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People-First Cultures

Share Your Voice

This Culture & Belonging space is where HR leaders and People teams share real stories and practical advice on building people-first workplaces — from employee experience and leadership to themes like work-life integration, psychological safety, and parenting & caregiving.
GK
Georgina Kennedy

“We are all neurodiverse, but we are not all marginalised by it.”

This is where Atif Choudhury begins. Not with labels, but with the barriers that shape who is heard, who belongs and who is given the opportunity to thrive. Through powerful storytelling, the bio social model, intersectionality and Anticipatory Welcome, Atif has a rare ability to reach hearts and change minds. Because when people see differently, they lead differently. We are now taking bookings for National Inclusion Week, from 14 to 20 September. To bring Atif into your organisation, contact [email protected]
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GK
Georgina Kennedy

Awareness days matter. But what happens the day after?

Awareness days matter. But what happens the day after? If you’re planning your neurodiversity, disability or inclusion activity for the rest of 2026, there are some important dates coming up: 📅 14–20 September — National Inclusion Week 📅 October — ADHD Awareness Month 📅 5–11 October — Dyslexia Awareness Week 📅 22 October — International Stammering Awareness Day 📅 3 November — Purple Tuesday 📅 19 November–19 December — UK Disability History Month 📅 3 December — International Day of Persons with Disabilities If you’re planning a keynote, leadership session or organisation-wide conversation around any of these moments, we’d love to put Atif Choudhury, CEO of Calling All Minds, on your radar. Atif’s work goes beyond awareness. His sessions explore the bio-social model of disability through an intersectional lens, and introduce Anticipatory Welcome™ - considering human difference and access needs before someone has to ask, disclose or struggle. It’s about moving from reactive adjustment to inclusion by design. Atif brings more than 30 years of experience across disability, neurodiversity and systems change, alongside work with Disability Rights UK, the NHS ADHD Taskforce and the World Health Organization’s Rapid Assistive Technology Board. If you’d like to book Atif for an upcoming event or awareness date, please get in touch: 📩 [email protected] 🌐 www.callingallminds.com Let’s make awareness the start of the conversation, not the end of it.
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Leslie Acuin
Leslie Acuin
Chapter Leader
·🏔️ Greater Vancouver IGC Chapter Leader. Building community for HR people who care about people, culture, and workplaces that feel good to work in.

Do we really need Engagement Initiatives?

Had an employee once who complained every chance they got. No culture here. Nobody does anything fun. Company doesn't care about us. So we listened. Built out a whole calendar of activities based on what people said they wanted. Guess who never showed up. Same person.. I used to think this was hypocrisy. Now I think it's something else. Sometimes the complaint was never really about the activities. It was about feeling unseen, and the activities were just the easiest thing to point at. Doesn't mean you stop building culture. It means you stop assuming the loudest complaint tells you the whole story. I bet a lot of you have experienced this. I'm excited to hear some real life stories, drop them below!
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RS
Robert Snyder

Two Culture Scorecards: Utopian & Dystopian

Over the past year, I have felt a certain "systemic tolerance," embrace, and affinity for untrustworthiness and "VUCA/BANI" in the workplace. I think it's worth pushing back on this tolerance. I think it's worth calling out "ambiguity about the ambiguity" (my favorite three quotes about ambiguity are below). It's a skill to navigate ambiguity. Another skill? Reducing ambiguity. It's a skill to navigate complexity. Another skill? Reducing complexity. My reflection led to formalizing two different Culture Scorecards. For those of you familiar with Goodhart's Law, these scorecards 1) acknowledge the merits of Goodhart's Law, 2) anticipate that point of view, and 3) to be blunt, reject Goodhart's Law (the scorecards welcome being gamified). 🙂 Of course this is provocative because it aims to move the needle on workplace culture and either 1) confront the erosion into chaos or 2) exaggerate chaos into absurdity. Has anyone else seen scorecards or metrics at the altitude of workplace culture? Anyone want to explore the concept of a Culture Scorecard and explore why your titles and target values might diverge from these examples of a Utopian and a Dystopian scorecard? Note that in the red scorecard, "100" simply means an ambiguously and infinitely high number. Back on the topic of trustworthiness, this scorecard aims for a culture of "systematic intolerance" of untrustworthiness. Systemic tolerance of untrustworthiness is low bravery. Systematic intolerance of untrustworthiness is bravery. Thank you for any reactions, questions, skepticism, etc.
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Lisa Lie
Lisa Lie
Featured Contributor
·Making teams better at work, one skill at a time

