Creating a Tech-Forward Company Culture

I can’t stop thinking about this. If you invest in your people from day 1, they’ll invest their talents in your company tenfold. It sounds obvious, but I’ve seen firsthand how often this gets missed. I joined companies and startups with zero training: - no documentation - unclear processes - no real onboarding I was expected to figure it out as I went, and honestly, it was brutal 😭 So here’s what *actually* sets people up for success: —— 1️⃣ What does a new hire need to know but feels awkward asking? Think back to your first 30 days. ↳ How do things actually work here? ↳ Where do I go for answers? ↳ What mistakes should I avoid early on? If the answers live only in someone’s head, that’s the gap. ✅ Document anything you explain more than once. —— 2️⃣ Where are people guessing instead of being guided? When training doesn’t exist, people improvise. ↳ Clicking the wrong thing ↳ Following outdated steps ↳ Copying work that isn’t quite right That’s how errors and rework happen. Tools like Tango make this easy by turning workflows into step-by-step guides. ✅ Record one common task this week and turn it into a reusable guide. —— 3️⃣ What tribal knowledge needs to be documented? You know it’s a systems problem when there are: ↳ Constant pings ↳ Repeating the same answers ↳ Little time for deep work ✅ Have your strongest team member document one core process they own. —— 4️⃣ Are you onboarding people or overwhelming them? More information doesn’t mean better onboarding. People need: ↳ Clear priorities ↳ Time to practice ↳ Space to build confidence ✅ Use a simple 30-60-90 day framework for all new hires —— 5️⃣ Are expectations clear or just assumed? When expectations are vague: ↳ People second-guess themselves ↳ Feedback comes too late ↳ Performance feels personal instead of fixable ✅ Check in early and often and schedule 20-minute check-ins with your manager or onboarding buddy in the first 8 weeks. —— When you give people the right tools, training, and support, you get: → Faster onboarding → More consistent processes → Fewer mistakes and support tickets → Happier, more confident employees 💙 You can’t expect people to thrive without setting them up properly. Set people up to win and they will 🫶 Do you agree? #TangoPartner

Inclusion isn’t a one-time initiative or a single program—it’s a continuous commitment that must be embedded across every stage of the employee lifecycle. By taking deliberate steps, organizations can create workplaces where all employees feel valued, respected, and empowered to succeed. Here’s how we can make a meaningful impact at each stage: 1. Attract Build inclusive employer branding and equitable hiring practices. Ensure job postings use inclusive language and focus on skills rather than unnecessary credentials. Broaden recruitment pipelines by partnering with diverse professional organizations, schools, and networks. Showcase your commitment to inclusion in external messaging with employee stories that reflect diversity. 2. Recruit Eliminate bias and promote fair candidate evaluation. Use structured interviews and standardized evaluation rubrics to reduce bias. Train recruiters and hiring managers on unconscious bias and inclusive hiring practices. Implement blind resume reviews or AI tools to focus on qualifications, not identifiers. 3. Onboard Create an inclusive onboarding experience. Design onboarding materials that reflect a diverse workplace culture. Pair new hires with mentors or buddies from Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to foster belonging. Offer inclusion training early to set the tone for inclusivity from day one. 4. Develop Provide equitable opportunities for growth. Ensure leadership programs and career development resources are accessible to underrepresented employees. Regularly review training, mentorship, and promotion programs to address any disparities. Offer specific development opportunities, such as allyship training or workshops on cultural competency. 5. Engage Foster a culture of inclusion. Actively listen to employee feedback through pulse surveys, focus groups, and open forums. Support ERGs and create platforms for marginalized voices to influence organizational policies. Recognize and celebrate diverse perspectives, cultures, and contributions in the workplace. 6. Retain Address barriers to equity and belonging. Conduct pay equity audits and address discrepancies to ensure fairness. Create flexible policies that accommodate diverse needs, including caregiving responsibilities, religious practices, and accessibility. Provide regular inclusion updates to build trust and demonstrate progress. 7. Offboard Learn and grow from employee transitions. Use exit interviews to uncover potential inequities and areas for improvement. Analyze trends in attrition to identify and address any patterns of exclusion or bias. Maintain relationships with alumni and invite them to stay engaged through inclusive networks. Embedding inclusion across the employee lifecycle is not just the right thing to do—it’s a strategic imperative that drives innovation, engagement, and organizational success. By making these steps intentional, companies can create environments where everyone can thrive.

