Program Provides Job Training and Placement for Distressed Populations
GlowTouch is committed to the opportunity economy by providing training and jobs in the BPO industry for populations who are often overlooked. The approach is known as impact sourcing, and our journey began in India by identifying potential employees from impoverished areas of the country. We are now importing this strategy into the US, and we’ll be discussing this topic, its inherent benefits and obstacles, and sharing some personal stories in the days ahead.Building on a Track Record
In the last three years, 11-13% of all new associates hired in our Mangalore and Bangalore campuses came from low-income backgrounds. In other words, we have already developed the blueprint for this initiative. We are not pitching an untested idea; the point is to replicate domestically what we already do overseas. With our corporate headquarters in Louisville, KY – a state that is home to some of America’s poorest counties – we can see first-hand the need for access to fair paying and accessible jobs. Moreover, our strategy goes beyond merely filling jobs by including a pathway for establishing careers in an industry that employs more than three million people and is expected to grow. Impact sourcing is an ideal tool for tapping into a population of under-skilled and underemployed talent.
The GlowTouch corporate program extends the mission of the GT Foundation which works with regional economic development groups to bridge the talent readiness gap. Impact sourcing is a natural extension of those efforts, focusing on the BPO industry by tapping human potential that is often overlooked to foster positive outcomes and advancement potential to people with the drive to succeed.
The Possibilities & Implications
What does impact sourcing mean to GlowTouch? It means economic inclusivity, and access to employment and training to those who want it. It allows us to reach:- People in underserved areas
- Homebound and disabled military veterans
- Active duty and military spouses
- People 55+ seeking a change in career
- Youth in transition between the ages of 18-25
We understand the hardships faced by so many who have the desire but lack the opportunity, knowledge of the opportunity, or the ability to access it. The amount of wasted human potential is a tragedy, one that we are committed to helping alleviate. In Kentucky, we are working with partners in the eastern parts of the state to reach residents of rural Appalachia. Closer to home, we are reaching into the urban pockets of Louisville that are being left behind as the metro’s economy expands.
The Road Ahead
This is just the beginning. A great deal of work lies ahead and GlowTouch is committed to being part of the solution. For us, this represents the renaissance of an existing story that surrounds impact sourcing. It is an initiative that has captured minds across the BPO industry, bringing employment – but mostly hope – to parts of the world where both are in short supply.
Part of our ethos as a company is that doing well in business is the perfect conduit for doing good in the communities around us. Impact sourcing connects those two ideals, bridging the results-driven imperatives that characterize every company with the mission-driven mindset usually found in the non-profit world. These two approaches are not mutually exclusive; on the contrary, we see them as complementary.
In creating more opportunities for employment and broadening the leverage potential of individuals, we benefit as an organization, our clients benefit from a motivated labor force working on their behalf, the newly hired people benefit, and finally, the community benefits by being uplifted.
We have much more on the horizon and we look forward to sharing it with you along the way. 