Reframe learning as problem solving

There's this thing that keeps happening at work for a lot of people I talk to. The same awkward conversation keeps coming up. Or there's a meeting that feels compeltely pointless each week. Or one person that does their head in and they just can't figure out how to work with. Most people notice it and then just...move on (or quietly let it fester). They tell themselves it's part of the job, it'll sort itself out eventually. Or they're just not good at that sort of thing. Nothing explodes and nothing improves either. So, the same friction shows up again next week. The people who actually get better? They treat those moments as problems you can solve, and not as personality verdicts or status quo. Instead of: "I just need to be more confident", it becomes "That conversation didn't work. What could I try differently next time?". Or instead of: "I'm too stretched to take on L&D", it becomes "What can we stop doing to make room for this?". They reflect and then they adjust. One small change, learning one tiny skill - and trying it out the next time it comes up. Over time, that compounds into what looks like confidence or natural talent. It moves attitude from low agency to high agency. This week, it's worth looking at what keeps showing up in your work (or for your team) that feels harder than it should be. Pick one thing, try something different - and see what happens. Reframe learning as problem-solving. Get your team to focus on just one thing (this is so underrated) - that's how improvement will really happen.
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Joy
Joy
·HR Technology & Communications Partner at Equiom Group

EVP & Employee Engagement "Merch" - What's worked (and what hasn't) for you?

Hi all! Do you offer any 'merch' or branded swag for existing employees and/or recruitment fairs? If yes, what have you found that's worked well for you - and what's been an unexpected flop? Looking for thoughts and experiences on everything from office staples like notebooks, pens, mouse mats, sticky notes, highlighters; life and commute goodies like water bottles and laptop sleeves; all the way through to the wacky and wild unexpected hits! Imagine budget is no issue (wouldn't that be nice!): If you had a magic wand, what would you put in your company swag pack?
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Work-Life Integration

Share Your Voice

Work-Life Integration

Share hacks, struggles, and success stories on finding that elusive fit between work and everything else. No judgment—just peer support.
Jenny Garzón
Jenny Garzón
·Posted in Culture & Belonging

¿Cuándo parar?

Nos enseñaron que durar 20 años en el mismo puesto era una medalla de honor. Hoy, en la era de la IA y los mercados globales, eso puede ser una sentencia de muerte profesional. Como psicóloga y MBA, veo esto a diario: ❌ Empresas que exigen lealtad pero no ofrecen evolución. ❌ Empleados que se quedan por miedo, perdiendo su valor de mercado. La verdadera fidelidad en 2026 es el intercambio de valor extremo. Mientras tú aportes resultados y la empresa aporte crecimiento, hay trato. Si uno de los dos falla, es hora de evolucionar. ¿Crees que la lealtad empresarial sigue existiendo o es solo un mito romántico?https://www.instagram.com/reel/DXGBHckDXG3/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
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Tali Sachs
Tali Sachs
·Posted in Culture & Belonging

The cost of mistaking overload for engagement

Engagement and overload can look the same from a distance. Both show up as responsiveness, participation, full calendars, and people visibly “showing up.” On the surface, they’re nearly indistinguishable. But the difference is subtle and crucial. One fuels performance, while the other quietly drains it. As insights from the Viva Engage benchmarking report highlight, activity alone isn’t a reliable indicator of engagement. The distinction isn’t always visible in dashboards or activity metrics. It becomes evident over time, in focus, on sustainability, and whether work is generating or consuming people's energy. Effective modern leadership requires knowing the difference. When we mistake overload for engagement, the result isn't higher performance. It’s faster burnout, diminished impact, and people who are busy but not truly productive (and probably not genuinely supported).
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Jeanne Donaghy
Jeanne Donaghy
Bobber
Featured Contributor
·Posted in Culture & Belonging

Friends at work

One of my least favorite questions on Gallup’s Q12 survey is “I have a best friend at work.” My background in I/O psychology and history in employee feedback surveys pushes me to believe all survey questions should be actionable. And let’s face it- how can you get people to be best friends in life, let alone at work?? That being said, as I look at my own career I can see clear differences between jobs where I had a best friend at the company, versus roles where I didn’t find someone I connected with. Having a trusted person to share professional and personal challenges with, bounce ideas off, and just have someone you look forward to seeing makes a difference. And it’s not just anecdotal. Gallup’s research shows having a best friend at work ties to reduced turnover and higher productivity. Additional research shows having work friendships fosters innovation. You can read a summary of the many benefits of workplace friendships in this summary by Forbes. Which leads me to my question… What role do you have (if any) in fostering friendships for your team? Would love to hear what you think, and any tips/tricks you have for other managers!
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Angela R Howard
Angela R Howard
Featured Contributor
·Posted in Culture & Belonging