Building a Culture of Pride – Getting Ready for the Golden Age of Tech Services There are two camps of people today. One believes AI will push the tech services industry toward commoditization and eventual irrelevance. The other — which I belong to — believes AI will drive the golden age of tech services. For companies, especially those with roots in emerging markets like India and Eastern Europe, this is the time to double down on talent. Even in their home markets, tech services firms have lost their ability to attract the best people. In our brand perception surveys, global tech companies, large enterprises, and even startups score higher on talent affinity than tech services. That has to change. Here are a few hard but necessary shifts: 1. Trade in Technology and IP, not Talent Many firms have effectively outsourced hiring to their customers — and BOT contracts have made it worse. When clients can pick and even hire your people, it’s impossible to build a culture of pride. 2. Build a Brand Where Talent Lives It’s great to see tech services presence in Times Square or Madison Square Garden, but most firms are invisible in their own backyards. You rarely see them at a local sporting event or university festival in Bangalore, Krakow, or Bucharest. If talent doesn’t see you, they won’t aspire to join you. 3. Reimagine the Employee Value Proposition Why should someone join a tech services company today? The opportunity to work across industries, technologies, and domains is unmatched. It’s a story worth telling — but few are telling it well. 4. Rethink Compensation Pay for mid-to-senior professionals in cities like Bangalore and Hyderabad is significantly behind what GCCs offer. At the same time, the gap between executive pay and the rest of the organization has widened. That imbalance needs to be addressed if we want to rebuild pride. Getting your talent strategy right is not optional — it’s the foundation for winning in the age of AI. #Techservices Zinnov

Transparency can be an empty promise, or it can be a true practice to engender trust. At Rubrik, we’ve always believed that it should be a true practice - which is why we held open board meetings for our first 7-8 years, till a few years before we went public. Our open board meetings showed our employees that we were genuinely committed to transparency, and this commitment was key to our success as we grew…because it bred trust. When you’re an early-stage startup, you often bring in top talent and ask for their prime years as you work hard to build your company from the ground up. The least leadership can do in return? Provide full transparency about the company’s status so that employees are never in doubt about where their efforts are going. Plus, early-stage startups have no obligation to be transparent about their financials the way public companies do - so sharing information without anyone asking is a great way to show employees that you care about them being in the loop as you grow. This full transparency has a cascading positive effect, in that it breeds a high-trust environment. In a high-trust environment, everyone has the same information as everyone else, so it’s easy to align and easy to move fast. That’s exactly the sequence we’ve seen as we’ve built Rubrik: we started with transparency, built trust, and moved fast. Now, we’re a public company with a bright future. Transparency is a superpower - so don’t just talk about it. Act on it.

What if I told you your biggest marketing asset is already on your payroll? I've been reading a lot of lead-generation strategies that incorporate employee voices, which could use some improvement. Here’s how it looked: The challenge: → Tech company struggling with lead generation → High CAC through traditional marketing → Low trust signals in a crowded market The solution wasn't another ad campaign. It was activating their employees as brand ambassadors. Here's what was suggested to them: 1/ Employee Stories Program ↳ Team members shared authentic experiences weekly 2/ Expert Spotlight Series ↳ Engineers explained complex concepts in simple terms 3/ Behind-the-Scenes Content ↳ Real workspace moments, not staged photoshoots 4/ Cross-Departmental Collaboration ↳ Sales + Product + Support = Complete customer journey insights Results after 90 days: → Increase in qualified leads → Reduction in customer acquisition costs → Growth in organic social reach → New leads mentioned employee content as a trust factor Why does employee-generated content work so powerfully? Authenticity: Real people > corporate speak Diversity: Multiple voices create a wider appeal Trust: Employees are seen as more honest than official channels. Expertise: Shows the real talent behind your solutions Scale: More creators = more content without more budget Think about your marketing budget right now. What if instead of another $10K on ads, you invested in empowering your team to share their experiences? The digital landscape is shifting toward authenticity. Your employees are the key to that authenticity. P.S. If you're a founder looking to activate your team as brand ambassadors, DM me to create a customized framework for your employees.

