's Diversity and Inclusion Policy represents an organisational commitment to promoting a workplace characterised by equality, inclusivity, and equal employment opportunities. The policy categorically addresses various forms of discrimination, whether direct or indirect, based on factors such as national origin, gender, marital status, pregnancy, physical appearance, name, health status, disability, genetic traits, cultural background, sexual orientation, age, political beliefs, trade union affiliations, ethnicity, nationality, religion, and other distinguishing characteristics.
The commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equal employment opportunities permeates every level of the employment relationship at Teleperformance. This encompasses critical areas, including but not limited to:
1. Recruitment & Hiring: Ensuring fair and equitable hiring practices, free from discriminatory biases.
2. Training, Promotions & Career Advancement: Facilitating opportunities for professional growth and advancement based on merit rather than bias.
3. Anti-Harassment: Creating a safe and respectful work environment that actively combats harassment in all its forms.
4. Remuneration: Ensuring equitable compensation structures that do not perpetuate disparities based on any of the mentioned attributes.
5. Work Conditions: Guaranteeing fair and unbiased treatment across various work conditions and settings.
Each of these focus areas is underpinned by a comprehensive set of objectives and procedures - designed to ensure universal compliance with Teleperformance's Diversity and Inclusion Policy on a global scale.
Teleperformance takes its commitment further by prioritising ongoing education and awareness amongst its managers and leaders. The policy mandates regular training sessions that cover equal employment opportunity principles, relevant laws, and best workplace practices - in the UK alone 91 per cent of employees have been trained on diversity and inclusion policy. Training modules target key personnel involved in recruitment, hiring, and human resources management, fostering a culture of inclusivity and non-discrimination within the organisation.
To enhance awareness and visibility, Teleperformance ensures that its equal employment opportunity policies are prominently displayed in common areas, employee handbooks, manuals, and during training sessions. Managers play a crucial role in upholding these policies within their respective locations, fostering open communication, and actively addressing any concerns of discrimination or harassment. Importantly, employees are encouraged to express concerns without fear of retaliation.
The policy sets out clear and transparent responsibilities for managers, human resources personnel, and all employees regarding diversity and inclusion. This structured approach ensures that Teleperformance's commitment to diversity and equal opportunities is not only upheld but actively promoted throughout the organisation, ensuring its working environment and culture is one where all individuals can thrive and contribute their best.
3.5.3.
Teleperformance has forged relationships with a number of trusted and strategic local partners - each aimed at the recruitment of a diverse and representative workforce.
One way this goal is realised is through the collaboration with strategic sector-based Work Academy Programmes, often in conjunction with nearby JobCentres that operate in regions across the UK. This collaborative effort plays a vital role in extending material resources and valuable work experience opportunities to individuals identified as having significant potential.
Teleperformance has also maintained partnerships with several advocacy organisations, each contributing to the creation of a workplace that is both welcoming and inclusive. These partners are Movement to Work, My Big Career, the Newcastle United Foundation, and the Disability Confident Employer initiative.
In doing so, Teleperformance is not only working to enhance its workforce's diversity but also embracing a more extensive and diverse pool of talent - marking a significant stride toward a more inclusive and representative workplace and driving social mobility both internally and externally.
3.5.4.
Teleperformance acknowledges that to truly promote diversity and inclusion across the organisation it must ensure all opportunities are open and accessible to all employees no matter their background.
The organisation actively engages in internal reviews aimed at enhancing the accessibility and relevance of its career pathways programme - specifically focusing on its neurodiverse colleagues.
This proactive approach not only encompasses making strategic adaptations to the career pathways scheme but also extends to providing invaluable support to colleagues in areas such as CV-writing and responding to competency-based interview questions.
Teleperformance creates an inclusive environment where all colleagues can be empowered. Each colleague's unique strengths and capabilities are recognised and celebrated within the organisation.
3.5.5.
Teleperformance's commitment to offering opportunities to individuals of all ages is exemplified by its deliberate efforts to create roles tailored to their unique needs and experiences.
The organisation recently hired over 80 individuals through targeted job postings, directed exclusively to military veteran organisations and groups focused on supporting individuals over the age of 55. These roles were exclusively available to candidates aged 55 and above as a result of Teleperformance's dedication to providing opportunities for older individuals.