The “Things Will Go Back to Normal” Myth: Power at Work

In the workplace, power - especially “power over” - is often the invisible hand shaping culture, decisions, and relationships. It’s embedded in systems, inherited from broader societal structures, and rarely named outright. Yet, it’s everywhere. As society evolves, so do our expectations of work. Movements like The Great Resignation, Quiet Quitting, and the backlash against Return to Office (RTO) mandates aren’t just trends - they’re signals. They reflect a growing tension between traditional power structures and a workforce that’s questioning the status quo. Organizations often avoid talking about power directly. But it shows up in: Command-and-control management styles Unequal access to opportunity Assumptions that employers hold all the cards The truth? There’s an unspoken social contract between employers and employees. And lately, that contract has been renegotiated - ie younger generations who are challenging outdated norms. Take the viral #RTO debates: From TikTok to LinkedIn, professionals are sharing their frustrations, mocking tone-deaf corporate messaging (remember WebMD’s infamous video?), and calling out the disconnect between leadership and lived experience. When organizations cling to “returning to normal,” what they often mean is “returning to power as usual.” But that’s not sustainable. Ignoring the shifting dynamics of power means losing relevance—and talent. Power isn’t inherently bad. But when it’s unchecked, unshared, or unexamined, it shapes workplace culture in ways that alienate, exclude, and stagnate. So, community: Let’s talk about it. Let’s name it. Let’s reshape it. How is power showing up in your workplace? What shifts have you noticed in the social contract between employers and employees? What do you think? Drop your thoughts below 👇
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Angela R Howard
Angela R Howard
Featured Contributor
·Posted in Culture & Belonging

The Rise of the Employee Activist: Why “Social Issues at Work” Can No Longer Be Ignored

Societal issues like racial inequality, pay equity, gender dynamics, environmental sustainability, and political division are no longer separate from work -they’re shaping it. Whether organizations are ready or not, these realities are bleeding into the workplace. Emerging talent isn’t shying away from these conversations; they’re driving them. They expect their workplaces to not just acknowledge societal challenges but also to take a stance and act on them. According to Deloitte’s 2024 Gen Z & Millennial Survey: 75% say an organization’s social responsibility influences whether they want to work there. Yet only 50% believe businesses are having a positive impact on society. This disconnect is fueling a new kind of movement at work - one where employees are questioning traditional norms, holding companies accountable, and advocating for systems that are more sustainable, equitable, and human. The rise of the employee activist signals a shift: the old belief that “politics and social issues don’t belong at work” is losing ground. As cultural tensions show up in our workplaces, the challenge for organizations isn’t to avoid these conversations - it’s to learn how to engage with them thoughtfully, responsibly, and with courage. So, Community: How is your organization navigating the balance between social responsibility and workplace culture? Have you seen employee activism change the way your company leads or listens? How are you holding space for plural voices and shared values?
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Angela R Howard
Angela R Howard
Featured Contributor
·Posted in Culture & Belonging

The Real Competitive Advantage Isn’t RTO (Return to Office) - It’s Adaptability

I feel like this message often gets misplaced. We talk a lot about culture and leadership (and rightfully so), but the bigger conversation should be about how organizations are adapting (or not adapting) to the realities of today’s work environment. We’re operating in a world that is increasingly: Global – collaboration now spans borders, cultures, and time zones. Dispersed – hybrid and remote work aren’t fringe; they’re foundational to how work gets done. Equity-focused – workers expect systems that produce fair, inclusive, and sustainable outcomes. (And recent data shows that rigid RTO mandates are actually creating more inequity.) In this context, requiring people to be back in the office 4–5 days a week without clear intention misses the point. It doesn’t reflect how work has evolved - it just recreates old patterns that no longer serve business or people. The real competitive edge moving forward? Adapting leadership and culture to this new reality - not measuring productivity by “butts in seats. I’m glad to be part of conversations that get to the root of this challenge. Especially as we consider how social atrophy happens when leadership development and cultural connection aren’t intentionally built into the fabric of work. So, community: How is your organization balancing the need for connection with the flexibility today’s workforce expects? What are you looking into for 2026+?
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Angela R Howard
Angela R Howard
Featured Contributor
·Posted in Culture & Belonging page

The Hustle Myth: Rethinking What Ambition Looks Like Today

The hustle myth is one of the most deeply ingrained (and emotionally charged) narratives in the workplace. It’s the story that says success must be earned through sacrifice, suffering, and relentless self-discipline - and that if you’re not grinding hard enough, you simply don’t want it badly enough. Many of us were raised on this story. And for good reason. It did take hustle and grit to get where we are. But when that story becomes the standard, it turns into a form of gatekeeping that diminishes other paths to success and devalues rest, balance, and innovation. The “I hustled, so you should too” mindset often: Glorifies overwork, creating a culture of martyrdom where burnout is seen as a badge of honor. Ignores systemic change, treating modern calls for flexibility, equity, and sustainability as laziness instead of progress. Reinforces generational divides, projecting old survival stories onto younger employees navigating a very different world of work. Rewards hustle over impact, collaboration, and creativity — breeding resentment instead of results. When we unpack this myth, we see how it limits our ability to adapt and innovate. The future of work doesn’t demand that we hustle harder. We must find ways to work smarter, more sustainably, and with greater intention. If the next generation refuses to hustle at the expense of their health and humanity, maybe that’s not a weakness. Maybe it’s progress. So, community: What do you think? Have you seen the hustle myth play out in your workplace, and how are you (or your team) redefining what ambition looks like?
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Angela R Howard
Angela R Howard
Featured Contributor
·Posted in Culture & Belonging

What can the rise of workplace culture themes in social media and market trends tell us?

