Building a Culture of
Inclusion at Collaborative

From a DEI perspective, how does Collaborative help you grow as a person and in your career?

DEI is built into Collaborative’s culture and is not an afterthought. From the beginning of my time with CS I was amazed by the organization’s dedication to DEI. Even though I have been 100% virtual during my time at CS, I have found community and belonging through our ERGS and D&I council. I have had the opportunity to connect with and work with Collabies across our organization which has opened even more opportunity for me allowing me to find my passion and move into my current role on our Talent team. Being a part of ERGS and the D&I council has given me many opportunities to present, plan events and learn more about the business. I owe my confidence to take on projects, speak to stakeholders, and be creative in my day-day work to DEI.

Why is diversity, equity & inclusion important to you? Why is it important for Collaborative?

DEI is important to me because all throughout my professional and educational journey I have always struggled to see myself in most spaces. I often find myself being the only Black woman or Black person in a space. Previously this has made me feel “othered”, uncomfortable being my full self, and afraid to speak up in certain situations due to the burden of representing a whole demographic and not wanting to disappoint. When DEI is recognized, it opens a safe space. DEI efforts allow everyone’s voice to be heard, creates community between coworkers (even across departments), and challenges the systematic issues that overlook minorities. Through DEI Collaborative has changed processes, policies, and created a more comfortable and fairer workplace for everyone. Although it is an ongoing challenge Collaborative is very transparent on where we are and where we want to go. 

What is one program or initiative that makes you proud to work here & why?

Continuous education! Collaborative works very hard to make sure employees of all backgrounds are seen and that our Collabies are educated on being the most inclusive they can. This goes from internally and externally working with clients as well! Each year since I have been with CS there were several opportunities to learn. Some of my favorite events include:

-Microaggression Workshop, an interactive workshop that allowed Collabies to learn about microaggressions. Employees of all backgrounds and knowledge levels were welcome and it was a safe environment which allowed people to speak their minds and grow throughout the session.

-Color Blinded Webinar, a webinar put on by DEI and L&D to bring awareness to Colorblindness. I was involved with the planning and hosting of this event. We talked about simple changes that Collabies can make in their personal lives and at work to accommodate people who are colorblind, such as simply using certain colors when making reports. A true ode to inclusion making sure that everyone has access.

-SOAR, an annual event put on by VALOR, our miliary ERG. Each year in November VALOR hosts a talk where a veteran comes and speaks about their service, challenges, and their life. Although this event has had external and internal speakers, I most enjoy hearing our own Collabies speak about their service. It is very interesting to learn more about fellow Collabies. Especially those who have served or have family who have served, there are so many inspiring stories that come out of these talks.

How does Collaborative foster an inclusive workplace?

CS fosters an inclusive workplace by being more than just a workplace. There are so many opportunities at Collaborative, no matter what your interest. You can get involved with many different groups and you are never expected to join a group because you “belong in that group”. It is very encouraged for Collabies to join ERGS, Collabie Crews, and even company events with different types of Collabies than themselves. Our Collabies are all about educating others and helping everyone to succeed whether it be at work, personally, or socially. 

What advice do you have for someone who wants to help create a more inclusive work environment?

Speak up! If there is something that you would like to see that doesn’t exist or you’re not sure how to join just ask. There are multiple ways to start initiatives from speaking to your manager, skip levels, filling out the engagement survey, joining groups, reaching out to leadership etc. At Collaborative we have an open-door policy, so you’re always welcome to reach out or if you’d prefer to remain anonymous you can go the survey route to have your voice heard.  

From a DEI perspective, how does Collaborative help you grow as a person and in your career?

Collaborative truly embodies the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Specifically, being part of ERGs such as HUE has helped me in a myriad of ways.  For example, it has empowered me to be more comfortable with public speaking and being more forward-facing. It has also really helped me see that I am more of a creative, idea-focused person than I originally expected.

Why is diversity, equity & inclusion important to you? Why is it important for Collaborative?

