Sailaja Josyula - March 24, 2021 - 304 views

As a woman in the engineering field, I once worked at a company dominated by men by a ratio of 80 to 1. I made it work – but then again, I’ve never shied away from expressing my opinion, and I can be stubborn, both of which helped me succeed in a male-dominated profession. But what […]

Margaret Schweer - October 7, 2020 - 1437 views

Intensified by the global pandemic, a sense of belonging has become a pressing organizational priority.  Work routines have been upended for leaders and employees alike – office shutdowns, remote work, extended work hours, and furloughs and layoffs. Given the prolonged nature of the disruption, what does it mean to “belong at work” during a sustained […]

If Black hair could speak, it would tell a tale of comedy, romance and horror. Hair is an opportunity to express personality and style. Yet as Black women, we learn that our hair isn’t a matter of whimsical choice but of strategic management. While this issue also affects Black men, it’s a particular pain point […]

Irene Sandler - September 22, 2020 - 1018 views

On a cold and cloudy January day in Portland, Oregon, I gave birth at home to my first child, a boy. He was perfect, and perfectly healthy, with all fingers and all toes, just as we had wished. We named him Isaac, which means, “he laughs.” And so did the universe. By six months, it […]

Noe A. Gutierrez - September 10, 2020 - 423 views

Diversity has always mattered to me. But back in 2014, I was one of very few Hispanics working at Cognizant. As a friend and I brainstormed about ways for more diverse talent to find their way to the company, he suggested I join the Hispanic IT Executive Council (HITEC), a professional association for senior business […]

Matthew Lee - July 15, 2020 - 279 views

Self-quarantining in a midtown Manhattan hotel room gave me plenty of time to think. I thought about my family, of course. My doctor advised staying away from them after I’d returned from several weeks of international travel. Amid the solitude, I also reflected on my career – and especially on the mentors who made it […]

Fred Bachhuber - July 7, 2020 - 308 views

July marks the end of Pride festivities, and for too many people, a return to the closet. But the camaraderie and sense of belonging that go along with Pride don’t have to be fleeting. Pride is loved by many for its hoopla. Last year in New York City, five million revelers filled the streets to […]

Becky Schmitt - July 6, 2020 - 1520 views

The pandemic, as well as heightened social unrest spawned by the death of George Floyd, has upended work routines for employees and leaders alike. What hasn’t changed is our need to feel we belong at work. As we power through a “new normal,” I think it’s critical for employees to feel welcome, included, valued and […]

Shelley Tiltman - June 8, 2020 - 825 views

You don’t come out just once – each time you change projects or teams, or start a new job, you come out all over again. And each time can feel just as scary as the one before. I’ve been out since I was 18. Yet when a client or someone outside of my team asks […]

Jennifer Green Godette - June 4, 2020 - 2070 views

As a diversity and inclusion (D&I) leader at Cognizant, I’m always planning for the next big D&I event. June, for instance, is filled with many Pride celebrations, virtual and otherwise. But instead of seeing coverage of upcoming LGBTQ+ Pride celebrations, I’m watching news coverage and having conversations with friends and family members about the senseless deaths of […]