What do market trends tell us about shifts in workplace culture? A lot more than we think. Work has always shaped society and, today, cultural and generational forces are rewriting the social contract between employers and employees. A few big shifts to pay attention to: Remote vs. Return to Office 87% of workers want flexibility. Yet 90% of companies are rolling out hybrid or RTO mandates, sparking online movements (#RTO has 116M+ TikTok views) and viral backlash. Workers aren’t resisting work - they’re resisting the old rules. The Rise of Anti-Work Sentiment From r/antiwork (2.8M members) to trends like “lazy girl jobs,” people are pushing back against exploitative practices and burnout culture. This isn’t anti-work - it’s pro-boundaries and well-being. Corporate Power Under Fire Younger generations are questioning wealth inequality and billionaire influence, demanding accountability and more ethical business practices. Trust in corporations is eroding. DEI Under Pressure After 2020, DEI became central to workplace culture. But now, backlash and political divides are reshaping (or dismantling) efforts - while others, like Costco, are doubling down. The Gig Economy & Side Hustles Over a third of U.S. workers now consider themselves independent. For many, side hustles aren’t just about survival - they’re about freedom, creativity, and ownership. What these trends show: workers across generations are no longer content with “business as usual.” They want dignity, flexibility, equity, and impact. And organizations that ignore these shifts risk being left behind. So, community: Which of these trends do you see most reshaping the future of work in your world right now?
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Sofia Lim-Oliver
Sofia Lim-Oliver
Bobber
Featured Contributor
·Posted in Culture & Belonging

Being vs Doing

Most leaders are measured by what they do. We’re wired to chase the to-do list. Hit the targets. Deliver the project. Ship the product. Doing feels tangible, and it’s what gets rewarded. But you can check every box and still fail as a leader – if the way you’re being erodes trust, drains energy, or leaves people behind. I’ve worked with leaders who were masters of strategy and execution, but left the people around them exhausted, frustrated and spinning. The best leaders are remembered for who they are. I’ve worked with leaders who didn’t have all the answers, but the way they showed up – grounded, curious, empathetic – made people want to follow them anywhere. A Chief People Officer I used to work with often said, “I’m not sure what the right way forward is. What do you think?” And the impact? The team leaned in and stepped up. Doing drives output. Being shapes impact. And your impact is what lasts. A few ways to start focusing on being - not just doing: Before you rush into your next priority or sprint, pause and ask yourself: Who am I being right now? Am I being the kind of leader I’d want to follow? Before diving into today’s to-do list, take 30 seconds to name how you want to show up today (curious, calm, bold, etc.) In your next team meeting, instead of just focusing what’s on the agenda or what’s being discussed, ask yourself or ask the team, “how are we being together as a team?
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Sofia Lim-Oliver
Sofia Lim-Oliver
Bobber
Featured Contributor
·Posted in Culture & Belonging

The Overachiever Trap

You know this person. The one who works relentlessly hard. Overachieves. Delivers 100% -- sometimes 200%. Always helping, always available, always “on.” Maybe it’s someone on your team. Maybe it’s your boss. Maybe it’s you. Companies love people like this. They look like superstars. They carry projects, teams, sometimes entire departments. But peek under the hood and often you’ll find something else. Someone endlessly looking for validation that they’re good enough. Someone with imposter syndrome who works twice as hard to prove themselves. Someone who feels guilty for resting. Who says yes when they should say no. Who puts others’ expectations above their own reality. Confession - I used to be like this. I’ve coached dozens of leaders like this. And while technically this isn’t the company’s “problem,” burnout always ends up being the company’s problem. And here’s the paradox: yes, you’re getting 200% from this person right now. But if they were truly thriving — they could deliver 500% without the burnout. What’s one step you can take? Don’t just celebrate output and outcomes. Celebrate boundaries, recovery, and sustainable pace as leadership behaviors. Build wellbeing check-ins into performance cycles — so conversations aren’t only about goals, but also about energy and capacity. Train leaders and managers to spot the signs of unsustainable overachievement driven — and open up conversations about what support looks like.
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Psychological Safety

Share Your Voice

What does psychological safety look like in real practices, not just on paper? Share your approaches to feedback, trust, and bringing your whole self.
Jessica Zwaan
Jessica Zwaan
Featured Contributor
·Posted in Culture & Belonging

