Every day, Haritha Etakula tends to her small home garden. In the summer, you’ll find her planting new seeds and watching small buds mature into blooming petals. She understands the unique needs of each flower, herb, and vegetable, watering their roots and removing their weeds.
Take a look at her professional life, and you’ll see the same level of care.
Haritha is the director of teammate success at Gainsight. Just as she nurtures a symbiotic ecosystem in her home garden, she cultivates a team culture where every individual can thrive. At the core of her team’s strategy is authenticity, and Haritha has seen firsthand how a culture of belonging leads to happier and healthier teams.
We asked Haritha to tell us more about how Gainsight helps people bring their whole selves to work and its positive impact on the company culture. Here’s what she had to say.
Choosing Gainsight
Haritha was first drawn to Gainsight for their company values.
“I wanted to be part of the team that drives the values and culture in the organization,” Haritha says. “I was fortunate to be taken onto the role and, since then, there’s been no looking back. The transparency and radical candor demonstrated by everyone in leadership is commendable.”
Alongside the Teammate Success team in India, Haritha ensures Gainsight’s “human-first” slogan rings true in every aspect of the organization.
“It’s our promise to each and every teammate. We want our teammates to show up to work as their whole selves and to be respected, celebrated, and challenged. Creating an environment where teammates feel at ease bringing their whole selves to work is important to foster a positive and thriving workplace culture. When individuals can authentically express themselves, their ideas, and their identities, it not only cultivates a sense of belonging and acceptance but also enhances employee morale and their satisfaction toward their role.”
Promoting authenticity & belonging
To ensure every team member can bring their authentic self to work, Gainsight’s Teammate Success team prioritizes a number of initiatives:
- Flexible work policy. “Our flexible work policies allow teammates to accommodate diverse needs and balance personal and work life comfortably.”
- Employee resource groups. “We have global TRGs, our employee resource groups, which help individuals with shared interests and backgrounds connect and support one another.”
- Employee assistance programs. “These create an environment where employees feel comfortable to share and discuss any issues they are faced with. It may be mental health or physical health.”
- Open door policy. “This helps us understand feedback from anyone, at all levels of the organization.”
- Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training. “We train and enable our leaders to create a psychologically safe work environment. We conduct training programs on topics like gender sensitivity, managing unconscious biases, and understanding DEI.”
- Consistent parity checks. “In our performance and merit increase system, we do a parity check across genders, levels, and regions to ensure no discrimination or unconscious biases creep in.”
- Feedback systems. “We have different feedback mechanisms, like anonymous surveys and 1:1 pulse checks, which help us to understand teammate feedback and get a pulse check.”
- Global celebrations. “We create a workplace that celebrates diversity and inclusion. We celebrate different groups of people, cultures, and regions and important events in each of these cultures.”
Haritha also highlights how a culture of belonging stems from the top down. Gainsight’s leadership team demonstrates vulnerability and transparency in their actions, paving the way for others to do the same.
“They post openly about what’s happening in the organization. They openly publish our quarterly results in our weekly huddles and ‘Ask Me Anythings.’ They also openly share what’s happening in their personal lives. They take time off and encourage all teammates to take time off, too.”
All of these efforts have resulted in Gainsight earning recognitions like Glassdoor’s #1 Best Place to Work.
“We’re the best place to work because of what our employees say, including: ‘Workplace diversity is significantly higher than anywhere else I've worked. I didn't think this mattered too much in the past but after experiencing it, I can say it's refreshing.’”
6 strategies to bring your whole self to work
Haritha first pursued a career in human resources because of a genuine interest in people and their potential. She appreciates any opportunity to make a tangible impact on individuals and their experience in the workplace — including yours.
If you’re struggling to bring your whole self to work, Haritha leaves you with these six pieces of advice:
- Start slowly: “Try to start by sharing and gradually opening up with a colleague or someone whom you work closely with. This can help build trust with your colleagues and help make you more comfortable being your true self.”
- Seek support and find allies: “Identify supportive colleagues and mentors who can offer guidance and understanding. Talk to them, seek their guidance, and learn from their experiences.”
- Explore company resources: “We have TRGs that focus on diversity and inclusion. They offer a supportive community and valuable insights on how to navigate the workplace.”
- Set boundaries. “Understand your comfort zones and set your boundaries accordingly.”
- Invest in professional development opportunities that encourage self-expression and authenticity. “Gainsight provides ample opportunities for it. We have Udemy, trained coaches, and language and communication experts who can support in these areas.”
- Self-reflection: “Take time to reflect on yourself, your values, your strengths, and your personal identity. Understanding who one is helps bring authenticity to work.”
