The importance of belonging in the workplace is undeniable. Beyond the clear perks of a feel-good environment, research from coaching platform BetterUp found that companies with employees who feel like they belong report a 56 percent improvement in job performance and a 50 percent lower turnover risk. Employees also take 75 percent fewer sick days.
In other words, belonging makes us feel more engaged, less likely to want to look for new jobs, and maybe even healthier overall.
Yet “belonging” can be misunderstood—many think it means you have a best friend at work or you fit into the culture as-is. That’s rarely true.
The feeling of belonging is systemic, and cultivating it takes intention. Support for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), leadership advocacy, development programming, mutual respect, and more bolster the warm fuzzies we often attribute to simply liking our coworkers. And it’s companies that have the power to ensure those belonging-builders come to fruition.
That’s exactly what Intuit strives to do, and their women employees say the company is hitting the nail on the head. Rated 4.3 stars for Sense of Belonging—and highly for related metrics such as Support for Diversity (4.8 stars) and The People You Work With (4.6 stars)—the global technology platform behind products like TurboTax, Credit Karma, QuickBooks, and Mailchimp is held in high-regard for its inclusivity.
Essence Coleman and Danielle DeSarzant, two women who work at Intuit’s office in Atlanta that is home to the majority of Mailchimp’s employees, both say they feel they can bring their whole selves to work. And despite having very different career paths, they both indicate that knowing they belong has resulted in greater career success at the company.
We wanted to learn more about what belonging really means to Coleman and DeSarzant and how it’s affected them personally. These are the four ways Intuit’s supportive and inviting culture shepherds growth and empowers employees to be their best selves.
Intuit, recognized as one of our Best Companies to Work For, stands out prominently in Fortune's World's Most Admired Companies 2024 list, securing the impressive #4 spot in computer software. In addition, Intuit is rated most highly for Ability to Telecommute, Women in Leadership, and Support for Diversity. And their benefits back up their stellar reviews! A returnship program for women re-entering the workforce, fertility support and benefits, a hybrid work schedule, and numerous employee resource groups make up some of that top-tier support. Explore their ratings, benefits, and open jobs now.
4 positive signals of belonging in the workplace
1. There’s a supportive internal network that builds employees up
Community, or the networks that support us, are the heart and soul of the feeling of belonging.
Throughout their careers, both Coleman and DeSarzant have had strong networks outside the office. Coleman says her wife holds her accountable to her personal development goals, and DeSarzant leans on her mother’s advice when she has a big decision to make. They also have former colleagues who continue to provide insight and support where it matters most.
Those relationships have been instrumental in driving their growth and success, not to mention their connectivity, which is why replicating those feelings of comfort and community through strong internal networks can be so impactful on a person’s career and sense of belonging in the workplace.
“Intuit has brought some of the most amazing people into my life—from shadowing, to sharing resources and introductions,” says Coleman, who, in her time on the Mailchimp team, transitioned from product support representative to a QA software engineer through a combination of pair sessions and mentorship. “Such a large part of my career growth is due to the amazing career support network I’ve built. My colleagues and friends provide a safe space for me to navigate an ever-changing and innovative tech landscape.”
A community at work also bolsters confidence and allows careers to flourish. Coleman was one of the founding co-chairs of HUES, Mailchimp’s Black employee resource group (ERG). She says that when she was a HUES lead, her fellow co-chair, Amy, offered her career-changing advice when she felt discouraged. “She told me that my needs are at the top of my mind and are my top priority and to remember that every time I feel like hesitating on following up or being vocal about my goals,” she says. “It helped me so much with getting out of my head about putting myself out there and just going for it—while following up on potential opportunities to ensure that they’re solidified.”
2. Leaders support and empower employees to achieve their goals
Did you know that 91 percent of workers with mentors are satisfied with their jobs? Having someone who is engaged in your growth and goal-setting can boost your confidence and feeling of belonging at work.
DeSarzant, who is a product marketing manager, lists six names off the bat of leaders who have supported her career in her four years at Mailchimp. “I’m grateful for how they have poured into me and told me what I’ve needed to hear at each milestone in my career,” she says.
While on Mailchimp’s team at Intuit, DeSarzant says such advocacy from marketing pr/communications and partnerships leadership has given her the ability to work on stretch projects that have been essential for making her work more visible across multiple departments within an organization. This has led to new career opportunities. “Because of this exposure and advocacy, I was able to showcase my skills as a marketer, exceed expectations, and allow myself the opportunity to build relationships,” DeSarzant says. She worked in more technical environments while still tapping into her background of working with external partnerships and eventually took a new role on a team she collaborated with. “If I had not taken the stretch project and been exposed to this fantastic team, I may not have been in the position to be promoted and have the role I have today,” she says.
3. The company programming is inclusive and reflective of employees’ identities
Belonging should play a role in every aspect of the business and throughout the employee lifecycle. Employees should easily be able to point to signs of inclusion in the programming and benefits they experience from day one.
DeSarzant says the feeling that she could bring her whole self to work started at new hire orientation. “Our new hire team leader, Tamera Butler, not only looked like me but was presenting herself in an authentic, approachable, and empathetic manner. She was dynamic and able to make everyone in the room feel seen.This invigorating experience filled with scavenger hunts across the office, meet and greets with team ambassadors, dynamic speakers, and of course amazing swag, set the stage for what continued once the fantastic orientation week ended.”
What’s more, the HUES ERG, which Coleman previously mentioned, launched within months of DeSarzant starting at the company. “It was quite magical to be able to connect intentionally with colleagues from the same community who see you and consistently lift one another up regardless of how long you have been there,” she says.
Coleman, who both led that ERG and is also an active member of the Pride ERG, says that having employer-supported opportunities to advocate for multiple aspects of her identity has impacted her engagement and growth at work. “This provided the opportunity for me to ensure the intersection of Black and LGBTQ+ communities were elevated and considered in all of our initiatives,” she says. As a HUES lead, “I was always given the opportunity to advocate for issues unique to my department and to engage in public speaking opportunities. This helped me to build the confidence I needed to work on a high-velocity team, and to also share my story and offer mentorship to others looking to break into tech or engineering.”
In addition to internal programming and mentorship, the ERGs she’s involved in have also partnered with corporate citizenship for volunteering and gifting campaigns for charities. “My time spent community-building and advocating for historically underrepresented communities helped me to hone the cross-functional skills that would help set me apart when I pivoted into engineering,” Coleman says.
4. Employees feel seen, valued, and celebrated for who they are
Lastly, in order for belonging to thrive, it needs to be cultural, forged through acceptance, curiosity, and genuinely wanting to be there for others. Coleman and DeSarzant say they’ve experienced that in spades at Intuit.
“At Intuit, people who you didn’t even work with would come by to greet you with a hug, ask you how you were doing and let you know that they cared,” DeSarzant says.
Coleman adds: “I tell my story through my personal style and presence. I’ve never had to tone down my unique look, it’s celebrated and welcomed here. By feeling whole and safe to show up authentically everyday, it helps others to see it’s okay for them to do the same.”
Some Mailchimp colleagues even attended Atlanta Pride together, something that was extremely meaningful to DeSarzant. “Being there to advocate and support our LGBTQ+ community by not only spending time with colleagues outside of the office, but showing love and advocacy creates bonds without saying a word,” she says. “I’m grateful for the amazing experiences I’ve been fortunate enough to have because of Intuit’s focus on diversity, equity and inclusion that rivals any Fortune 500 company I’ve ever worked for.”
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