Doing Good Work in a Hard Environment

Every now and then I speak to People Leaders who struggle with something that I've personally seen in my past, and it's something I thought I might want to share on this Monday to help lift the spirits of anyone out there who needs to hear it... There’s something almost tragic about wanting to do great work in a place that makes it hard to. Maybe yoou know the type of company... one where people are more focused on politics than progress, where “urgent” is code for “we didn’t plan,” or where genuine care is seen as weakness. And yet, even there, !of course! you still want to make something good. Something you’re proud of. Here are some pieces of advice I've shared in the past. 1. Redefine “Good Work” When the environment is chaotic, you can’t always measure your output by the organisation’s metrics because they’re often broken. So, what may make sense is for you to start measuring against your own in addition to what your role expects... to help keep you focussed. Did I make something that shows craft? Did I treat people well? Did I learn? Did I protect my integrity? 2. Create a Bubble of Quality If you can’t change the whole system, try to build a small pocket where things work the way they should according to best practice. Maybe that's as simple as a single doc that’s clear. A process that’s kind. A meeting that runs on time and with purpose. Remember, culture isn’t top-down. It’s local. It's what happens right in front of our desks (or on Slack!) Even in dysfunction, you can create a small zone of clarity and consistency, and others will feel it too. 3. Focus on the Work, Not the Noise Toxic environments often thrive on distraction. The gossip, the politics, the performative leadership. In my experiences in the past, the work is the only honest thing that you can truly control at times. So look for those opportunities and ease yourself into it. Reflect each day on the things that are undeniably good — even if no one notices now, you’ll know and it has a positive impact on your mental health. Positive reflection on good work leaves residue. The question becomes: would you still do it, even if no one clapped? The answer should be yes wherever possible. 4. Leave a Trace, Then Leave This may be hard, but eventually, you’ll go. (Almost everyone does make the decision at some point, in every team)... But before you do, make a plan to build and leave something behind that proves it was possible to do things better, something you can talk about in your future roles, a way to look at a problem (as difficult as it is) with a positive perspective of the challenge you overcame... That’s how progress survives and helps you in your future career conversations. Have you experienced work in a difficult environment? For those reading, what might you have shared to your past self like I am today?
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Jessica Zwaan
Jessica Zwaan
Featured Contributor
·Posted in Culture & Belonging

If everything is urgent, nothing is urgent.

Every year as we creep towards Q4 I start to notice something that worries me a little: when every email has a red exclamation mark, every Slack message says "ASAP," and every project is labeled "top priority," we've created a system where nothing actually gets prioritised. True urgency loses all meaning when it's applied to everything. Teams experience constant stress, make more mistakes, and ironically, move slower on what actually matters. We're all in perpetual firefighting mode, but the real fires blend into the background noise. Here's what I've learned about real prioritisation, but I'd love to open up the conversation about how you manage the pressure between "let's rush to these end of year goals" and "we can't make everything a priority!" Urgent means rare. If something is genuinely urgent every day, it's not urgent, it's just your regular workflow that needs better planning. Clarity is kindness. When leaders are honest about what's truly time-sensitive versus what's simply important, teams can allocate their energy appropriately. Boundaries create better work. When we protect non-urgent deep work time, the quality of everything improves, including how we handle actual emergencies. The most productive teams I've worked with aren't the ones moving fastest on everything. They're the ones who've mastered saying "this matters, but it can wait until tomorrow" without guilt. What's your take? How do you handle priority inflation in your workplace?
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Sofia Lim-Oliver
Sofia Lim-Oliver
Bobber
Featured Contributor
·Posted in Culture & Belonging

Hi from Sofia Lim-Oliver, HiBob's Director of Leadership Development

Hello community! As HiBob's Director of Leadership Development, I oversee our leadership strategy and leadership development. I care deeply about helping leaders and teams thrive - and I'm lucky enough to do it in a company that is truly people proud. I’ve worked at the intersection of leadership, talent, and organizational development for >15 years in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific, and I absolutely love what I do. But perhaps what’s more important to know about me is that I’m a dreamer, a coach, and a design thinker. This means that I want us all to be bold and courageous, to dream of what’s possible, and design the experience and conditions to bring it to life, all while keeping our businesses and our people at the centre of it all. Which is why you’ll see me here in our wonderful In Good Company community, both sharing thoughts and seeking insights from you. I’ll be talking about how we can reimagine leadership strategy and development, and redesign talent strategies based on business needs. How we can build stronger coaching cultures and change mindsets in organizations. And how we can strengthen purpose, wellbeing, resilience and psychological safety - because when people thrive, business thrives.
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Angela R Howard
Angela R Howard
Featured Contributor
·Posted in Culture & Belonging