These specialised positions not only offer employment opportunities but also focus on specific IT training, ensuring that individuals have the necessary skills to excel in their roles. This comprehensive approach reflects Teleperformance's commitment to creating roles that are not only accessible but also equipped with the necessary support and resources for individuals of all age groups. By proactively fostering inclusivity across varying demographics, Teleperformance continues to contribute to a diverse and dynamic workforce, where individuals can thrive and grow.
Case Study - Edna McElroy, Corporate Social Responsibility Coordinator
Edna arrived at Teleperformance’s Kilmarnock site in 2005 to take up a part-time role:
“It was to be my retirement job, following my return from the Democratic Republic of the Congo as Finance Director for the Salvation Army. However, I didn’t start as an Advisor. I was first asked to set up a charity project for our colleagues.
I had more than 30 volunteers to be trained to communicate and help groups of 16-year-olds who had left school with no qualifications. I organised charitable
activities in most of the sites and reported all of the activities and funds raised to TP Group.
Until recently, I have been managing our charitable activities for the UK and South Africa while the situation is still recovering from COVID. Throughout this time, I have also been chairing the Kilmarnock group which looks after healthy activity and ensures knowledge of how to cope with medical difficulties. We have a group of staff members who take on the responsibility for the Kilmarnock site.”
When asked about why Edna - who is well over the age of retirement - stays at Teleperformance she says, “I still feel needed here, which is why I stay.”
Teleperformance has built a comprehensive social impact agenda, delivering for communities right across the UK. Its approach is underpinned by an organisational focus on operating as a force for social good, doing everything it can to break down barriers to opportunity for its customers, its colleagues, and the communities it serves.
The organisation has taken significant strides in creating a workplace that is not only diverse, but is truly inclusive and representative of the communities it serves. Through the TP Women initiative and its leading Diversity and Inclusion Policy, Teleperformance has actively promoted gender balance and equality - providing a platform for women to thrive in leadership positions. It also partners with a number of local organisations and advocacy groups, extending its reach to support individuals from all backgrounds. It ensures that all employees or candidates for positions - regardless of their gender, ethnicity, or other identifying factors - are treated fairly and have equal access to opportunities.
Teleperformance also places a priority emphasis on the health, safety, and overall wellbeing of its colleagues. The organisation’s approach is underpinned by a comprehensive Health and Safety policy which reflects the company’s global commitment to maintaining a secure and healthy work environment. It also pushes forward innovation and thought leadership in the sector through its collaboration with Newcastle University, dedicating time and resources to providing psychologyled training that develops employees by focusing on wellbeing.
In recent years, the business has also undergone a transformation in its internal communication agenda, and in its workplace culture. Teleperformance focuses
on fostering a culture of trust and belonging, through a number of regular CEO ‘town hall’ sessions and participation in external assessments - ensuring all employees feel valued and supported. The organisation is also fed back daily data on how its colleagues are feeling through the introduction of its ‘Real-time Sentiment’ tool as part of its wider extensive employee engagement and feedback work.
Teleperformance’s leading colleague offering approach is continued in its career development agenda. The organisation offers a number of career pathways and platforms that begin at onboarding stage. This continues through a number of leadership development programmes as well as the Teleperformance University. These initiatives are designed to empower employees and support all colleagues in professional development and personal growth. Teleperformance provides structured career pathways, personalised training plans, and transparent job descriptions for all rolesencouraging employees to proactively pursue career aspirations within the organisation.
Teleperformance’s social impact in the UK extends far beyond its business operations. The company’s initiatives in promoting diversity and inclusion, prioritising employee wellbeing, and delivering a wide range of career development opportunities reflect its wider commitment to operating as a force for good. This is achieved through the creation of a workplace where individuals from all backgrounds can thrive and reach their full potential. Its approach is supported by a wider culture of inclusion, support, and learning - through this Teleperformance has established itself as a leading example of a purpose-led organisation that is delivering a truly equal and empowering workplace environment.
"Teleperformance’s social impact in the UK extends far beyond its business operations. The company’s initiatives in promoting diversity and inclusion, prioritising employee wellbeing, and delivering a wide range of career development opportunities reflect its wider commitment to operating as a force for good."
1. Scale-up outreach efforts already underway, and take a leading role in targeted communities Based on existing successful outreach efforts in Gateshead, and those recently begun in Manchester, Teleperformance should look to expand its outreach efforts to targeted communities across the UK.
