By – Lynette D’Silva, VP HR – Global People Services
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace is not just a policy or a short-term goal – it’s an ongoing journey that reshapes organizations for the better. A strong DEI strategy empowers companies to cultivate an inclusive culture where everyone feels valued, supported and encouraged to realize their true potential.
At Amdocs, we take pride in our globally diverse workforce, a powerful mix of talents that underscores the importance of diversity and inclusion as pillars of our success. We believe that a culture of respect and equality enables employees to express their authentic selves at work. This, in turn, strengthens collaboration, creativity, and teamwork – essential ingredients for a global company’s success.
Our Commitment to DEI
Amdocs is dedicated to advancing diversity and inclusion through flexibility, employee wellbeing, and career growth. Our commitment is deeply embedded in our identity, business strategies, and day-to-day approach.
The communications industry has traditionally faced challenges attracting women, but our multi-layered approach has enabled us to make significant strides in addressing this challenge. Today, women make up 33% of our workforce, with 29.5% representation in tech roles.
Our DEI efforts focus on three key pillars – increasing diverse representation, fostering a culture of inclusion, and ensuring equity by implementing pay-equity mechanisms and gender calibration across all people processes.
Key Initiatives at Amdocs
- Women in Leadership Program: We place great emphasis on increasing women’s presence in managerial and leadership roles and run various programs at both business unit and regional levels to identify, support, and advance women within the organization. Our flagship program ‘Build Your Leadership Voice,’ prepares team leads for managerial roles through leadership workshops, mentorship sessions, and executive coaching. Currently, 31.8% of junior management positions in the company are held by women.
- Training for Inclusive Leadership: We provide diversity training for managers and team leads, focusing on unconscious bias and practical inclusivity strategies. Last year, this training was integrated into managerial courses, reaching 150 managers globally.
- Bias-Free Recruitment: Applicant Tracking System (ATS) being used these days can sometime filter out high-skilled, qualified candidates because of certain parameters such as work-history gaps, missing credential. To counteract this, we developed a Career-Hub platform, an AI-driven tool that evaluates candidates based on skills rather than the actual role. The platform assesses/identifies individuals’ capabilities/skills, and removes all identifiable information such as names, gender, universities, age, etc. The platform helps reduce unconscious bias in hiring and encourages diversity in both internal and external recruitment.
- W-Factor: This initiative involves a contest among various Amdocs units, focusing on gender diversity parameters such as women’s hiring and promotion rates. Quarterly leadership discussions are held to review data from all units and share best practices and success stories. Each unit is supported by their D&I partner to develop interventions tailored to their specific needs and opportunities.
- Talent Magnet: Through live podcasts and social media sessions, this series highlights technological advancements and promotes women in tech. The aim is to create a positive impression among women about the latest technology, foster innovation, and inspire them to participate in the growth and success of the tech industry.
- Work-Life Balance and Vacation Without Limits: Recognizing the need for flexibility, Amdocs embraces a hybrid work model where employees are expected to work from the office three days a week, with the flexibility to work remotely on the remaining days, providing them with the ability to manage their time efficiently and achieve a work-life balance.
Three years ago, we introduced the ‘Vacation Without Limits’ program, allowing employees to take as much time off as they choose, as long as it is fully coordinated with their manager. Since the launch of the program, the average vacation usage has increased 38.2% vs three years ago.
Overcoming Challenges
Creating an inclusive workplace goes beyond hiring diverse talent — it requires fostering a culture where diversity becomes a strength. Key challenges include unconscious biases related to age, gender, etc. and struggle to ensure that inclusion isn’t seen as an HR mandate but a shared leadership responsibility. Leaders at all levels must actively champion diversity and inclusion to drive meaningful change.
Over the coming years, technology will play a crucial role in advancing workplace inclusion. AI-powered tools are helping organizations enhance accessibility, communication, and collaboration. Additionally, data and analytics help organizations identify gaps, track progress, and refine inclusion strategies based on workforce insights.
The Road Ahead
To maintain progress, organizations must commit to continuous learning and adaptation. Encouraging open dialogue, leveraging decision-making tools, and promoting fairness, empathy, and collaboration are key. Regular feedback, employee surveys, and aligning DE&I with business goals ensure lasting impact.
At Amdocs, we are committed to fostering a culture of inclusivity and providing the necessary support to women to break barriers and achieve new heights. By fostering an environment where diversity is celebrated and equity is prioritized, we are paving the way for lasting change and innovation. We hope to build a future where everyone gets equal opportunity to thrive.