We're A Family

Sounds warm and fuzzy right? But when it comes to attracting talent, this phrase can do more harm than good. For many candidates, it signals blurred boundaries, unclear expectations, and a culture that confuses loyalty with obligation. Top talent isn’t looking for a family. They’re looking for fairness, clarity, growth, and psychological safety. A workplace that respects individuality while fostering interdependence through trust and accountability - not false ideas of loyalty. If you want to stand out in today’s talent market, ditch the “family” myth and build a culture that feels real and authentic - not rehearsed. So, community: What’s a phrase you think companies should retire when trying to attract talent?
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Sofia Lim-Oliver
Sofia Lim-Oliver
Bobber
Featured Contributor
·Posted in Culture & Belonging

Burnout

Burnout doesn’t happen because people can’t handle pressure. It happens because people aren’t given space to recover. We glorify “always on” cultures – late-night emails, back-to-back meetings, leaders who brag about running on four hours of sleep. But exhaustion isn’t a badge of honor. It’s a warning sign. Arianna Huffington once said: “We think, mistakenly, that success is the result of the amount of time we put in at work, instead of the quality of time we put in.” The best leaders I know don’t champion working harder. They model boundaries. They normalize rest. They show their teams that it’s about giving the best of you - not what’s left of you. What’s one small shift you can make? Change your meeting culture. I once worked for a company that introduced 25-min and 50-min meetings as a default. Simple idea - massive impact. Update manager expectations so that leaders encourage sustainable working and model healthy boundaries. Incorporate wellbeing check-ins into engagement surveys or pulse surveys, so you can spot burnout ‘hotspots’ early.
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Parenting & Caregiving

Share Your Voice

From flexible schedules to parental leave to "my kid Zoom-bombed our all-hands," this space is for HR pros who are parents, too. Tips, solidarity, and venting are welcome.
Leila Mckenzie-Delis
Leila Mckenzie-Delis
Featured Contributor
·Posted in Culture & Belonging

Conversations That Count

How the right words, at the right time, can change everything. November always seems to arrive with a natural pause. The year is winding down, but it’s not quite over. We’re still in motion, but the pace feels softer, more reflective. It’s in this season that I find myself thinking about conversations - the ones that linger in your mind long after they end. The kind that change how you feel about yourself, your work, or your place in the world. Since returning from maternity leave, I’ve been noticing them more. Maybe it’s the shift in pace, or the fresh perspective that comes from stepping away and coming back. Either way, I’m reminded that while policies and processes matter, culture is lived and felt in the quality of our conversations. Why conversations matter more than we think We tend to focus on the big set pieces in leadership - the strategy presentations, the performance reviews, the milestone announcements. But often, the real turning points happen in smaller, more human exchanges. A colleague quietly saying, “I’ve got you, don’t worry.” A manager asking, “How are you, really?” - and meaning it. A peer sharing, “I’ve made that mistake too,” and removing the sting of shame. These moments don’t make headlines, but they change how safe people feel to contribute, to take risks, to stay. Psychological safety starts here We talk a lot about psychological safety as a concept, but in practice, it starts with simple acts: listening without interrupting, asking open questions, admitting when we don’t know the answer. When leaders do this consistently, trust builds. And when trust builds, people speak up with ideas, share concerns early, and bring more of themselves to their work. I saw this recently in our People Proud community, when someone shared a personal story about returning to work after a health scare. The comments section became a space of encouragement, shared experiences, and honest reflection. That’s what happens when we make room for real dialogue. The role of gratitude Gratitude is one of the simplest ways to make conversations count. Not the generic “thanks, good job” kind, but specific, sincere appreciation that tells someone you see their effort and value their contribution. Years ago, I received a handwritten note from a senior leader thanking me for the way I handled a particularly challenging project. It was personal, detailed, and completely unexpected. I still have it. That’s the power of being seen. An invitation to you This month, I’d love for you to try one of these: • Start a conversation with genuine curiosity and no agenda. • Thank someone for something specific they’ve done, big or small. • Share a moment from your own experience that might help someone feel less alone. Then notice what shifts - in them, and in you. What I’m learning right now: • Culture lives in conversations, not just in policies. • Gratitude is a leadership skill, not a nice-to-have. • Safety and trust are built in small moments, over time. So as the year edges toward its close, I’m focusing less on how many conversations I have, and more on the quality of each one. Because those are the moments people carry with them - and the ones that make them proud to stay.
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Leila Mckenzie-Delis
Leila Mckenzie-Delis
Featured Contributor
·Posted in Culture & Belonging

