CultureClub XRoundup

Belonging Shows Up in the Data Before Anyone Says a Word

Six people leaders on the difference between a DEI position and a culture people actually feel.

5 min read · 6 people leadersAll dei and belonging episodesAll episodes and topics

Every quote below is verbatim from a CultureClub X episode we recorded with the named leader. 6 people leaders, recorded 2022 to 2026. Each take links to the full episode it came from and to the speaker’s LinkedIn profile.

How do you build real belonging at work?

By naming behaviours rather than values, and by watching the optional moments. Six people leaders on CultureClub X are consistent that a stated position on inclusion contradicted by daily behaviour is worse than saying nothing. In CultureMonkey's benchmark, inclusivity scores 7.99 and diversity 7.91, both below the 8.05 overall average.

The guests on CultureClub X are consistent about one thing: a stated position on inclusion that daily behaviour contradicts is worse than saying nothing. What they disagree about is ownership, whether belonging needs a dedicated owner with real authority or belongs to every manager. What unites them is a practical instinct for where belonging becomes visible, and it is rarely in the headline engagement score. It is in who goes quiet, who skips the optional things, and what happens when a high performer damages the culture. Here is what six of them said, in their own words.

  1. 1Equality hands everyone the same apple. Equity accounts for different starting points.

    Make sure you're taking actions to back it up because the words are meaningless if you're not actually doing the work with your employees.
    Emily GoodsonEmily GoodsonCEO & founder, Culture SmartS03 E01

  2. 2Name the behaviors, not just the values. Respect means something different to everyone until you spell it out.

    People can tolerate adversity much better than they can tolerate uncertainty. And so I think when you can paint a clear path forward and you have shown that your word matters, that what you say you're going to do, you're doing.
    Kellie WagnerKellie WagnerFounder & CEO, Collective, A DEI LabS03 E11

  3. 3Belonging shows up in the optional moments. Watch who skips the things nobody is required to attend.

    Sometimes I call myself an AI babysitter because you constantly need to challenge it and be like, No, I said this, remember that.
    Jessica SmithJessica SmithFounder and Chief People Officer, Reframing HRS06 E17

  4. 4Flattering engagement scores can hide a homogeneous culture. A monoculture agrees with itself.

    But if you take their voices and showcase that here's what you said and here's actually what we're actioning based on what you said, that is extremely powerful.
    Aysha AlawadhiAysha AlawadhiDirector of Culture Transformation, Anthem IncS03 E02

  5. 5DEI that is everyone's responsibility is effectively nobody's. It needs an owner with C-suite access.

    If DEI is everyone's responsibility, it is actually no one's responsibility. We want to make sure we have someone experienced in the area - collaborating directly with the C-suite and the board - because even today in 2026, many leaders do not really understand what this work is all about.
    Daniela HerreraDaniela HerreraDEI Consultant, Trainer and SpeakerS06 E05

  6. 6Culture is built every day, not in a day. Inclusion cannot be switched on.

    We cannot automatically wake up and say we have a diversified workforce and that we provide equity and we absolutely provide inclusion.
    Shelley SmithShelley SmithFounder & CEO, Premier RapportS03 E05

What connects all six is accountability. Employees read the gap between what a company says and what it tolerates faster and more accurately than any survey can measure, which is why the leaders here start from behaviour rather than from a statement.

Questions people ask about dei and belonging

What is the difference between equality and equity at work?
Equality hands everyone the same apple. Equity accounts for the fact that people start from different places, which is the distinction guests return to most often.
How do you measure belonging?
Guests suggest watching attendance at optional events. Who skips the things nobody is required to attend tells you more than a survey item about inclusion.
Can a good engagement score hide an inclusion problem?
Yes. Several guests warn that a monoculture agrees with itself, so a flattering score can reflect homogeneity rather than health.
Should DEI have a dedicated owner?
The guests disagree, and the roundup keeps both positions. One argues that a responsibility shared by everyone belongs to nobody and needs C-suite access; others argue it has to be embedded in how managers behave daily.

The other roundups

Same panel, same benchmark data, different question.

Employee retentionWhy Your Best People Still LeaveEngagement is not retention. The quiet reasons good employees walk, and what makes the ones who stay stay.7 people leaders · 5 min readManager effectivenessWhat Great Managers Do DifferentlyCulture is delivered one manager at a time. The habits that separate a manager people follow from one they only tolerate.6 people leaders · 5 min readChange leadershipLeading When the Ground Keeps MovingChange stopped being a project and became the job. How people leaders carry teams through constant disruption without losing them.6 people leaders · 5 min readAI in HRAI Is Not Your Problem. Your Foundations Are.Six people leaders on why AI programmes stall, and the unglamorous work that has to happen first.6 people leaders · 5 min readEmployee engagementYour Engagement Score Is Not the PointSeven people leaders on why the number matters less than who answered it, and what you did next.7 people leaders · 5 min readFuture of workBuild for the Person Furthest From the RoomSix people leaders on hybrid, flexibility and what actually differentiates an employer now.6 people leaders · 5 min read
See all roundups

Turn these conversations into action

See how CultureMonkey helps people leaders act on this, or explore the deep dive on DEI metrics.