From a young age, Rachael Bello has told herself she won’t stay in a place where she’s unhappy.
“If I’m not at my best in a certain environment, I’ll leave,” Rachael shares. “When I am happy in my role, I put my all into everything I do. I pride myself on high standards.”
After testing the waters with a couple of different technology platforms, she accepted a solutions consultant opportunity with Gainsight — eager to see if the #1 Best Place to Work, according to Glassdoor, was a fit for her.
Over a year later, she’s not going anywhere.
“I honestly love it here,” she smiles. “Being neurodivergent in the workplace can be a big challenge sometimes, but Gainsight has created a safe space for me and my colleagues.”
We asked Rachael to share more about the power of workplace culture, including her top tips on deciphering whether (or not) a workplace is right for you.
Resonating with Gainsight’s values
While working for a large technology organization after college, Rachael recognized that something was missing from the workplace culture.
“I found that I felt like a cog in the wheel, just one of the many. We were all churning out work and it felt robotic. Yes, we built relationships and I made incredible friends, but there was no unified workplace culture,” she explains.
When Gainsight came on her radar, the script flipped.
“I went to research the values, and every single one of them resonated,” Rachael recalls. “I’m really big on ethics and treating people the way you want to be treated. I could sense that Gainsight felt the same in the way they talked about themselves.”
The value that sealed the deal? Childlike joy.
Rachael laughs, “I’m a big kid at heart. I want to work with people who feel the same.”
A smooth onboarding
Even before her first day of work, Rachael felt supported by Gainsight.
“My manager, who also led the hiring process, stayed in constant contact, making sure I felt comfortable and that all of my questions were answered. Also, members of the team that I met through the interview process started adding me on LinkedIn and welcomed me,” she shares.
Two days into her role, Rachael and the entire Gainsight team went to New Orleans for a Company Cohesion event.
“It was phenomenal. Fostering those relationships in person made all the difference,” she recalls. “I still remember walking around a cocktail reception and overhearing a conversation about the company culture and vision. I joined in and, turns out, it was the CPO who later became the president of product. When else would you be able to have such a down-to-earth conversation with an executive?”
Plus, the childlike joy was in full swing.
“We had parades, a massive karaoke night, and our CEO even dressed up in costumes,” Rachael laughs. “It was everything that I could imagine childlike joy to be — and more.”
Power of workplace culture
“My feelings about Gainsight in that first week are exactly the same as I feel now,” Rachael says with a smile. “And I know that’s rare. Usually, you start a job with rose-tinted glasses, and over time, you’re exposed to things you don’t like. That couldn’t be farther from the case for me.”
Among the highlights are the culture of feedback and how team members celebrate each other’s wins.
“This is important because, being quite young, it’s easy for me to feel like I’m not actually qualified for this role. But I get constant reassurance from the team. Everyone here appreciates each other’s strengths,” Rachael explains.
She’s also found community through Gainsight’s teammate resource groups (TRGs). As a member of Mind Matters, Rachael connects with fellow neurodivergent colleagues and allies to share advice on everything from managing tasks with ADHD to overcoming imposter syndrome. With the BIPOC resource group, she’s able to celebrate her Nigerian culture. And with Women in Sales, she’s able to better envision her future in the field.
“We’re a minority in the wider industry, so it’s nice to be able to hear how other women navigated things like maternity leave and its impact on commission and career progression,” Rachael says. “When you see yourself in others, it’s easier to feel like you belong.”
4 tips on finding strong workplace culture
As you search for your right workplace, Rachael leaves you with these four tips:
- Reference LinkedIn. “I always look up a company on LinkedIn, including their posts and employee representation. If you see people you can relate to, then you’re more likely to feel comfortable in that environment.”
- Analyze the job description. “Tone matters a lot. What I liked about Gainsight’s job description was that they were selling themselves to me, not the other way around. I could tell they were eager for people to join. They were also transparent with their benefits. Typically, if a place has good benefits, they’ll want to brag about it!”
- Reflect on the interview process. “So much can be unraveled here, starting with the number of stages. For me, being neurodivergent, anything above four stages is not a good fit. Also, it’s a good sign if they put other team members on your interview panel because it means they value opinions outside of just management. This also enables you to have conversations with other team members and see how enthusiastic they are about the company.”
- Read Glassdoor reviews. “Not everyone has the same experience, but Glassdoor gives a great overall picture of what company culture looks like.”
“Also, it’s important to keep in mind that if you don’t see a diverse culture yet at a company, you can start to create that culture,” Rachael adds, “In the end, diversity and inclusion have to start from somewhere — and you have the ability to create change wherever you are.”
Think Gainsight’s culture might be the right fit for you? Explore their career opportunities today.