As outlined in Section 2.2, Teleperformance’s significant footprint across the country covers many areas classified as social mobility cold spots: Measham, Bangor, Glasgow, Bristol, Manchester, Newry, and Gateshead. By up-scaling the best practice already underway in Gateshead through a repeatable plan, Teleperformance can significantly increase its social impact in these communities - and create a diverse talent pipeline into the organisation.
Teleperformance should first look to establish collaborations - as is underway in Gateshead and Glasgow - with a broad network of third-party organisations in various regions to create more diverse and inclusive outreach opportunities. It should look to partner with local community centres, schools, and colleges in under-resourced areas, as well as vocational training programmes.
The organisation should also look to amplify its early careers outreach by extending proactive engagement and school visits across its office areas. Teleperformance should target schools and communities in underresourced areas, focusing as well on students who face the highest barriers - care-leavers for exampleto accessing work experience opportunities. The organisation should continue to offer dynamic sessions, as is underway in Gateshead, that not only provide insights into Teleperformance but also offer practical skills-building activities that link to job roles and departments within the business.
Going even further, Teleperformance could design and implement structured mentorship programmes that connect its employees with students from these diverse communities. This would provide students with valuable guidance and support as well as allowing colleagues to contribute to a young person’s development. Employees should be encouraged to share their career journeys and insights, inspiring students and motivating them in their studies.
This recommendation overall facilitates the creation of a long-term talent pipeline in each of Teleperformance’s locations. This not only stands to benefit the community significantly through the delivery of social impact, but will also benefit the organisation. It should couple its efforts in these areas with specific strategies that track the progress and engagement of participants in its outreach programmes, as well as any candidates that apply for roles and are unsuccessful. Teleperformance should establish a framework for ongoing communication and support for students who express interest in pursuing a career at Teleperformance. This could include structured internships and training programmes that provide a clear pathway for students in each region to transition into roles within the organisation.
Teleperformance can significantly expand its outreach efforts, breaking down barriers to opportunity across its locations - up-scaling its already impressive efforts as a force for social good. The implementation of these measures would create a diverse talent pipeline that not only supports the organisation’s growth but also contributes to the socioeconomic development of under-resourced communities across the UK.
"The organisation should continue to offer dynamic sessions, as is underway in Gateshead, that not only provide insights into Teleperformance but also offer practical skills-building activities that link to job roles and departments within the business."
2. Lead-the-way on private sector social value governance Teleperformance should leverage its existing expertise in delivering social value through its large-scale Department for Work and Pensions Universal Credit contract and contribute significantly on the Purpose Coalition's Social Impact Advisory Council as a leading advocate. Building on this sector-leading foundation, the organisation can contribute to the Council's mission of enhancing the Social Value Actand its implications for public sector procurementincreasing its role as a force for good.
Originally enacted in 2012, the Social Value Act mandated that public bodies consider how the services they commission and procure might improve the economic, social, and environmental well-being of an area.
A Labour government, traditionally aligned with the principles of social justice and equality, is likely to update this Act and any broader refresh of the Companies Act - now nearly 20 years old - with a renewed vigour and broader vision. Our Social Impact Advisory Council aims to influence that vision as part of the Purpose Coalition's wider work with the Labour Party, including through the Breaking Down Barriers Commission.
Central to the incoming Labour Government agenda could be the expansion of the Social Value Act’s scope, extending beyond procurement to encompass all aspects of government policy and spending and an encouragement and/or transparency around the private sector more broadly to follow suit.
This would mean that every pound of public expenditure scrutinised not just for economic efficiency but also its delivery of social value.
In joining the Council, the business will actively participate in collaborative discussions with other purpose leaders including Sodexo, Leonardo Ramsay Health Care, and Reed in Partnership to name a few. Teleperformance will contribute its unique insights and best practices in delivering meaningful impact for local communities and its colleagues through its key public sector contracts.
By sharing its successful strategies and highlighting the tangible benefits of its social value adherences, Teleperformance can play a critical role in shaping the Council's policy recommendations as well as influencing the wider narrative of the Social Impact Advisory Council.
The organisation can also continue its leadership in the championing of social value, helping to drive forward the importance of purposeful business practices through its committed approach and expertise. Teleperformance can lead in advocating for investment in new strategic community outreach, job creation, and critical wider training opportunities - as well as the impact this can have on the wider economies of regions across the UK.
