A legal leader who wants to create the kind of workplace she once wished she'd had. A people team that hires employees who want to build culture, not just join it. A marketing executive who believes every voice leads to stronger decisions. A technical support manager who helps turn employee resource groups into spaces for learning, connection, and allyship.
Different roles and different experiences. One shared belief: “Culture isn't a spectator sport.”
At Ping Identity Corporation, inclusion isn't viewed as a program or a department's responsibility. It's something employees create together, one conversation, one collaboration, and one act of support at a time. Whether someone is interviewing a job candidate, mentoring a colleague, leading a cross-functional project, or organizing an employee event, every employee has an opportunity to shape the company's culture.
That philosophy starts before an employee's first day. "We look for future Identians who don't just want to join a great culture but who want to actively build a great culture right from the start," says Val Rector, VP of HR. "We focus on those attributes from the very beginning when we are sourcing and interviewing candidates."
For Rector, building an inclusive workplace is embedded throughout the employee experience. Ping's values—Customer-Obsessed, Extraordinary Results, Respecting Individuality, Winning Together, Taking Ownership, and Thinking Big—help guide everything from hiring and onboarding to performance conversations and professional development.
"Our values... are embedded in every stage of the Identian journey," she says. "From the interview process to annual performance reviews, we intentionally assess how Identians reflect and bring our values to life each day."
Creating opportunities to build belonging
Hiring people who value inclusion is only the beginning. Employees also need opportunities to put those values into action.
Across Ping, employees turn that responsibility into action through employee resource groups (ERGs), volunteer initiatives, learning opportunities, and companywide events that create opportunities to connect across teams, celebrate one another, and strengthen the communities where they live and work.
Those opportunities take many forms. Ping’s ERGs host events and cultural celebrations throughout the year, while employee learning programs cover topics ranging from emotional intelligence to online safety. The company’s annual Helping Hands Day, led by the Ping Community Cares ERG, brings employees together to support communities around the world—with more than 1,000 employees participating across eight countries and contributing more than 3,170 volunteer hours. Ping’s Culture Team also creates opportunities for employees to connect through quarterly value-based events and Rock Your Red Week, a celebration of the company’s values that includes storytelling, reflection, recognition, and shared experiences.
For Senior Director, Assistant General Counsel Liliane Ndong, ERGs have been one of the most meaningful ways to contribute to Ping's culture.
"ERGs create a dedicated space for Identians of diverse backgrounds to connect, learn, and celebrate one another," she says. "They empower us to support each other internally and support the communities where we live and work."
That experience has shaped how Ndong thinks about belonging. "Early in my career as a Black professional, I didn't always feel like I had a safe space to be my authentic self at work," she says. "As I have grown into more senior roles, my mindset has shifted: instead of waiting for someone else to create that environment, my goal is to actively build it for others. My ERG involvement empowers me to do exactly that."
She has seen firsthand how recognition and visibility can influence someone's experience at work. For the company's Black History Month Identian feature, Ndong invited a colleague to participate. Afterward, he shared how deeply personal the recognition was for him as a father of two Black daughters.
"Seeing our ERG initiative provides the platform for such a powerful, personal declaration of belonging was incredibly moving," she says.
Senior Technical Support Manager Sailaja Patnana sees that same sense of ownership reflected in everyday employee actions.
"When every 'Identian' takes personal ownership of the culture—whether through participating in ERGs, practicing everyday allyship, or simply making space for diverse perspectives in meetings—belonging becomes a lived, daily experience rather than just a corporate goal," she says.
She points to a financial planning workshop hosted by Women of Ping as one example of employees creating opportunities for connection and learning. Open to all employees, the session encouraged conversations around financial goals and planning strategies, and its success led attendees to request similar events in the future.
Leading by listening
Creating an inclusive culture also depends on leaders who make space for different perspectives.
Claire Pitman-Massie, VP of EMEA Marketing, believes inclusion and belonging are fundamental to building high-performing teams.
"My leadership approach starts with the belief that every voice matters and that diverse perspectives lead to stronger decisions, better innovation, and greater organisational impact," she says.
For Pitman-Massie, inclusive leadership means creating an environment where employees feel comfortable sharing ideas, challenging assumptions, and contributing their perspectives.
"I also believe inclusive leadership means creating the space for trusted input and healthy challenge," she says. "Leaders are accountable for making decisions, but when people feel heard and understand the rationale behind an outcome, alignment and commitment are significantly stronger."
She sees that shared ownership is reflected when teams come together during moments of change, stepping beyond individual roles to solve problems collaboratively.
"The strongest teams operate with shared accountability, low ego, and a clear focus on collective success," Pitman-Massie says. "When that culture is in place, people step in to support one another not because they are asked to, but because they understand their role in driving the best outcome for the team and the business."
A culture everyone helps create
For Ping, inclusion is reflected in the everyday choices employees make just as often as it is in company policies themselves. Welcoming new teammates, recognizing one another's contributions, creating spaces for connection, collaborating across functions, and helping others succeed all contribute to the employee experience.
Rector links this mindset to Ping's “10/10 philosophy.”
"It's not just about winning, but about winning the right way and bringing others along with you," she says. "We want to be 10 out of 10 on performance: getting the job done on time, on budget, and with exceptional quality and 10 out of 10 on attitude: putting the team and cause first, showing up with a great attitude, helping those around you succeed, and actively living the Ping values."
When inclusion becomes something everyone helps build—not something a few people are responsible for—culture becomes something employees experience every day.
“As our CEO, Andre, always says that, ‘culture is not a spectator sport,’” Patnana says. “What I appreciate most is seeing how deeply the team believes in this and puts it into practice in their day-to-day work. This collective effort has enabled Ping to build an exceptional culture of inclusion and belonging, empowering everyone to bring their authentic selves to work without fear of bias.”
Schedule & Flexibility metrics such as Paid Time Off and Ability to Telecommute are strong at Ping Identity Corporation, a security and investigations company headquartered in Denver, Colorado. Their PTO is unlimited, and they also offer remote and hybrid work options. Plus, their highest metric is Employer Responsiveness, meaning you can expect an employer that listens and responds to your needs. Click to explore Ping Identity’s profile, ratings, and open jobs!
