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How outsourcing can facilitate culture-led growth, according to leaders

Posted March 15, 2023
Photo of TELUS International team members in an office setting, gathered around laptop computers and taking written notes

It seems paradoxical — the idea that outsourcing aspects of your digital customer experience (CX) can actually enhance your culture. Some may wonder: How can an external partner help to bring out the best from within?

Apprehension about the relationship between outsourcing and corporate culture is not uncommon, but don't let it dissuade you from leveraging the many benefits that a proficient partner can bring to the table. Such a partner will take the time to understand your culture, how it is brought to life and how they can do the same when designing, building and delivering your digital CX strategy.

But they won't stop at merely maintaining your culture. With the ability to source great talent from around the world and an eagerness to co-innovate with you to find new solutions to old problems, the right partner can help you to achieve culture-led growth. It's far from a paradox; the benefits are clear to see.

According to Deloitte, 88% of employees — and 94% of executives — believe a strong company culture is key to business success. And while many brands are struggling to navigate a talent shortage, research from Gallup shows that brands can boost revenue by as much as 33% by creating a culture that appeals to top talent.

Read on to learn more about how outsourcing can help you attain culture-led growth — with perspectives from three TELUS International leaders.

Inclusionary hiring is a boon to your business

Inclusionary hiring is both an ethical imperative and an economic one.

Businesses have a responsibility to give employment opportunities to people who've historically been shut out or disadvantaged. Your outsourcing partner can bring guidance, best practices and the infrastructure to help you broaden your talent search.

Upon committing to Everest Group's Impact Sourcing Pledge, Marilyn Tyfting, chief corporate officer at TELUS International, spoke on the subject of extending opportunities to high-potential individuals who are marginalized, a concept often referred to as impact sourcing. "To date, hundreds of TELUS International team members have been hired and trained as part of our various inclusive sourcing programs. Many hundreds more have been hired as a result of targeted talent acquisition efforts."

There are good reasons to revisit your hiring practices beyond morals. As customer expectations change, and the characteristics of exceptional digital customer experience evolve, impact sourcing helps brands to establish the diversity of thought and perspective that is necessary to stay one step ahead. No matter what you're trying to accomplish — from AI model expansion to fraud prevention — impact sourcing can move you closer to delivering solutions and services that reflect the needs of your customers.

In the competition for talent, fortune favors the innovative

It's hard to stand out to job-seekers right now. There's simply more demand for talent from employers than there is supply in the market.

The talent shortage poses a frustrating challenge for brands looking to scale and a potential limiting factor on revenue growth. It poses a call for innovation. Fortunately, a culture of innovation lies at the heart of an effective outsourcing partnership.

Applying the latest technology and thinking to matters of recruitment is a subject that Albert Galarza, global vice president of human resources at TELUS International, advocates for regularly.

"Not only have businesses had to change the way they recruit and hire talent in a post-pandemic world, they have also realized the critical importance of making these processes resilient and agile by leveraging next-gen technologies, digital platforms and cloud architectures to maintain business continuity," said Galarza in a press release for the launch of SPACE by TELUS International, a new virtual recruitment platform that provides job seekers with a fully immersive experience.

Galarza continued, "While traditional recruitment processes are often limited and tied to a geographical location, our new virtual platform SPACE removes that barrier while also providing candidates with an immersive view of TELUS International's culture to ensure they're the right fit from the start."

This means there's every chance a candidate will hit the ground running and play an important role in supporting customers for our client partners. Plus, by offering a differentiated recruitment experience, TELUS International can attract the star talent needed in order to scale in a manner that is aligned with our clients' evolving needs.

Thrive by keeping culture front and center

"Transformational." That's the word Maria Pardee, chief commercial officer at TELUS International, used to describe the effect that the right provider can bring to an outsourcing partnership in an article for CMSWire.

Interviewed for her perspective on how brands can get the most out of digital customer experience outsourcing, Pardee explained, "When onboarding a CX provider, it is critical that a company share its company culture and values — what they stand for and hope to achieve, and also its more nuanced brand elements, including the company's 'voice' so that all parts of the CX strategy and delivery map back to these foundational elements for the most authentic customer experience."

Alignment in terms of culture between client and outsourcing provider enables the effective omnichannel experiences that can build customer loyalty, the article argues. And in this way, a clear link can be made between cultural alignment and the satisfaction of customer expectations, which study after study suggests is critical to business success. In a study commissioned by Adobe, for example, companies delivering the most effective omnichannel experiences achieved 10% year over year growth.

Enlist the help of a leader in workplace engagement

Achieving culture-led growth through outsourcing is a lot more difficult when your digital CX provider isn't highly engaged.

You don't have to worry about that with us. In fact, TELUS International has been recognized as one of the 2023 Achievers 50 Most Engaged Workplaces® — our fifth consecutive time making the list. The award acknowledges our commitment to cultivating an environment where employees feel valued, seen and heard.

Let's talk about how your culture can take you to new heights. Get in touch today.


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