Through engagement with key stakeholders across sectors, Teleperformance can influence policymakers at the national and local government levels to consider an updated and up-scaled Social Value Act. This can help contribute to the delivery of social impact across Britain, as well as reinforce the business’ commitment to operating as a force for social good.
3. Build on a leading employee engagement and tracking model
Teleperformance is already an industry leader in terms of employee engagement, transforming its offering in light of the COVID-19 pandemic - innovating in the delivery of colleague happiness and wellbeing. Through the application of an employee census to better track and understand its workforce demographic make-up, the organisation is committed to consistently improving the employee experience offering.
As a next step in its employee census and tracking approach, Teleperformance could look to increase its census engagement through the introduction of socioeconomic background tracking.
Socioeconomic background encompasses a number of economic and social factors - including education, income, and occupation - influencing an individual’s background and circumstances. Teleperformance should consider incorporating specific questions - developed by the Social Mobility Commission and the Equality of Opportunity Coalition, a key part of the Purpose Coalition - in its annual census survey.
To increase employee engagement, Teleperformance could explore establishing specific targets that emphasise the importance of each employee's contribution towards
creating a more representative workplace. As a next step, Teleperformance could also join other private sector leaders in the establishment of an annual socioeconomic pay gap report. This will transparently showcase progress in increasing workforce inclusion at the top levels of the business - encouraging more colleagues to take part in the census - as well as identifying any particular areas for improvement.
This agenda could be undertaken in tandem with awareness campaigns across Teleperformance’s employee channels and town hall meetings. These are crucial in educating employees on the significance of socioeconomic background, as well as addressing concerns relating to privacy and confidentiality when sharing information through the census.
These strategic measures should not only increase census engagement, but also contribute to the continued fostering of a transparent and inclusive work environment. Teleperformance is built upon an underpinning purposeled culture that prioritises openness, diversity, and fairness - taking the next step on employee tracking and reporting would contribute to this already sector-leading agenda.
4. Increase financial resilience across the organisation Building on the impressive and comprehensive colleague wellbeing foundation set out in Section 3.3, Teleperformance should look to explore the creation of a centralised Financial Wellbeing Programme for its employees.
Given the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, and the impact it has had on most people and families right across Britain, organisations are being called upon to support colleagues in building resilience to economic shocks and financial pressures. Financial resilience is critical not only to financial wellbeing but to wider mental and physical health, a Programme of this kind can provide Teleperformance colleagues with the tools they need to navigate key challenges.
A programme of this kind - developed in partnership with the Purpose Coalition - would include workshops on budgeting, saving, and investing, providing key practical tips. The Programme should also offer oneto-one sessions with internal wellbeing professionals and external financial experts to create personalised plans for particularly concerned or impacted employees. Going even further, Teleperformance could look to exploring flexible pay options - including early access
or salary-based internal loans - and the creation of an Emergency Fund for Unexpected Financial Trouble for the worst affected employees.
Teleperformance should seek to underpin the Financial Wellbeing Programme with an outreach initiative to all colleagues informing them of the scheme and its benefits.
Comprehensively aligned with Teleperformance’s purpose the creation of a colleague Financial Wellbeing Programme reinforces the organisation’s commitment to a leading employee wellbeing offering. The goal of the Programme would not just be to ease immediate financial stress, but to boost long-term resilience, colleague health, and productivity through relieved anxiety.
5. Ensure implementation and review of purposeled initiatives through the creation of a Social Impact Taskforce
To ensure the effectiveness and implementation of the recommendations outlined above - and social impact projects right across the UK - Teleperformance should look to establish an internal Social Impact Taskforce. The taskforce will play a crucial role in carrying out the key recommendations above.
The Social Impact Taskforce should include individuals across departments and from a diverse range of backgrounds, ensuring a comprehensive approach to understanding and addressing the needs of the workforce.
Teleperformance and the Taskforce team should actively communicate with employees throughout the implementation process, addressing any concerns, providing clarifications and ensuring a smooth transition where relevant. This engagement will continue Teleperformance’s focus on trust and accountability as a guiding organisational principle.
To ensure implementation and transparency the Taskforce should publicly report on the progress of the initiatives six months after the launch of this report. The six-month assessment should highlight key achievements, challenges faced, and any adjustments made to the programmes based on employee or community feedback.