Latest / The Diversity Career Podcast with Fexingo: Inclusion, Equity, and Underrepresented Professionals / How a Bank Built a Career Track for Muslim Professionals
Transcript
- Lucas: So there's this data point that's been stuck in my head for a while. A few years back, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reported that religious discrimination charges, while still a small slice of the total, were holding steady even as other categories were dropping. And yet, almost nobody in corporate America talks about faith as a career lever. Luna: Right, because it's one of those identities you're supposed to leave at the door. But some companies are actually doing the opposite. Lucas: Exactly. So today I want to drill into one specific example: a major U.S. bank that built a formal career development track for Muslim employees. Not just an employee resource group that meets once a month, but a pipeline that moves people from entry-level roles into management. Luna: And this is a bank we're talking about, which is interesting because finance is not exactly known for its progressive inclusion policies. Lucas: Right. And the program started, like a lot of these do, almost by accident. Around 2017, a handful of Muslim employees at this bank started meeting informally. They were mostly in operations and technology roles, and they wanted to talk about everything from prayer breaks during Ramadan to whether they could wear a hijab in client-facing positions. Luna: So it begins as a support group, essentially. Lucas: Yeah. And the bank's diversity office noticed. They saw that these employees were staying longer, getting promoted at rates that matched their peers, and they started wondering if there was a way to make this more scalable. So they turned that informal group into a formal employee resource group, with an executive sponsor. Luna: And an executive sponsor is key, because that's what gives it teeth. It's not just a grassroots thing anymore. Lucas: Exactly. And the sponsor was a senior managing director who, interestingly, was not Muslim himself. But he'd spent years in the Middle East for the bank, so he understood the cultural nuances. He became a champion for the group, and that changed the conversation internally. Luna: So what did the actual career track look like? Because I imagine it's not just 'here's a mentor, good luck.' Lucas: Right, it's much more structured. The bank created a two-year program that pairs each participant with a senior leader, kind of a career coach, not just a mentor. They meet quarterly to map out skills gaps, look at stretch assignments, and identify what's needed for the next level. There's also a leadership curriculum component, taught by the bank's learning and development team. Luna: And it's open to anyone who identifies as Muslim, or is it broader? Lucas: That's a good question. It's open to Muslim employees at any level, but the bank also opened it to non-Muslims who work closely with Muslim clients or communities. Because the goal is not just to advance Muslim employees, but to build cultural competence across the bank. Luna: That's a smart move. It makes it an inclusion initiative, not a special interest. Lucas: And the results are pretty striking. The bank says that since the program started, Muslim representation in management roles has increased by something like forty percent. And the retention rate for program participants is over ninety percent, which is well above the bank's average for that demographic. Luna: Wow. So it's not just a feel-good thing. It's moving the needle on real career outcomes. Lucas: Yeah. And I think that's something we don't talk about enough in the diversity space. We focus on hiring numbers, but we don't always look at what happens after someone is hired. Are they getting promoted? Are they staying? Are they reaching their full potential? Luna: And that's where the career track comes in. It's not just about getting in the door, it's about moving up. Lucas: And look, I know we're in the middle of this, and I want to get back to the specifics of the program in a second, but this feels like the right moment to mention something. We keep this podcast ad-free, and the only reason we can do that is because listeners who find value in these conversations occasionally buy us a coffee. If today's episode helps you think about your own career or your company's inclusion strategy, that link is buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Luna: Yeah, and it's a small way to say thanks for the work that goes into these episodes. We really appreciate it. Lucas: So, back to the bank. One of the most interesting pieces of this program is how they handle religious accommodation in a way that actually boosts performance. For example, they worked with the facilities team to create quiet spaces for prayer, not just for Muslims, but for anyone who needs a moment of reflection. And they made it a standard part of new office designs. Luna: So it's not just about the career track, it's about the environment that supports it. Without those accommodations, the career track might not be as effective. Lucas: Exactly. The two go hand in hand. And the bank also found that this approach helped with client relationships. They had teams in the Middle East and in markets with large Muslim populations, and having employees who understood the cultural and religious context became a competitive advantage. Luna: That's a great point. It's not just an internal HR thing, it's a business strategy. Lucas: And that's the thing that gets executives on board. When you can show that inclusion leads to better client outcomes, it's no longer a cost center, it's a revenue driver. Luna: So what were some of the challenges? Because I imagine it wasn't all smooth sailing. Lucas: One challenge was initial skepticism from some Muslim employees themselves. They were worried that being part of a religiously-based program might mark them as 'different' or actually hurt their careers. So the bank had to do a lot of internal communication to make it clear that this was about development, not separation. Luna: That's a real concern. And it's one of those things that can make or break these initiatives. Lucas: Another challenge was measuring success. The bank tracks standard metrics like promotion rates and retention, but they also do qualitative surveys to understand the employee experience. They found that participants felt more engaged and more likely to recommend the bank as a place to work. Luna: So it's not just about the numbers, it's about the culture. Lucas: Right. And I think there's a broader lesson here for any employer. Diversity programs often start with a focus on race or gender, but faith is an overlooked dimension. This bank's experience shows that when you take it seriously, you can build a career pipeline that benefits both the employees and the company. Luna: And I think it's worth noting that this didn't require a huge budget or a massive restructuring. It started with a group of employees who wanted to connect, and the bank chose to invest in that. Lucas: Exactly. And that's something any company can do. Start by listening to your employees, find out what they need, and then build a structure around that. The scale might be different, but the principle is the same. Luna: So if someone wants to bring this idea to their own organization, what's the first step? Lucas: I'd say start with the data. Look at your own promotion and retention rates for different groups. If you see a gap, that's your opening. Then talk to employees, see what they're experiencing, and bring that back to leadership with a clear business case. Luna: And don't forget to get that executive sponsor early on. Lucas: Absolutely. Without that high-level champion, it's easy for these initiatives to stall. But with the right support, you can turn a small ERG into a real career accelerator. Luna: I love that we're ending on a practical note. So, Lucas, what's the one thing you want listeners to take away from today's episode? Lucas: I think it's that inclusion isn't just about making people feel welcome, it's about giving them the tools to advance. When you do that, everyone wins. The employees get better careers, and the company gets better talent.