Excellence in HR and culture: This Microsoft exec supports employees — at work and beyond

“At Microsoft, we have eight babies a day in the U.S.,” says Sonja Kellen, senior director of global health and wellness at the tech giant.

That’s a lot of newborns, but for a company with more than 100,000 employees stretched across the country, it’s a simple fact — one that drives Kellen to deliver the inclusive culture and benefits possible.

From providing industry-leading family-building support through Maven and Progyny, to offering pandemic leave to help workers sort out their personal lives, the company seeks to create holistic support.

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“Offering these different perks has affirmed the trust and sense of pride they have in us as their employer,” Kellen says. “It also sets a higher bar in terms of what they expect. We have to meet people’s needs where they are.”

To do so, a new benefit piloted by Microsoft in partnership with Embold Health that gives employees access to provider service and quality ratings. “It’s not about a short wait in their waiting room,” Kellen says. “It’s about the appropriateness of care: Do they know sign language? Are they skilled with the LGBTQ community? We’re always looking to enhance our culture, and to do that, we have to care for the whole person.”