Leading Through Life’s Seasons

Presence over perfection: how leadership starts in the small moments. It’s early August, and I’m writing this with my newborn son, Roddy, sleeping on my chest. The room is quiet, except for his steady breathing and the soft hum of a fan. My inbox is not quiet. My to-do list is… well, somewhere under a pile of muslins. I’m currently on maternity leave, intentionally stepping back from the day-to-day running of my business so I can be present for this season of life. And yet, even while I’m out of the office, I’m still reflecting on what leadership means to me, and what kind of culture I want to nurture when I return. If you’d asked me five years ago what leadership looked like, I probably would have said something about vision, strategy, and results. And while those things still matter, I’ve come to see that the true magic of leadership lies in something far simpler and far harder to fake: showing up. Not just showing up in the big, glossy moments like the board meetings, the summits, the photo ops, but in the small, human ones. A text to check in. A meeting moved so someone can do the school run. Sitting in the discomfort of not having an answer, but still staying in the conversation. Presence over perfection These past few weeks have reminded me that “showing up” doesn’t always mean being at your desk, logging hours, or charging ahead with the next big project. For me right now, it looks like being present for my family, being kind to myself, and staying connected to my purpose without overextending. I’ve learned that showing up doesn’t mean being perfect, or even being at 100%. It means being willing to meet people where they are, and allowing yourself to be met where you are too. When I joined HiBob’s In Good Company community, this became a core part of my intention: to help create a space where we can show up as whole humans. Titles and targets aside, just the messy, meaningful truth of who we are. The grace to be human In many leadership conversations, grace isn’t spotlighted as a skill. But I believe it’s one of the most important ones we can cultivate. Grace for yourself when you drop a ball. Grace for your team when they’re stretched thin. Grace for the reality that life will keep throwing curveballs, and we won’t always catch them. For me, this maternity leave is a living lesson in grace: learning to let go of control, to trust my team, and to believe that slowing down can actually strengthen leadership. An invitation to you If you’re part of In Good Company, I’d love to hear: • When was the last time you felt truly seen at work? • What did it take for you to show up as your whole self? Drop me a message, share in the comments, or just reflect privately. These moments, big or small, are the heartbeat of cultures where people stay and thrive. What I’m learning right now: • Control is comforting, but trust is more powerful. • Belonging isn’t built through bravado, but through care. • Letting go doesn’t mean losing your identity; it can help you find it again. So here’s to showing up. Not in every meeting or every milestone, but in the moments that matter most. And in the words of Maya Angelou (it’s often attributed to her, and beautifully so): “People will forget what you said or did, but they will never forget how you made them feel.”
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Leila Mckenzie-Delis
Leila Mckenzie-Delis
Featured Contributor
·Posted in Culture & Belonging

From Boardrooms to Breakthroughs

How global conversations spark local change, and why the smallest moments still matter most. October has always felt like a month of momentum, and this year is no exception. I’m back at work after maternity leave, and diving straight into one of the most exciting moments of the year for my business: the 5th Anniversary summits for the DIAL Global Index in New York, London, and Istanbul. These events bring together leaders from across sectors including CEOs, board members and policy-makers to share ideas and challenge each other to build workplaces where everyone can belong. They are big-picture conversations in every sense: global in scale, ambitious in scope, and rich in possibility. But here’s the thing I’ve learned from years of sitting in boardrooms, conference halls and strategy sessions: the breakthroughs rarely happen in the formal agenda. They happen in the margins. The magic between the bullet points You can spend hours crafting a perfect presentation, but the real connection often comes from the five-minute chat over coffee, the story shared in a quiet corner, or the off-script moment in a panel when someone chooses to speak from the heart instead of the slides. This is why In Good Company resonates so deeply with me. It is built on the belief that human connection fuels progress. In a world obsessed with scale, speed and statistics, we need to remember that cultural change begins in the smallest exchanges. The ripple effect of the right conversation At one of our past events, a CEO shared a personal story about supporting a team member through a mental health crisis. It wasn’t planned, and it wasn’t polished, but it was real. I watched as other leaders in the room shifted, their body language softened, their questions deepened. That one moment sparked follow-up conversations that led to policy changes, wellbeing initiatives and a more open culture in multiple organisations. It reminded me that leadership isn’t just about making decisions. It’s about making space, for honesty, for vulnerability, for the stories that remind us why the work matters. Back to In Good Company As I reconnect with the In Good Company community this month, I’m bringing this same philosophy here. Big ideas are important, but it is the personal, lived experiences we share that turn them into action. That’s why I’ve started a series called In Good Company Stories: bite-sized reflections on the small acts of humanity that make people stay. I’d love for you to share yours too. An invitation to you This month, I’d love to know: • What’s one small moment at work that made you feel seen or valued? • Was it something planned, or something unexpected? Share it in the comments, in the community, or even just with the person who made that moment possible. What I’m learning right now: • Global conversations are only as powerful as the local actions they inspire. • Connection fuels change faster than strategy alone. • The moments that make people want to stay often happen off the agenda. So yes, this October is about boardrooms, panels and policy. But it is also about the moments in between, where breakthroughs are born, trust is built and culture shifts begin.
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Leila Mckenzie-Delis
Leila Mckenzie-Delis
Featured Contributor
·Posted in Culture & Belonging

