Two early in career team members share their stories of how inclusion helped them choose Ciena as their workplace.

Young professionals are looking for a workplace culture where they can be themselves and their diverse perspectives are appreciated—one survey shows that 75% of Gen Z applicants consider DEI when choosing whether to join an organization. Here, two members of Pride at Ciena, one of our employee resource groups (ERGs), share their stories of choosing Ciena and finding the supportive, inclusive workplace they value as professionals early in their careers.

Jessie’s Story: Connecting with your community

Jessie Ray, part of our Field Marketing team, shares her story about finding a space of belonging amongst her colleagues here at Ciena.

"In my three years at Ciena, I have connected with many LGBTQ+ colleagues and allies, especially through our Pride at Ciena ERG. This group, along with other ERGs, creates a strong sense of community in the organization and helps us feel even more connected and collaborative, especially since many of us work remotely.

Connecting with my colleagues is a vital part of my career and knowing that they celebrate me for who I am creates a safe and supportive environment where I can truly be myself. I am thankful to feel comfortable openly discussing my adventures with my wife and our two dogs! The promotion of events, education, and inclusive language within the organization also shows Ciena’s dedication to respect and belonging.

Ciena's support goes beyond words. Through the Ciena Cares program, the company matches my personal donations to my favorite LGBTQ+ organizations like Free Mom Hugs and the Human Rights Campaign. They also give me time off to volunteer in my local LGBTQ+ community, including my work with the Oklahoma Pride Alliance, where I have served on the marketing committee and help my wife as she co-chairs the Oklahoma Pridefest Parade.

This sense of community and connection that I now feel both locally and, in the workplace, allows me to bring my unique perspectives, full potential, and authentic self to work every day. I am happy to have chosen Ciena, where I can work where I belong.”

Maxime’s Story: Choosing an inclusive workplace

Maxime Bourdon, one of our sales engineers, describes his experience searching for an inclusive workplace after graduating university, and ultimately choosing Ciena.

“When I first started applying for jobs right after university, inclusion was something I was looking for. I was part of the network for LGBTQ+ staff, students, and allies at my university, which inspired me to ask potential employers, ‘what are you doing to promote inclusion in your company?’ This question was a way to ensure that there were safeguards against workplace discrimination beyond the legal minimums, and that wherever I ended up working was proactive in preventing discrimination.

I was living in the UK at that time, and like many other European countries, they have legal protections in place for LGBTQ+ people. These laws have helped make significant progress toward equity and equality and should be celebrated. However, this doesn’t mean that these countries have reached full equality yet— the gender pay gap and ethnicity pay gap still exists, and research suggests that there are still people in the LGBTQ+ community who hide or disguise their identity because they are afraid of discrimination.

Inclusion beyond legal protections is also about supporting the wellbeing and mental health of underrepresented groups. Providing a space for young adults to openly identify as LGBT+ in the workplace, is something that was not readily available for prior generations. If not done correctly, it can mean losing out on talented people who would achieve greatness otherwise."

Fostering diversity and inclusion in the workplace

Maxime and Jessie both shared specific elements of Ciena that have helped them to experience inclusion in their roles.

Maxime highlights the importance of visible, diverse leadership. He says, “I really like seeing people from diverse backgrounds in leadership roles. This visibility can consciously or unconsciously encourage early in career folks from underrepresented backgrounds to work toward a role that they might not have considered otherwise.” Not only does this visibility encourage inspiration for younger employees, the broader pool of perspectives from which to draw ideas can also enable imagination and innovation for top decision makers.

Maxime and others participating in a Pride Matters in Tech roundtable in the London office.

You don’t need to be in a leadership role to make a difference though—Jessie shared some tips that anyone can follow to help cultivate an inclusive workplace environment. These actions include using inclusive language, sharing your pronouns, and speaking up for your colleagues if you witness discriminatory behavior. You can also chat with colleagues from different backgrounds and demographics than yourself to learn about their experiences, and actively participate in opportunities to uplift diverse voices, such as attending events, sharing resources, or celebrating positive moments of inclusion.

Being welcoming to young professionals from a wide variety of diverse backgrounds is key to how Ciena attracts amazing new talent. To explore open roles at Ciena, visit our careers page and apply today.