How a ‘Unique Sense of Belonging’ Unites SailPoint Team Members Across Continents

“If you want to go fast, go alone — if you want to go far, go together.”

The origin of this widely used phrase has long mystified scholars. While many believe it to be an ancient African proverb, no one has yet been able to confirm its genesis, making it a truly universal descriptor of the power of teamwork. 

That’s why it seems only fitting that Eric Kong would use this adage to illustrate SailPoint’s international culture. With team members spread across several continents, the company is comprised of talented individuals from many nationalities, races and religions, driven by the diversity of its many teams.

Kong, who works out of the company’s Singapore office as a sales director, said that this culture, though cross-continental in nature, is far from disconnected. Tied together by tools, practices and opportunities for connection, he and his peers are empowered to make an impact together — from anywhere.  

“The increased cohesiveness and collaboration helps us deliver greater impact for our business and customers, and with greater effectiveness,” Kong said.

SailPoint aims to ensure that every element of its culture is both accessible and scalable, offering an enriching workplace experience for employees worldwide. According to Senior Manager of Culture and Employee Experience Becky Harmonson, this intentionality is key to creating moments that truly matter. 

“No matter where our employees are in the world, our goal is to make SailPoint the best company they’ve ever worked for,” she said. “When you lead with that kind of conviction, you create an environment where employees thrive.”  

 

The Keys to ‘Increased Cohesiveness’

Based in Guadalajara, Mexico, Technical Program Manager Valerie Farias is nowhere near many of her colleagues — yet at the same time, she couldn’t be any closer. 

That’s because she and her peers maximize the use of asynchronous communication and visual aids, such as Miro and PowerPoint presentations, to stay up to date on assignments, regardless of where they live. They also rely heavily on regular team check-ins, where they raise concerns, address blockers and seek support with decision-making. 

For Farias, the goal is clear: ensure everyone knows what’s going on — all the time. She admits that this can be challenging, given language and cultural barriers, yet she also sees this disparity as a strength. 

“It fosters openness and empathy, allowing us to embrace diversity as a key driver of innovation,” Farias said. 

The success of SailPoint’s culture rests on having world-class tools and practices, which are used across all offices. Vikram Dubey, who works as a senior technical support and escalation manager at the company’s office in Pune, India, said his team uses powerful systems, such as Salesforce, Zendesk and Jira Service Management, to help overcome cultural, logistical and operational challenges.

Dubey and his peers lean on weekly review meetings, one-on-one guidance and regular knowledge-sharing sessions to ensure everyone has what they need to accomplish their tasks — all while fostering a focus on personal well-being.

“We strongly encourage work-life balance and make sure that we recognize team efforts,” he said. “This is especially important for our technical support team, and we aim to make sure that team morale and productivity always remains high to avoid any burnout as we deal with complex situations during any outages, escalations or critical incidents.”

 

“We strongly encourage work-life balance and make sure that we recognize team efforts.”

 

In addition to a global recognition program that highlights the achievements of employees across all offices, Dubey noted that the company also offers a global onboarding and training program. This initiative helps all employees adjust to the company’s culture as they navigate different communication styles across teams. 

Noting that communication is critical to collaboration, Dubey explained that at SailPoint, strong communication means more than sharing ideas and information well. 

“Listening to your global members is another important aspect to ensure that they are being heard and understood,” he said, adding that by fostering understanding between each other, he and his teammates can build stronger relationships with the company’s customers, too.

 

 

Building a ‘Unique Sense of Belonging’

When Farias attended a SailPoint all-hands meeting in Mexico City a couple of years ago, the company’s executive leaders knew her work well — and she was stunned. 

Despite having only met them in person for the first time that same day, Farias felt understood and seen by the leadership team, which she described as an “empowering and motivating” experience. 

“I was deeply inspired by how approachable, professional and humble our leaders were,” she said.

 

“I was deeply inspired by how approachable, professional and humble our leaders were.”

 

SailPoint’s inclusive culture is cultivated from the top down, fostered by opportunities to build meaningful connections. At the Singapore office, Kong and his colleagues come together to celebrate different cultural traditions, including Diwali and Chinese New Year, in addition to taking part in other fun activities, such as playing games of pickleball. 

“These activities create shared experiences that draw the team closer together as a community,” he said. 

While team members have the chance to get to know their peers locally, they can also build connections across other offices. According to Farias, the company’s product summits, held at its Austin, Texas, headquarters, have greatly impacted her experience at the organization, enabling her to align with peers on company strategy and vision while getting to know them on a personal level. 

During one of these summits, Farias had the chance to help showcase how the company’s ProdOps team operates and supports other teams across the organization, marking a pivotal moment in her career journey.

“It was such a rewarding moment to meet in person many of the colleagues and peers I’ve collaborated with remotely and feel the energy and enthusiasm that face-to-face interaction brings,” Farias said. 

 

 

In India, Dubey has seen the power of real-life connections play out on many occasions, but the one that stands out the most to him is the annual celebration held at the company’s Pune office. This event enables team members and their families to dance to popular Bollywood tunes alongside their peers before watching members of the leadership team bust a move during their own closing performance. 

For Dubey, this opportunity for joy and connection is one of many that reflects SailPoint’s core values: innovation, integrity, impact, and individuals. He believes that the last value in particular forms the heart of the company’s workplace, where people from all corners of the globe are invited to make an impact together. 

“You get a unique sense of belonging within this culture, where you feel supported and taken care of,” Dubey said. 

At SailPoint, building a culture that transcends time zones doesn’t happen overnight. Rather, as Harmonson described, it requires everyone to strive for the greater good — regardless of where they live. 

“Keeping the culture thriving is the responsibility of all of us, and together is how we make an impact,” she said.