I recently worked with a client in the engineering sector - an organisation doing complex, high-value work led by some of the smartest people I have meet. While their company LinkedIn page was active and well-branded, their technical experts were practically invisible online. No thought leadership. No insights. No signs of the incredible work being done behind the scenes. In organisations driven by engineers, scientists, technologists, analysts, and other deep subject-matter experts - the strength of your brand is tied to the expertise inside the business. But too often, that expertise is locked in internal meetings, reports, or project files. When prospective clients, partners, or even future employees are doing their research they’re not just looking at your website or your company page. 👩💻 They’re searching the names behind the brand. In this case, none of the engineers had updated LinkedIn profiles. Most of them still had CV-style summaries from their graduate roles. Their networks were small, mostly internal or peers from university. And they weren’t sharing anything publicly, despite working on major national projects and presenting at conferences. The company knew their people were their biggest asset, but their digital presence didn’t reflect it. Here is what we did: ✅ Profile - We started by rewriting LinkedIn profiles for the leadership team and senior engineers. The goal was to translate what they were doing into something more accessible and credible for people outside their world. ✅ Content - This isn't about posting every day or doing video, it's about showing what they are already doing. We supported them to: ➡️ Share one-paragraph reflections after speaking at events or conferences ➡️ Break down why a specific approach or methodology was used in a project ➡️ Add context to industry news or innovations and link back to their real-world experience ➡️Comment meaningfully on relevant conversations happening in their field ✅ Connection: Finally, we helped them to expand their networks. Most had connections limited to their immediate teams or university classmates. We helped them connect intentionally. As a result, the business’s credibility increased. Not just through a logo but through the people delivering the work. 💬 Technical experts don’t need to become influencers or marketers. They don't need to post daily. They don't need to create videos. But they do need to show up with clarity and credibility. If your team of engineers, technologists, analysts, and other deep subject-matter experts are still invisible on LinkedIn, I’d love to help bring their expertise forward because in today's digital-first world, being findable and understood is part of being trusted. #linkedin #tech #marketing

If you're setting goals to create a more inclusive workplace in 2025, my experience may save you time, money, and unmet expectations. ✅ Quick Wins (low effort, high impact) Start with team psychological safety. Inclusion is felt most in everyday team interactions—meetings, feedback, problem-solving. 👇 Use tools like: 1. The Fearless Organization Scan to uncover blind spots and team dynamics. 2. Debrief session with an accredited facilitator to discuss results openly and set clear, actionable improvements. 3. Action plan with small shifts in behavior, like leaders modeling vulnerability, asking for input first, or establishing "speak-up norms" in meetings. These micro-actions quickly build team inclusion and unlock collaboration. 🏗️ Big Projects (high effort, high impact): To create sustainable change, invest in structural inclusion. 👇 Focus on: 1. Inclusive hiring & promotion practices: build diverse candidate pipelines and train interviewers on bias mitigation. 2. Inclusive decision-making: ensure diverse perspectives are integrated into key business decisions. 3. Inclusive leadership: train leaders to actively foster diverse perspectives, intellectual humility, and trust in their teams. Empower leaders to align inclusion with business goals and make it part of their day-to-day behavior. 🎉 Fill-ins (low effort, low impact): Awareness events (like diversity month) are great for building visibility but should educate, not just celebrate. 👇 For example: 1. Pair cultural events with workshops on how diverse values shape workplace communication. 2. Use storytelling to highlight how diverse perspectives lead to tangible business wins. 🚩 Thankless Tasks (high effort, low impact): Avoid resource-heavy initiatives with little ROI. 👇 Examples: 1. Overcomplicated dashboards: focus on 2–3 actionable metrics rather than endless reports that don’t lead to change. 2. Unstructured ERGs: without clear goals and leadership support, these often become frustrating rather than empowering. 3. One-off training programs: A two-day training on unconscious bias without follow-up or practical tools is a missed opportunity. 💡 Key Takeaways 1. Inclusion thrives where it’s felt daily—in teams and decisions. 2. Start with quick wins to build momentum and tackle big projects for systemic change. 3. Avoid symbolic efforts that consume resources without measurable outcomes. 🚀 Let’s turn inclusion into a tangible, strategic advantage that empowers your teams to thrive in 2025 and beyond. _____________________________________________ If you're new here, I’m Susanna—an accredited team psychological safety practitioner with over a decade of experience in DEI and inclusive leadership. I partner with forward-thinking companies to create inclusive, high-performing workplaces where teams thrive. 📩 DM me or visit www if you want to prioritize what truly works for your organization. 

