Intel’s Warmline

Work relationships can be hard. Wouldn’t it be great to be able to just make a call for help? An Intel program designed to engage diverse talent not only increased retention but also helped a range of employees facing difficulties.

A few years ago, Intel was looking for ways to better retain key talent — particularly women and underrepresented minorities.

Their solution: the Warmline, a first-of-its-kind confidential employee service, which launched in 2016. Initially introduced in the U.S, the Warmline aims to increase retention by pairing employees with case managers to address employee concerns. The program features a variety of resources to help guide employees through a range of professional challenges, including:

• Career progression
• Belonging and integration
• Job-skills alignment
• Employee-manager connection

Since its introduction, the program has expanded to serve Intel sites in several other countries across the world and has been used by thousands of employees. The results? Over 85% of employees who contacted the Warmline decided to remain at Intel.

Despite the program’s initial focus around helping to address the retention of women and underrepresented minorities, Warmline is used extensively by all categories of Intel employee — reinforcing the idea that building an inclusive workplace benefits all employees.

Intel’s 2020 numbers showed an 87.5% retention rate — and reflected that over 91% of Warmline users would recommend the program to other employees. In 2020, over 60% of the employees who accessed Warmline were women, and over 27% were underrepresented minorities.

Looking forward to 2021 and beyond, Intel will continue expanding the Warmline program to serve employees in other regions. Additionally, the company is introducing a tailored Warmline service for leaders, which supports the company’s 2030 goal of doubling the number of women and underrepresented minorities in senior leadership roles.

Today, there are thousands of talented employees who are still at Intel in part because they were able to access the Warmline.

Thanks to the Warmline, Intel is creating a more inclusive culture — positioning the company to achieve greater business success, better meet customer needs, and create an inclusive workplace where everyone can achieve their best.