Spotlight on inclusion at Serco – Kamal’s story
Kamal Riyani, Serco Customer Services Communications Officer, talks about the challenges of leaving his home country to start a new life in the UK, and why he feels an inclusive work culture leads to better workplace wellbeing.
Tell us what life was like back home in Morocco
I was born in a small city named "Taza" in the northeast of Morocco, known for its beautiful mountains, caves, and hiking paths. I earned my bachelor's degree in Sport Science in 2011. After working for a couple of years, I pursued my master's degree in Sports Management in 2015.
I've had various roles, including being a sports teacher, a project leader in education and the leisure industry, a leadership trainer, and a university lecturer in sport and event management.
I never planned to leave Morocco since I cherished my country and had a successful career there. I even considered starting my own business. However, in 2019, my wife and I decided to move to England.
Image: Kamal Riyani (right), pictured with his wife Sarah
What made you decide to leave and start a new life somewhere else?
I moved from Morocco to help my wife, Sarah. She's from Wilsden, Yorkshire, and finished her studies at Manchester University in 2018, getting a master's degree in Neuroscience. We were living together in Morocco for 6 months. In December 2018, she went back to England for her graduation.
One day, she called me and told me about an exciting job offer in Manchester. She was going to work for an international company doing research on the brain. I remember how happy she was, but we were also unsure about what to do.
We knew one of us needed to make a sacrifice and follow the other. So, I decided to make her happy and join her. I left everything behind me and decided to come and start from scratch in the UK to support my wife. That is how I came here.
Image: Kamal (left) and wife Sarah
You joined Serco in 2020, what initial challenges did you face?
When I started as a Customer Adviser answering phone calls, it was a new and challenging experience.
At first, it was hard because I wasn't used to different accents and had trouble understanding people.
This had a significant negative impact on my mental health, making me feel depressed, and I contemplated quitting my job and returning to my home country for several weeks.
But I was fortunate to have some great managers like Jen, Darrell, Paul, Joanne, and Ryan.
Image: Kamal (left), with colleagues Alex Matthews, Sam Bedingham-Pearce, Roxana Gearap
You have since progressed to Communications Officer in customer services. What help and support have you received from Serco with your career progression?
Serco has offered me the opportunity to learn, great surroundings, and made me feel welcomed even though I came from a different background.
After I started achieving great performances, they saw that I had potential and offered me chances to help with coaching, training, rewards, and other projects. I also made many friends within my team and helped with office activities by volunteering.
During my tenure as a team manager, I received the Pulse Award certificate in the innovation category for developing an interactive platform that reduced paper usage within my section. This recognition boosted my confidence, as it demonstrated Serco's commitment to rewarding individuals who contribute value, regardless of their backgrounds.
Through these experiences, and with the support of my wife, family, and Serco colleagues, I started feeling better, more included, and settled and I've learned a lot about the different jobs. This helped me understand more about the business, what I like and where I want to be. Now, I'm glad that I tried different roles before getting to where I am now.
Image: Kamal with Manchester colleagues Rocio Quiroz (left), and Lucy McDowell, in 2022 celebrating the Jubilee
Read on to hear what Kamal thinks about creating a more inclusive workplace.
Before I came to the UK, there was a time when I didn't get offered certain jobs and opportunities, even though I had done really well and achieved a lot. This happened because of where I came from. This hurts me a lot and made me believe strongly in giving everyone a fair chance.
When I started working at Serco, one of my best memories was talking with a co-worker. They were really interested in where I'm from, Morocco, and they also told me things about England. It made me happy, and I worked well that day. Because of experiences like this, I think it's important that everyone feels included at work no matter where they're from or what they believe in.
It's good for Serco to be kind and accepting of everyone's differences and cultures. This not only helps us come up with new ideas and solve problems better, but it also makes work a nice place for all of us. Work takes up a big part of our lives, so we should make sure it's not a toxic place to be.
I used to enjoy conversing with my colleague Rebecca about cultural differences when I was a Team Manager at the Manchester office. When I joined the Wellbeing & Culture department and began working with Georgina, I was thrilled to partner with someone dedicated to appreciating colleagues from various backgrounds.
That's when the idea for the culture café emerged – to offer a space for everyone to come together and exchange their cultures, traditions, and experiences in a safe environment. When I moderate these conversations, I ask courageous questions with the intention of learning and breaking barriers, which fosters open conversations and interactions among colleagues, allowing them to learn from each other's backgrounds and perspectives.
After two sessions, I noticed people engaging in discussions about the concept and sharing positive feedback with us.
Absolutely, now I am focusing on the culture café and want to make the concept reach a wider audience. Additionally, we're exploring the creation of employee resource groups to foster connections among individuals with shared backgrounds or interests.
Our goal is to continuously enhance the inclusive environment at Serco through these initiatives and more.
Be courageous in asking questions and ensure your positive intentions are clear. Begin by actively listening to employees, valuing their diverse perspectives and expectations. Transparently communicate the organisation's dedication to inclusion while establishing clear behavioural expectations that endorse respect and empathy. Regularly providing diversity and inclusion training can enhance education and awareness.
Lastly, fostering chances for open dialogue, acknowledging, and learning from mistakes, and maintaining ongoing progress assessment are vital strides in constructing a genuinely inclusive and fair work environment.
