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Patty Dingle, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility & Corporate Social Responsibility Leader at Paylocity, Maurice Monté Thomas, Head of People Programs and Development at Strava, and Shai Poulard, Director, Global Talent Enablement and Belonging at NerdWallet, shared their insights on building meaningful connection, fostering belonging, and creating inclusive workplace cultures. With deep experience across DEI, employee experience, and people development, the panelists explored how to adapt programs in a changing environment while staying grounded in purpose and people.
Maurice explained that meaningful connection starts with listening. Before launching new initiatives, he and his team prioritize understanding who employees are, what they have experienced, and what they care about most. Programs are then designed to reflect both shared values and individual needs.
He described a time when his team paused during a realignment to determine what elements of their work were truly non-negotiable. That clarity helped them double down on the programs that supported community and impact, even in the face of shifting roles.
Shai highlighted the importance of designing with inclusion in mind from the very beginning. "If you build with the person with the most need in mind, everyone up the chain wins," she shared.
Patty encouraged teams to move beyond the idea that DEI and belonging should only be owned by HR. She described how her team applies a client group model to partner directly with departments such as learning and development and profit and loss. By embedding inclusion into core operations, her team strengthens its influence and helps business units take real ownership.
Shai noted that when DEI efforts are tied to clear business outcomes, it becomes much easier to gain long-term executive support.
The panelists emphasized the role of employee feedback in shaping an inclusive workplace. Maurice pointed to survey data showing that some employees felt isolated because their views were not widely shared. His team used that insight to create space for different perspectives while reinforcing shared values and respectful dialogue.
Patty and Shai agreed that psychological safety and respect must coexist. Creating inclusive environments requires clear boundaries, and it is essential to respond when those boundaries are crossed.
Maurice reminded the audience that flexibility is key. As teams and business priorities shift, programs need to be reassessed to ensure they are still aligned with impact and purpose.
Patty shared how her team at Riot Games used player data to guide cultural programming. For instance, higher activity during Ramadan led to new initiatives during that time. Using data in this way allows cultural moments to be prioritized with intention.
Shai also discussed the value of reevaluating long-standing programs, ensuring they still serve the current needs of the organization and the people within it.
The panel explored how storytelling can support belonging. Patty gave an example of a leader who shared their experience parenting a nonbinary child, which helped create deeper engagement within their team.
Maurice added that storytelling can be powerful but should never be forced. For employees from underrepresented groups, sharing personal stories may carry risk. Rituals and regular team moments, he said, can build connection without requiring vulnerability every time.
To drive lasting change, the panelists recommended multiple approaches to accountability. These include linking goals to compensation, using survey scores to assess progress, and publishing internal scorecards to track inclusion metrics.
Patty reminded the group that much of this work happens behind the scenes. Even small actions, like noticing who is missing from a meeting and making the effort to include them, play an important role in building belonging.
This conversation made it clear that connection and belonging are not side projects. They are central to how we build resilient cultures and inclusive communities at work.
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