Zain Bahrain, a telecommunications industry innovator in Bahrain, organised a training course on sign language for its employees as part of its diversity and inclusion (D&I) initiatives to instil a culture that is diverse, equitable and inclusive at the workplace.
As part of Zain Bahrain’s D&I strategy, the training programme is aimed to develop the employees’ abilities, elevate the customer experience to be more inclusive and welcoming, thereby making the Zain brand more accessible to all.
The training was delivered by Abeer Saloom, founder of Ishara Training Corporation, who is considered to be the first coach with hearing impairment in the Gulf.
Zain Bahrain fosters a culture of inclusion and believes in a holistic framework for achieving the goals of inclusion and equal opportunity for all.
The course created awareness and sign language sensitization when dealing with people with impairment.
The company scheduled multiple sessions to equip Zain Bahrain employees with three levels of sign language starting from the basics to make them confident while conversing with people having hearing impairment on the business floor.
Fatima Haider, Manager, Sustainability & Inclusivity at Zain Bahrain said, “Zain Bahrain is also aiming to train 10% of its staff to be proficient in sign language for effective communication.”
Abeer Saloom, founder of Ishara Training Corporation said, “The sign language training will further make Zain Bahrain staff more confident when communicating with people with disabilities and demonstrates the company’s commitment towards inclusivity.
The training was designed around inclusivity, so everyone feels like a member of the team and will provide an avenue to engage in productive and meaningful conversations with the community of hard-hearing persons.”
Wala Ali, Learning & Development Specialist, Human Resources at Zain Bahrain commented, “By conducting the sign language training, we aimed to develop awareness and sensitivity towards people with impairment as well as fostering a culture of respect towards the requirements of all our customers and employees, especially people with special needs and make them feel safe and engaged in the working and business environment.”