Gray: A Place Where You Belong

At Gray, we believe belonging is more than a feeling of closeness or affinity—it means you’re one of us. We strive to make sure every person who walks through our door, whether they’re a team member, customer, or partner, feels like they belong here. Because a truly inclusive workplace isn’t just good for business; it’s essential for building a future where everyone can thrive and uplift each other along the way. 

Countless studies have shown that fostering an inclusive work environment opens space for fresh ideas, deeper collaboration, and increased productivity. Recently, BetterUp conducted an experiment where workers were assigned to a team with two other participants and played a virtual ball-toss game. The key difference being “included” participants were consistently given the ball while “excluded” participants only received the ball every few turns. After the game, participants were assigned a simple task with the opportunity to earn money for themselves or their team based on how long they persisted.  

The study revealed that the excluded participants worked just as hard as included participants when they were told they could earn money for themselves. However, excluded participants worked less hard when they were told they could earn money for their team. Fostering an environment where team members feel they belong directly affects an organization’s productivity. 

Building an environment where people feel they belong takes intentional efforts in recruiting, training, and developing team members. BetterUp expanded their study to see if the harmful effects of exclusion can be corrected. To answer this question, they designed an experiment that included the virtual ball-toss game and added three intervention styles: 

1. Gaining perspective– previous participants shared their reflections with the current participants, and how they coped with their exclusion. 
2. Encouraging mentorship– participants imagined how they would coach someone going through exclusion. 
3. Finding empowerment– participants planned out how they would restructure the team experience to make it more enjoyable and inclusive. 

The results were astounding—not  only did all three interventions work—but  those who participated in the mentorship and empowerment tools exceeded in effort compared to the included participants. 

At Gray, we aim to ensure that our team members feel they truly belong. Over the years, we have developed Employee Driven Cooperatives (EDCs) to sustain that sense of belonging.  

Emerging Leaders Group (ELG) was founded in 2009, with a goal of developing Gray’s next generation of leaders. ELG focuses on three main areas: professional development, philanthropy, and networking. ELG members find themselves quickly immersed in Gray’s culture, building strong bonds with team members, and developing new skills to aid in their success at Gray. 

Groundbreaking Women was founded in 2016, with the purpose of impacting our company, the community, and each other through a shared commitment to drive change and build future leaders. This group provides the women of Gray an opportunity to connect, engage, and support one another. 

Veterans’ SPEAR Group (SPEAR) was founded in 2023 with the purpose of channeling the experiences and perspectives of Gray’s military veterans to give back to our communities. SPEAR’s three core objectives guiding our efforts are: serve, recruit, connect. Service Above Self, In Aliorum Servitium. 

In addition to our EDCs, Gray has greatly invested in the professional and personal development of our team members. Whether it’s through our robust library of training courses and opportunities, promoting our free mental health services through Lyra Health, or just providing opportunities for our team members to get together like our Annual Chili Cookoff—we are devoted to making Gray a place where everyone belongs, where everyone is welcome and respected.