The topic of diversity, equity, and inclusion is important to me because focusing on it gives my peers and me a space to be able to express ourselves, be understood, and to comprehend those around us. I think it’s important to have a growth mindset when it comes to issues of equity and justice, and part of that is becoming familiar with the unfamiliar and getting outside your comfort zone. We live in a diverse world, so it’s fundamental for Collaborative to embody and champion these values to foster an inclusive, welcoming environment for all Collabies.

What is one program or initiative that makes you proud to work here & why?

I am especially proud of Mind Matters. Mental health is a tremendous issue in our country, especially for members of historically underserved and under-recognized communities.
Mind Matters helps breaks the stigma surrounding mental health and helps normalize topics that were once considered “off-limits” for discussion in the workplace. It gives people an open forum where they can discuss and share their experiences, but also provides them a venue where they can really talk about what’s going on and get support from the Collabie community.

How does Collaborative foster an inclusive workplace?

Collaborative helps foster an inclusive workplace by providing us with so many ERGs and other resources where they can engage with their colleagues and truly be heard. 

What advice do you have for someone who wants to help create a more inclusive work environment?

First things first, it can’t be understated how important it is to just listen.  Get to know people, hear their stories, and try to empathize with their truth. Everyone comes from different backgrounds and experiences, and we can all learn something from one another if we take a moment to get to know someone’s story from a place of respect, love, and tolerance.

From a DEI perspective, how does Collaborative help you grow as a person and in your career? 

Collaborative had been one of the first corporate organisation where I have truly felt that being a woman of color (I am of Indian Heritage) does not define how I am treated. At Collaborative I have felt empowered, valued and my views heard at every level of the business. The mentorship from Leadership and support through ERGs has been extremely impactful in the development of my career. 

Why is diversity, equity & inclusion important to you? Why is it important for Collaborative?

Until we can embrace differences in our community, we can never truly be free or enlightened. What perpetuates the prejudices that I and many minority individuals have experienced in our lives is simply a lack of knowledge and awareness. I always say that if we can share our stories and experiences, it starts the important work towards breaking down those barriers. That’s why I am passionate about not only sharing my stories but listening wholeheartedly to other people’s experiences. Collaborative achieves that so well through the strong DE&I presence and the variety of events, initiatives and campaigns that are held across the regions. 

What is one program or initiative that makes you proud to work here & why?

I felt extremely proud to personally take part and share my experiences in some of the events that we have held in EMEA with Kaleidoscope such as the ‘Women in Tech’ event and a personal favorite of mine the ‘South Asian Heritage Month Event’. Being South Asian has not had a huge amount of coverage but I felt very proud to work at Collaborative when this was requested as an event to be celebrated. I was delighted to receive so much positive feedback from colleagues, about how they resonated with our experiences growing up; be it similar examples of racism or cultural stereotypes as well as some of the positive celebrations of our culture. I believe that events like this allow us to relate to each other in different ways, not only making our relationships stronger as a Collabie Community but also fostering wider change in the world. 

How does Collaborative foster an inclusive workplace? 

DE&I is definitely embraced and celebrated at Collaborative; we can see that through the many ERGs and initiatives that are held here. We have ERGs that are representing a vast spectrum of identities and events/ initiatives to celebrate the diversity across all these wonderful groups! 

What advice do you have for someone who wants to help create a more inclusive work environment?

Encourage people to share their stories, understand that you may have cultural biases, we are all human after all. However, acknowledging our lack of knowledge and taking the time to look beyond stereotypes at the human stories not only encourages inclusivity it allows us to be a more diverse and therefore stronger and more beautiful community! 

From a DEI perspective, how does Collaborative help you grow as a person and in your career?

Working with a company that has a global workforce is such a rich opportunity for creating an expansive DEI conversation. There are Collabies around the world that bring with them different backgrounds, identities, religions, ethnicities, cultures, races, journeys, and more. I get a chance to work with all of them and grow in unexpected ways from their experiences and knowledge.

Why is diversity, equity & inclusion important to you? Why is it important for Collaborative?

