A Culture of Belonging at Sage: A 28-Year Journey of Inclusion with Helen Baker

Helen Baker, Global Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Wellbeing Director at Sage believes that people are at the heart of an inclusive and thriving workplace. With 28 years at Sage, Helen has seen firsthand how a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) fosters an environment where everyone can flourish.

People at the Heart of Inclusion

For Helen, the essence of her role is to ensure fair access and opportunities for career growth, allowing individuals to share their diverse experiences. This, she explains, leads to a more innovative and resilient organisation. "The most interesting and enjoyable part of the job is the people," Helen shares. She highlights the joy of learning from different individuals and the supportive environment at Sage which allows for course correction and growth. She adds, "You make loads of mistakes along the way, but you know you are in a supportive environment where you can actually course correct. It's always got to be about the people for me."

A Lived Commitment to Openness

Helen's own journey at Sage exemplifies the company's long-standing commitment to openness. She met her wife at Sage and raised her children while being authentically herself throughout her career. Helen proudly states, "I've always been able to talk about my home life at Sage including who I love and my experiences, just like everybody else does in the office." This is especially significant considering 28 years ago such openness in the workplace was far less common. She also notes, "I'm pleased to say at Sage it's something that we live and breathe. And I'm an example of that." This personal experience underscores the dedication at Sage to creating a space where employees can truly be themselves.

Inclusion: The Cornerstone of The Culture at Sage

"Inclusion is a very important component of our culture, because if everybody feels that they can give of their own skills, then it means that they're going to be really great communicators in their teams." She emphasises that when employees feel comfortable bringing their whole selves to work, it builds trust and respect within teams, ultimately leading to high performance and innovation. This commitment to inclusion is woven into the core processes at Sage, from hiring to career progression. Helen and her team constantly scrutinise these practices to ensure equity and fair access are embedded from the outset. "If you think about our hiring processes, our career succession and progression processes, we want to also know why people perhaps leave our organisation and make sure that it is on good terms," she explains. "My role day-to-day is in those conversations, reviewing those processes, gathering that data and building the work that we do against the strategy that we own and being really accountable to that for Sage."

The Power of Allyship and Support

Helen highlights the exceptional "allyship behaviours" of Sage people. “Our people here are unbelievably brilliant at thinking about their allyship behaviour. And they don't think of it as allyship, they're just naturally curious," she explains. This natural curiosity, respectful questioning, and willingness to support one another are fundamental to the Sage culture. "There's never a time when you can't find somebody that will support you with something that you're having difficulty with. There's always somebody that will say, 'hey, do you want to take 5 minutes and talk about that?'" This supportive environment allows Helen, and others, to be their authentic selves at work, even on challenging days. "I can just be who I am," she says, “regardless of personal struggles.” This sense of belonging is, as Helen puts it is, "key to creating a sense of belonging within an organisation and then that's key to helping me to perform at my best."

Opportunities for Growth and a Fulfilling Life

Helen's long tenure at Sage is a testament to the opportunities available within the organisation. "The number of opportunities that I've had because it's such a large organisation, is unbelievable," she says. She has experienced numerous role changes, travelled internationally, and benefited from amazing coaches and mentors throughout her career. For Helen, Sage isn't just a workplace; it's an organisation that has augmented her life, offering financial benefits and the flexibility to be a parent. Her message is clear: Sage is a "fantastic environment to join, to build success. Please come. Please put your application in."