How can you create a culture of belonging that ensures all employees feel valued?

I believe that management should discuss the achieved and desired milestones with team. Develop a positive attitude and treat everyone with respect. Define your goals, communicate with team and discuss with them that how it will grow them professionally will create positive impact and establish true bonding.

It is time to challenge the language of Company Values and replace it with a new, actionable and ownable idea of Company Mindsets. Here's why do I propose this? Firstly, our individual values are extremely personal. They are formed from our upbringing and define who we are. We cannot swap these with company values that may not be fully aligned. Secondly, no one ever talks to friends & colleagues in about their values. It is just never a conversation piece, So company values are redundant as a leadership tool because they are words on a wall. Finally, what we can all agree and experience individually and collectively are a set of mindsets. The mindset of courage, accountability, passion can be activated independent of our differing values.

If the management is able to effectively convey their vision with their employees then it's the half battle won. I have seen employees working on task just for completing it in the given deadline. It happens because the employees are unaware of the organization's vision to take the Firm or that particular product to a new level. It is necessary to make their employees feel that they too are the part of the organization & its success. With this atmosphere, the employees can work more productively.

Empathy: As a leader, you can provide a secure and pleasant place to work that is tailored to each individual and, as a result, nurtures a productive work environment when you are able to understand, deep down, why and how your team members behave as they do. (my 2 cents)

Look beyond technical skills; seek candidates who understand your company ethos. For example, a tech startup might prioritize candidates with collaborative attitudes. Simultaneously, prioritize diversity—embrace varied backgrounds, experiences, and thoughts. This blend will cultivate an environment where every voice feels valued and contributes uniquely to the collective success.

I believe that it is actually essential to make employees feel empowered & included. On low days, if any employee is able to come to me & tell that they couldn't be as productive as usual, I feel like a winner. Nothing compared to when my team is as human as anything to each other! ?

?? Everyone joins a startup to risk something. The founder(s), to risk it all. The employees, to risk the switch from a financially stable job to a startup solely because they believe in the vision and/or the product/service/solution. ?? What founders often forget is that all these peers are here to learn, experiment, make mistakes, unlearn, and re-learn. We often forget to reward (& even celebrate) the small wins while we make sure that every mistake is treated with a "We are a startup, we can't afford to make mistakes!" ?? As a founder, your actions have a lot of impact. Employing simple (& cliché) strategies, like one-on-ones & coffee chats with employees, can transform not only your employees’ experiences at work, but also your own.

?? Over 70% of workers have a toxic relationship with work (HP) ?? Transitioning from a Founder to a CEO is difficult. You need to, at one point, get away from the constant daily tinkering and manage the bigger picture. ?? Making sure you're giving yourself a break and not over-committing gives you space to chose yourself and be yourself. This directly improves how you are at work and with your team -- directly impacting their work and the overall performance of the startup. ?? Normalize acknowledging burnouts and taking breaks. The US in hustle needs to be embraced, engaged and empowered with a growth mindset and a collaborative environment!