Diversity, equity, and inclusion is important because doing this work means creating places that all Collabies feel like they belong. Creating policies that are holistic of all identities allows Collabies to come to work and know that they can focus on their ideas, their projects, and growing in their careers. It is important for Collaborative Solutions to focus on DEI because it makes the company more creative, bolder, and creates a place where folks want to contribute with their full selves.

What is one program or initiative that makes you proud to work here & why?

When I started at Collaborative, it didn’t take long for me to get to know the DEI leaders. They are hands on, approachable, and fantastic listeners! Alix Prassas and Trae Yates are putting in thoughtful, difficult, and exciting work to make Collaborative a place where all Collabies belong. I am very proud to work with a team that is invested in more than enacting best practices of the field but establishing next practices that are truly holistic of our cultures as they evolve.

How does Collaborative foster an inclusive workplace?

Collaborative is a workplace with a growing number of Employee Resource Groups and tons of programming for all Collabies to learn about each other, different cultures, new ideas, and to take stock of all our roles in creating a more inclusive workplace. I think it is an exciting time to be a Collabie with so many new opportunities to learn from and about each other. More importantly, I think it says a lot about the culture of Collaborative that I can show up to work every day and focus on my work rather than having to focus on whether I fit here or not. A good example of this is that I was able to speak with my manager after my onboarding to discuss my schedule and any accommodations that I might need. After a quick five-minute chat, I was able to make the Flex Friday program work better for me as Jewish person so that I can leave early on Fridays to observe Shabbat and be present with my family and our traditions. 

What advice do you have for someone who wants to help create a more inclusive work environment?

If you are a person who enjoys getting involved in the conversation and leading, put yourself out there! Get involved in an ERG Board, contact the DEI leadership, and let your ideas be heard. If you are person who doesn’t feel comfortable just yet being super vocal in the DEI space, that’s ok, listen, learn, and be an ally to the Collabies around you. Everyone is needed in this space and there is a role to play for all. 

Why is diversity, equity & inclusion important to you? Why is it important for Collaborative?

When I was seeking new opportunities, I was very concerned with the DEI record of any future employer. Seeing that Collaborative has a Diversity link right on the public-facing home page proved to me that Collaborative would be a great fit for me. In the time since joining the company, the DEI offerings have gotten even better, through the establishment of the Diversity Council and the Employee Resource Groups, and the continual self-reflection that the company does to keep raising the bar for itself. It’s very refreshing to see, and I think our customers benefit from the diversity we Collabies bring to the table, as well as the excitement that the inclusive nature of our company exemplifies to our customers. It only serves to make our business grow.

What is one program or initiative that makes you proud to work here & why?

My involvement in the SPECTRUM Employee Resource Group, for LGBTQ+ Collabies, has been a great source of Pride (pun intended). The programs that SPECTRUM has offered have been well-attended and very exciting, and the best ones are when we partner with other ERGs to co-present events. However, for me, the most significant work of our ERG has been to work with Collaborative to achieve a score on the Corporate Equality Index issued by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. This is the “gold standard” benchmark on how well a company stands by its commitment to their LGBTQ+ workers, and I was an early leader in our application process. In our first attempt at a score this year, we earned an 80% out of 100 points, which is phenomenal! We will continue to push toward a 100% score for next year, and thereby win the “Best Places To Work for LGBTQ+ Employees” designation. That will be a real achievement for which the entire organization can be rightfully proud. I can’t wait for that press release!

How does Collaborative foster an inclusive workplace?

Collaborative says what it means, and means what it says. Benefits offerings that include gender-affirmation services, fertility care, family programs, the list is extensive. Not every company has stood by the marginalized in society in solidarity, but Collaborative often leads the way. From recognizing Juneteenth as a company holiday, to adding ‘Inclusion Days’ to cover other various holidays for Collabies, to rolling out the use of personal adjectives in email signature lines, Collaborative has shown its commitment to its staff in measurable and meaningful ways. Collaborative recognizes that we are all humans, coming in every shape, size, color, and every other measure of dignity that comes with it.