Your company culture is the very foundation of your brand’s survival. If you want to build external brand perception, you must first invest heavily into *internal* brand perception. If you have an organization brimming with people who don’t believe in the work they’re doing? People on the outside (clients and customers) will inevitably share that same apathetic point of view. To build fanatical internal brand belief, you can’t just list out your values and hang them on the wall… …you have to live them out in everything you do. Day in, day out—without fail. Here’s how: 1. Integrate values into decision-making Ensure that company values are a central consideration in all strategic and operational decisions, not just an afterthought. 2. Communicate through stories You shouldn’t just be sharing client results with your prospects—everyone at your organization should understand the impact they’re making. 3. Align hiring and promotion practices Recruit and promote people who align the most with your company's values and culture. C-suites shouldn’t be the only ones leading by example; everyone needs to do their part. When you’ve got internal branding locked down, irresistible external branding is inevitable. This is why our work is so important. Motto® works with leadership teams to mobilize their teams around vision and brand. If you have a new strategic vision, we help create brand allegiance to help build that strategic future. Motto® 🏴

Your first 90 days with a customer can make or break the entire relationship. I've seen it happen too many times: - Great sales process - Solid product demo - Strong contract value - Excited stakeholders Then onboarding happens. And everything falls apart. Why? Most companies treat onboarding like a checklist: - Setup call ✓ - Product training ✓ - Technical integration ✓ - Documentation shared ✓ But here's the truth about onboarding: It's not about your process. It's about their success. After managing hundreds of onboarding sessions, here's what I've learned: The best onboarding isn't standard. It's personalized. Think about it: - Every customer has different goals - Every team has different challenges - Every organization has different paces - Every stakeholder has different priorities Your onboarding needs to reflect this. Here's what works: 1. Start with clear expectations - Define success metrics upfront - Set realistic timelines - Map out key milestones - Align on responsibilities 2. Build a dedicated team - Assign specialists who understand their industry - Create cross-functional support - Have clear escalation paths - Enable quick problem-solving 3. Monitor health signals - Track early usage patterns - Watch engagement levels - Note stakeholder participation - Measure progress velocity 4. Automate the right things - Regular check-in reminders - Progress updates - Resource sharing - Usage alerts But here's where most companies fail: They don't plan for challenges: - Low customer engagement - Complex technical integrations - Unclear success metrics - Resource constraints - Scalability issues The solution? Build feedback loops: - Collect input at every stage - Adjust plans based on signals - Iterate on materials - Improve processes continuously Remember: Onboarding isn't about getting customers to use your product. It's about helping them achieve their goals through your product. The first 90 days set the tone for everything that follows. Make them count. What's your approach to customer onboarding? What challenges have you faced? ------------------ ▶️ Want to see more content like this and also connect with other CS & SaaS enthusiasts? You should join Tidbits. We do short round-ups a few times a week to help you learn what it takes to be a top-notch customer success professional. Join 1993+ community members! 💥 [link in the comments section]

Most HR teams think their onboarding is solid. → Laptop ready. → Paperwork completed. → First day meet and greet? Check. But here is the truth we see behind the curtain: Most teams skip the parts that matter most for long-term success. Here are two steps most teams forget during onboarding and what to do instead. 1. 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗴𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 Telling someone your values is easy. Showing them how the team 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 works is the magic. New hires do not struggle with the handbook. They struggle with the unwritten rules. Give them real language instead of vague gestures. For example, instead of asking… "Do you use Slack?" Try saying… "Our team lives in Slack during business hours. We expect same day responses for most messages and a quicker reply if it is from your manager or during core hours." Other examples to spell out clearly: • How often leaders drop in for updates • When cameras are expected on • How people give feedback • When it is okay to block focus time • Preferred communication style (short pings or detailed notes) And pair them with a culture buddy. Someone who can answer real questions like "Is it normal to send a calendar note before messaging the VP?" That saves so much social anxiety and avoids awkward first month missteps. 2. 𝗥𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀 A job title is not direction. People want to know exactly how to succeed. → Get specific. → Paint the picture. Instead of saying… "You will lead onboarding." Try… "In your first 30 days, you will run onboarding for three new hires. Success looks like zero missed system access steps, plus a feedback survey score of 4.5 or higher." Then schedule a 30 day check in. Not to judge. To support. Ask questions like: "What has been clear so far?" "What has been confusing?" "Where do you need resources or examples?" And tell them one thing they are doing well. Everyone needs a confidence anchor early. Strong onboarding is not fancy. It is clear, human, and consistent. Which onboarding detail made the biggest difference for you in a new role? If this sparked ideas, share it with another HR pro building better onboarding. #OnboardingTips #HRLeadership #PeopleFirst ♻️ I appreciate 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 repost. 𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗛𝗥 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀? Click the "𝗩𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗺𝘆 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿" link below my name for weekly tips to elevate your career!