The Power of Showing Up

Presence over perfection: how leadership starts in the small moments. It’s early August, and I’m writing this with my newborn son, Roddy, sleeping on my chest. The room is quiet, except for his steady breathing and the soft hum of a fan. My inbox is not quiet. My to-do list is… well, somewhere under a pile of muslins. I’m currently on maternity leave, intentionally stepping back from the day-to-day running of my business so I can be present for this season of life. And yet, even while I’m out of the office, I’m still reflecting on what leadership means to me, and what kind of culture I want to nurture when I return. If you’d asked me five years ago what leadership looked like, I probably would have said something about vision, strategy, and results. And while those things still matter, I’ve come to see that the true magic of leadership lies in something far simpler and far harder to fake: showing up. Not just showing up in the big, glossy moments like the board meetings, the summits, the photo ops, but in the small, human ones. A text to check in. A meeting moved so someone can do the school run. Sitting in the discomfort of not having an answer, but still staying in the conversation. Presence over perfection These past few weeks have reminded me that “showing up” doesn’t always mean being at your desk, logging hours, or charging ahead with the next big project. For me right now, it looks like being present for my family, being kind to myself, and staying connected to my purpose without overextending. I’ve learned that showing up doesn’t mean being perfect, or even being at 100%. It means being willing to meet people where they are, and allowing yourself to be met where you are too. When I joined HiBob’s In Good Company community, this became a core part of my intention: to help create a space where we can show up as whole humans. Titles and targets aside, just the messy, meaningful truth of who we are. The grace to be human In many leadership conversations, grace isn’t spotlighted as a skill. But I believe it’s one of the most important ones we can cultivate. Grace for yourself when you drop a ball. Grace for your team when they’re stretched thin. Grace for the reality that life will keep throwing curveballs, and we won’t always catch them. For me, this maternity leave is a living lesson in grace: learning to let go of control, to trust my team, and to believe that slowing down can actually strengthen leadership. An invitation to you If you’re part of In Good Company, I’d love to hear: • When was the last time you felt truly seen at work? • What did it take for you to show up as your whole self? Drop me a message, share in the comments, or just reflect privately. These moments, big or small, are the heartbeat of cultures where people stay and thrive. What I’m learning right now: • Control is comforting, but trust is more powerful. • Belonging isn’t built through bravado, but through care. • Letting go doesn’t mean losing your identity; it can help you find it again. So here’s to showing up. Not in every meeting or every milestone, but in the moments that matter most. And in the words of Maya Angelou (it’s often attributed to her, and beautifully so): “People will forget what you said or did, but they will never forget how you made them feel.”
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Leila Mckenzie-Delis
Leila Mckenzie-Delis
Featured Contributor
·Posted in Culture & Belonging

Hi, I'm Leila McKenzie-Delis

Why I said yes and what you can expect from me here. Hi, I’m Leila, founder, CEO, mum of two, and someone who believes that the best workplaces aren’t built by accident. They’re built on belonging. When HiBob invited me to be part of In Good Company, I didn’t hesitate. This is more than just a community. It’s a space where we can share the real stories behind leadership, life, and work. The unpolished moments. The quiet wins. The things we wish more people talked about. Right now, I’m on maternity leave with my second son, Roddy, and one of the things I’m most proud of is learning to lead differently in this season: trusting my team, slowing down without losing momentum, and finding joy in the small but important moments at home. Over the next six months, I’ll be here sharing my own journey, from these early newborn days to returning to work as the leader of a global social impact business. You’ll hear about the juggle of family and career, the lessons I’ve learned from slowing down, and the little moments that make big differences in culture. This isn’t about perfection. It’s about presence. It’s about the power of grace, the value of listening, and the courage it takes to be human in spaces that often reward only performance. You can expect: • Stories from my own leadership journey, including the challenges and the changes • Prompts to spark reflection and conversation • In Good Company stories, spotlighting the acts of humanity that make people stay • Practical takeaways for leaders, managers, and anyone shaping culture But I don’t want this to be one-way. I’d love for you to join in, to share your experiences, your questions, and your own In Good Company moments. Because building a human-first culture isn’t a solo act. It’s something we create together. So, whether you’re here as a leader, a parent, a team member, or simply someone who cares about making work better, welcome. I’m glad you’re here. Let’s get started.
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Culture is built in the everyday moments — how leaders show up, how teams communicate, and whether people feel safe to contribute, disagree, and grow. Conversations in this category reflect the real challenges HR leaders and People teams face when building workplaces where people feel valued, supported, and able to do their best work.

Topics here include strengthening belonging and inclusion, improving employee experience and engagement, supporting diverse teams, and aligning culture with company values as organizations scale. You’ll also find practical threads on themes like psychological safety, work-life integration, and caregiving — the human realities that shape culture in every organization.

Want to explore more? Head back to In Good Company to browse all topics, learn more about the community, and check the FAQs for curated answers and best practices based on recurring HR questions.